Information about the Big Boy #4014
Passenger Excursion Train
can be found here: www.4014journeys.org

BIG BOY #4014 NEWS

The Big Boy Steam Dream Has Come True!

Post-Restoration Big Boy updates

May 12, 2019 & May 8, 2019 – Big Boy puts on a show in Weber and Echo canyons – Trains Magazine video
May 9, 2019 – Requiem For a Heavyweight – Railway Age Magazine column
May 9, 2019 – Transcontinental railroad that united the country and changed the world, celebrated at Ogden festival – Ogden Standard-Examiner article
May 9, 2019 – Day One of the 2019 Ogden Heritage Festival – Ogden Standard-Examiner photos
May 9, 2019 – Thousands turn out as Big Boy locomotive rolls into Ogden and reenacts Golden Spike Ceremony – Deseret News (Salt Lake City) article
May 9, 2019 – Chinese rail workers hailed at anniversary event with Big Boy No. 4014 – Associated Press article
May 9, 2019 – The crew from the Big Boy, No. 4014 pose for a photograph during the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad completion near Ogden Union Station – Associated Press Photo/Rick Bowmer
May 9, 2019 – Thousands turn out as Big Boy locomotive rolls into Ogden – KSL-TV (Salt Lake City) news broadcast
May 9, 2019 – Big Boy helps kick off Golden Spike’s 150th anniversary celebrations in Ogden – KSTU (Salt Lake City) news broadcast
May 9, 2019 – People travel from all over the world for 150th Golden Spike anniversary in Ogden – KUTV (Salt Lake City) news broadcast
May 9, 2019 – Big Boy 4014 and Living Legend 844 run again – Pine Bluffs (Wyoming) Post article
May 8, 2019 – Big Boy heads into Utah to help mark 150th anniversary of transcontinental railroad – Deseret News (Salt Lake City) article
May 8, 2019 – Summit County Utah celebrates Spike 150 celebration with arrival of Big Boy locomotive – Gephardt Daily article
May 8, 2019 – A big day for a Big Boy in Echo, Utah – Park Record (Park City, Utah) column
May 8, 2019 – Big Boy No. 4014 and Northern No. 844 while in Echo, Utah – Park Record (Park City, Utah) photos
May 8, 2019 – Echo, Utah Welcomes Train Engines 4014 and 844 – KPCW Radio (Park City, Utah) news story
May 8, 2019 – Big Boy locomotive travels to Ogden for 150th anniversary of Transcontinental Railroad – KUTV (Salt Lake City) news broadcast
May 8, 2019 – Big Boy heads into Utah to help mark 150th anniversary of transcontinental railroad – KSL-TV (Salt Lake City) news broadcast
May 8, 2019 – The return of Big Boy historic locomotive arrives in Utah – KSTU (Salt Lake City) news broadcast
May 8, 2019 – Big Boy No. 4014 and Living Legend No. 844 travel towards Ogden – Ogden Standard-Examiner photos
May 8, 2019 – A train ticket that takes a century and a half to get – Fox Business Channel Live Broadcast from on board 4014
May 8, 2019 – Visitors from far and wide come to Evanston for train stop – Uinta County (Wyoming) Herald article
May 8, 2019 – Morning Symphony: The Union Pacific #4014 Big Boy and #844 Steam Locomotives in Action – Bang Shift Magazine article
May 7, 2019 – America’s Train Fans Are Having One of the Best Weeks of Their Lives – Atlas Obscura article
May 7, 2019 – Historic Schenectady Train Refurbished for Anniversary of "Golden Spike” – Spectrum News (Albany NY) story
May 6, 2019 – Big Boy stuns crowd with unexpected stop in Carter, Wyoming – Trains Magazine Video
May 6, 2019 – Big Boy departure in the dark from Rock Springs, Wyoming – Trains Magazine Video
May 5, 2019 – Under Its Own Steam, Big Boy Heading for Utah Celebration – KSL-TV (Salt Lake City) news broadcast
May 5, 2019 – Big Boy visits Rawlins – Saratoga (Wyoming) Sun article
May 5, 2019 – Big Boy makes a scene in arriving in Rock Springs – Trains Magazine video
May 4, 2019 – What's it like riding the Big Boy? – Wyoming Tribune Eagle article
May 4, 2019 – Crowds greet Big Boy in Laramie – Trains Magazine video
May 4, 2019 – Crowds Gather in Cheyenne and Laramie – Oil City News (Casper, Wyoming) article
May 4, 2019 – Laramie Depot Hosts Over 6,000 Visitors to the Debut of Big Boy – Laramie Live story
May 4, 2019 – Big Boy and the Living Legend come to Laramie – Laramie Boomerang article
May 4, 2019 – Thousands come from across the country for the Big Boy – Wyoming Tribune Eagle article
May 4, 2019 – Downtown Cheyenne impacted by Big Boy No. 4014 christening – KGWN-TV (Cheyenne) news broadcast
May 4, 2019 – Refurbished Big Boy locomotive fires up crowds in US West – Associated Press article
May 4, 2019 – Big Boy 4014 departing Cheyenne – Trains Magazine video
May 4, 2019 – UP steam crew has Big Boy ready to roll – Trains Magazine article
May 3, 2019 – The Big Boy leaves the shop and heads into history – Wyoming Tribune Eagle article
May 2, 2019 – The chase to photograph Big Boy was worth a crisis – Greeley (Colorado) Tribune column
May 2, 2019 – Union Pacific’s massive steam locomotive, Big Boy 4014, makes brief visit to Weld County – Greeley (Colorado) Tribune article
May 2, 2019 – Big Boy debuts with test run – Trains Magazine article
May 2, 2019 – Under its own power, Big Boy moves outside of shop – Trains Magazine article
April 27, 2019 – Big Boy No. 4014’s First Fire-up in Public View from Cheyenne Rail Yard
April 9, 2019 – Fire lit in Big Boy 4014’s new oil fire box – Trains Magazine article

