Big Boy 4014 back!

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abdywgn

abdywgn

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Union Pacific Steam Schedule

Big Boy No. 4014 will depart on the "Heartland of America Tour" on Wednesday, Aug. 28 from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and travel across nine additional states: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. The eight-week tour concludes in late October. No. 4014...
www.up.com
We have not seen the train running, but have seen one up close...it is HUGE! If Lionel made one, it would probably weigh 25lbs. due to it's size.
 
4014 was on display at the LA county fairgrounds for years, and I never went to check it out.
Now restored, I'd drive quite a ways farther to see it up close. But I suspect it might not ever appear on the west coast again.
 
I remember when it was in Los Angeles, I lived in San Diego at the time. It came through Louisiana and Texas a couple years ago and I was fortunate enough to get a ticket to ride it from New Orleans for about four hours. I ride trains whenever I can, and it was a pretty cool ride.
My seating was in the diner car Iwas also able to spend some time in the observation dome. Unfortunately all my photos were on a different phone which I’ve lost and I don’t have any pictures anywhere that I can find.
I suggest anybody that gets a chance to go see one of these great pieces of railroad history. And if you get a chance to find out where it’s coming through town under power, that’s also a big thrill.
 
It weighs 1,200,000 pounds. That's 600 tons. It's 132 feet long. The main drive wheels are 68" in diameter. That's 6'6". 25 were originally and exclusively built for the Union Pacific and 4014 is the only one in operation. I actually have an HO model of the UP Challenger 3985 made by Rivarossi. It's the next size down from the Big Boy. Although calling it a "size down" is somewhat of a stretch.
 
Prior to his way-too-early passing at the age of 44, my dad was a locomotive engineer for Union Pacific Railroad so I have always had the railroad as part of me.
In 2014, when 4014 was moved from SoCal to the UP Steam Shop in Cheyenne, WY, for restoration, a car club buddy and railroad enthusiast and I "chased" 4014 during the transit across SoCal.

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We also were part of the crowds welcoming 4014 back to SoCal during its 2019 visit.
Memories.

 
It came through our little town a couple years ago.
Very impressive!
The train crew were putting pennies on the track for when they left, all the kids and adults got a few!
Coming back to Ft Worth this fall.
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There's a Big Boy (4005) on display in Denver at the Fornay Museum. They are quite the machines. I haven't spent any appreciable time in California in many years, but would love to go see the Big Boy run.
 
slantflat said:
There's a Big Boy (4005) on display in Denver at the Fornay Museum. They are quite the machines. I haven't spent any appreciable time in California in many years, but would love to go see the Big Boy run.
Click to expand...
Texas is a lot closer!
 
Hinkley Rd., Oro Grande, Barstow Station, that's the old homeland :lol: .
The railroads were a big part of Barstow. Santa Fe and Union Pacific.
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This was part of the McDonalds. Santa Fe's east-west main line was right behind the first McDonalds built there.
Having a burger and a Coke got real noisy at times :lol:. For quite a length of time the little McD's was the 3rd busiest $$$wise McD's in the world.
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The train depot.
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Santa Fe diesel shops
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Santa Fe Hump Yard. Gravity assisted switch yard.
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Built in 1930, main tie between US 66 and 466/58 to Las Vegas and beyond. I think construction on a replacement
has begun or will begin soon. 90 years in the desert has taken it's toll on the old bridge.
 
I saw it twice in 2019, once at Union Depot in St. Paul with my dad the day before it headed out, and again in Boone Iowa where I got to see it running. I wish it was still a coal burner, just for the big plume of black smoke that I didn't get to see. Closet it's gonna be near me is when it passes through Illinois coming up. I'd love to get a ticket for an excursion.
 
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