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| Union Pacific's only operating Big Boy (4-8-8-4) roars through the sugar cane fields south of Locompte, Loisiana |
I used to sit in the cab of #4014 and pretend I was driving the massive locomotive.
The Union Pacific donated #4014 to the Southern California Railway & Locomotive Historical Society way back in December 1961. Due to the dry climate in Southern California #4014 remained in almost pristine condition for fifty years.
For years I heard a lot of talk about #4014 being restored to working condition. People always had excuses why the locomotive couldn't be restored, money being the number on issue, others argued that the #4014 could only run on it's old line in Wyoming and Utah due to it's size.
We would of course find out years later that #4014 could indeed be run all over the country.
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| Big Boy #4014 is eased across the Fairplex parking lot on temporary track towards a connection with the BNSF main line north of the property. |
In 2013 the Union Pacific Railroad would purchase #4014 from the Southern California Railway & Locomotive Historical Society and transport it to Cheyanne, Wyoming for a full restoration.
Let's flash forward to 2021. #4014 has been fully restored and the Union Pacific has been touring the Big Boy across it's system for two years.
Today, the world's largest operating steam locomotive visited central Louisiana.
From the Union Pacific:
Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. The locomotives were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds. Because of their great length, the frames of the Big Boys were "hinged," or articulated, to allow them to negotiate curves. They had a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which meant they had four wheels on the leading set of "pilot" wheels which guided the engine, eight drivers, another set of eight drivers, and four wheels following which supported the rear of the locomotive. The massive engines normally operated between Ogden, Utah, and Cheyenne, Wyo.There are seven Big Boys on public display in various cities around the country. They can be found in St. Louis, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Big Boy No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December 1941. The locomotive was retired in December 1961, having traveled 1,031,205 miles in its 20 years in service. Union Pacific reacquired No. 4014 from the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California, in 2013, and relocated it back to Cheyenne to begin a multi-year restoration process. It returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's Completion.
Awesome read and photos. Thanks Ken! PS: Did BigBoy remember you?..wink..grin..)
ReplyDeleteSadly no, fame does things to both men and machines. lol
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