Post-Restoration Big Boy updates

Big Boy cab reinstalled – February 8, 2019
Big Boy No. 4014 passed its Hydrostatic Tests – February 6, 2019
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy No. 4014 Hydro Test – February 6, 2019
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy No. 4014 Hydro Test - February 6, 2019
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy Prepares for Hydrostatic Pressure Testing - February 6, 2019
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Inside the Big Boy's Firebox, Converting from Coal to Oil - February 5, 2019
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy's New Rear Tube Sheet - February 5, 2019
Union Pacific Inside Track – Big Boy’s Restoration Nearly Complete - January 29, 2019
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy is Back Together Again - January 29, 2019
Union Pacific Inside Track – Big Boy’s New Suspension System - October 31, 2018
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy Front Engine Walk Along - October 31, 2018
Union Pacific Inside Track - Big Boy's Cylinders Undergo "Boring" Process - August 29, 2018
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Tackling Big "Boring" Jobs - August 29, 2018
Atlas Obscura Article - June 14, 2018
KGWN-TV (Cheyenne) news story - May 10, 2018
KGWN-TV (Cheyenne) news broadcast - May 10, 2018
Facebook Live – Behind the scenes - Includes what didn't get out on television - May 10, 2018
Union Pacific Inside Track – Modern Bolts built with Computer Robotic Technology - May 7, 2018
Trains Magazine – Video Interview with Ed Dickens - April 19, 2018
Union Pacific Inside Track - March 22, 2018
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Putting Big Boy Back Together - March 22, 2018
Union Pacific Inside Track - January 3, 2018
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy #4014 Front Engine Progress - January 3, 2018
Union Pacific Inside Track - August 25, 2017
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Restoring an Articulated Locomotive - August 25, 2017
Trains Magazine Article – Big Boy #4014 Fire Grates Donated to Milwaukee Road #261 - March 29, 2017
Union Pacific Inside Track - March 16, 2017
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy #4014 Massive "To Do" List - March 16, 2017
Union Pacific Inside Track - February 1, 2017
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy #4014 Disassembled - February 1, 2017
Union Pacific Inside Track - October 12, 2016
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Removed appliances from Big Boy #4014 - October 12, 2016
Union Pacific YouTube Video – Big Boy #4014 on Cheyenne turntable - August 11, 2016
Union Pacific Inside Track - August 11, 2016

May 8, 2014

Phase 1

Big Boy #4014’s move across the fairgrounds parking lot began on the morning of Thursday, November 14th, and completed before Thanksgiving. This move required installation and removal of prebuilt panel track sections in a leap-frog process.
Phase 2 (See Big Boy #4014 journey its first 53 miles)

Big Boy #4014 departed the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds at 2:45am, on Sunday, January 26, 2014. It arrived at the Metrolink station in Covina at 4:34am, and departed at 8:08am, after its public display. Big Boy #4014 arrived at Union Pacific’s West Colton facility in Bloomington at 1:08pm. Big Boy was escorted by locomotive U.P. #4884 and Southern Pacific Heritage locomotive U.P. #1996.

Union Pacific delivered SD40-2c locomotive U.P. #3105, caboose U.P.P. #24567, and insulated boxcar U.P. #453665 to the fairgrounds at 5:40am, on Sunday, January 26, 2014. After moving them across the fairgrounds parking lot in a similar leap-frog process with panel track sections, our new locomotive, boxcar, and caboose arrived in RailGiants Train Museum at 4:00pm, on February 22, 2014.

A comprehensive timeline and photos of these events are chronicled on our Twitter page. RailGiants Twitter
Phase 3

Union Pacific Big Boy #4014 departed Union Pacific’s West Colton facility at 9:15am on April 28, 2014. It arrived at the Cheyenne Depot at 1:16pm on May 8, 2014.

Big Boy & RailGiants News around the web

Union Pacific YouTube Update, August 15, 2014

C-SPAN Video & Story, July 14, 2014

Nebraska Public Radio news story, May 30, 2014

Lincoln County (Nevada) Record article, May 22, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Video, May 15, 2014

Wyoming Tribune Eagle article, May 9, 2014

KUNC Radio (Greeley Colorado) news story, May 9, 2014

Uinta County Herald (Evanston Wyoming) article, May 9, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Video, May 8, 2014

Laramie Live, May 8, 2014

Moapa Valley (Nevada) Progress article, May 7, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Video, May 6, 2014

Sweetwater Now (Wyoming) article, May 6, 2014

KSTU (Salt Lake City) news story, May 4, 2014

Deseret News (Salt Lake City) article, May 3, 2014

KSL-TV (Salt Lake City) news story, May 2, 2014

KSTU (Salt Lake City) news story, May 2, 2014

Las Vegas Sun article, April 30, 2014

Victor Valley News (Victorville CA) article, April 29, 2014

Las Vegas Review-Journal article, April 29, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Video, April 29, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Video, April 28, 2014

KABC-TV (Los Angeles) News Story, April 28, 2014

Los Angeles Times article, April 28, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Video, April 28, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Video, April 25, 2014

Union Pacific Community Ties, April 24, 2014

Union Pacific-Press Release, April 24, 2014

Los Angeles Time article, April 17, 2014

Union Pacific Community Ties, April 3, 2014

Union Pacific Community Ties, February 28, 2014

Aurora (Ohio) Advocate article, February 26, 2014

Union Pacific Community Ties, February 21, 2014

Caspar Star-Tribune article, February 4, 2014

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin article, February 2, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Update, January 29, 2014

Los Angeles Times article, January 28, 2014

San Gabriel Valley Tribune article, January 26, 2014

article, January 25, 2014

Los Angeles Times article, January 25, 2014

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin article, January 25, 2014

Union Pacific-Press Release, January 23, 2014

Los Angeles Times article, January 22, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Update, January 10, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Update, January 7, 2014

Union Pacific YouTube Update, December 2, 2013

Los Angeles Times article, November 16, 2013

KABC-TV (Los Angeles) News Story, November 14, 2013

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin article, November 14, 2013

Los Angeles County Fairgrounds (Fairplex) Blog, November 14, 2013

Union Pacific-Press Release, November 14, 2013

Union Pacific-Community Ties, November 14, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, November 13, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, November 12, 2013

Los Angeles County Fairgrounds (Fairplex) Blog, November 12, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, October 15, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, October 10, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, October 4, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, October 2, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, September 26, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, September 23, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, September 19, 2013

Union Pacific YouTube Update, September 12, 2013

Union Pacific-YouTube Update, August 22, 2013

Union Pacific-Community Ties, August 15, 2013

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin article, August 8, 2013

Los Angeles Time article, July 29, 2013

August 27, 2013

Here are a few of the things RailGiants and railfans will receive:

An operating Big Boy Steam Locomotive
- The entire population, railfans, and the average citizen will experience a restored and operating Big Boy locomotive, which is one of the most awesome machines ever built. Union Pacific No. 4014 is expected to travel throughout the Union Pacific System for many years following its restoration and will be seen by millions of people and generations yet to come.
- Uncounted railfans have long dreamed of a Big Boy coming back to life on the rails after more than 50 years of retirement. Restoration may take five years to complete.
- After its restoration, Union Pacific will operate a special passenger excursion train in Southern California for the benefit of our organization. Nearly all excursion details won’t be determined for several years. This excursion promises to be the railfan trip of a lifetime.
SD40-2C Diesel Locomotive
- Union Pacific locomotive number 3105 will be delivered to RailGiants complete, freshly painted in Union Pacific livery, and in operable condition. While not a replacement for a famous steam locomotive, a modern diesel locomotive fulfills one of our strategic goals of appealing to a younger generation of railfans.
- The SD40-2 is one of the most successful classes of diesel locomotives. Though nearly 4,000 SD40-2 units were manufactured, Union Pacific No. 3105 was one of 74 SD40-2C’s built.
- This model was the heaviest of all SD40-2’s at 417,000 lbs. to meet Burlington Northern’s specifications for pooling services on Wyoming-bound coal trains.
- Locomotive U.P. No. 3105 was built in June 1979 as Missouri Pacific Railroad number 6027. After MoPac’s acquisition by Union Pacific, this locomotive was renumbered to U.P. No. 3927 on January 31, 1987. This locomotive later obtained its current road number on January 7, 2003, when its previous road number was assigned to a new SD70M.
CA-13-2 Bay Window Steel Caboose
- Union Pacific caboose number 24567 has until recently been used by the steam operations team in Cheyenne. This caboose was built in November 1967 as Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) No. 17149. After Rock Island’s acquisition by Union Pacific, the caboose was renumbered to its current road number in April 1980. This steel caboose is a bay window design and has trailed special trains lead by U.P.’s steam locomotives No. 844 and No. 3985.
- A modern steel caboose will enhance RailGiants’ rollingstock collection. Built in 1923, our wooden Santa Fe caboose No. 1314 is very popular with visiting children of all ages. We look forward to opening a second caboose to our railfans allowing comparison between the old and the new.
More to come
- There are other details involved and other things we’re not ready to announce yet.

July 23, 2013

The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Southern California Chapter and Union Pacific Railroad announced agreement for return of Big Boy steam locomotive #4014 to Union Pacific.

Union Pacific intends to restore and operate #4014 as part of its Heritage Locomotive fleet. The locomotive is planned to be moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, for restoration by Union Pacific’s Heritage Fleet Operations team. Further details will be released as they are available.

Our Board of Directors decided to return the locomotive to Union Pacific for restoration and operation because it will be the best way to preserve this locomotive for future generations of railfans and students of railroad history. The R&LHS Chapter’s goals to encourage interest in railroad history and to preserve railroad equipment would be manifested by Union Pacific’s operation of Big Boy locomotive #4014. This will be the best way for more people to see it, feel it, hear it, and learn about this awesome machine and its place in American history.

We are excited to be working with Union Pacific to achieve the restoration of Big Boy #4014.

Updates will be posted here, and on Twitter @RailGiants

BIG BOY #4014 History

November 1941

Big Boy-class 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive Union Pacific #4014 built by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Schenectady NY.

December 1941

Big Boy #4014 delivered to Union Pacific.

July 20 & 21, 1959

Big Boy #4014 completed its final freight revenue assignment from Laramie to Cheyenne, Wyoming. A short 3 hours and 35 minutes, beginning at 10:15pm on July 20th, and completed at 1:50am on July 21st.

October 18, 1961

R&LHS Southern California Chapter sent letter requesting donation of a Big Boy class steam locomotive to Arthur Stoddard, president of Union Pacific Railroad.

December 7, 1961

Union Pacific sent letter to R&LHS Southern California Chapter agreeing to donate Big Boy locomotive #4014.

December 20, 1961

R&LHS Southern California Chapter sent acceptance of donation to Union Pacific, via Western Union.

December 29, 1961

After clearing of winter storms, Big Boy #4014 was painted and prepared for the journey to warm Southern California. It departed Cheyenne WY "dead in train" mostly at speeds up to 25mph.

January 3, 1962

Train transporting #4014 arrived in Las Vegas NV.

January 5, 1962

Train travelled from Las Vegas NV to Yermo CA.

January 6, 1962

Train departed Yermo CA. Santa Fe issued Train Order #30 authorizing top speed of 20mph on its lines. Train transitioned to Southern Pacific at Colton, and traveled to Bassett.

January 8, 1962

Pacific Electric moved Big Boy #4014 from Bassett to its new home at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona CA.