Big Boy 4014

[Flyinbowtie]

Last Saturday morning we took the 3 youngest grandkids down to Roseville to see the Union Pacific Big Boy 4014. This is the locomotive that was parked in front of the fairgrounds down in Pomona for years, and then hauled to Cheyenne by the UP and restored over an 8 year period. I was kind of a train lover as a kid, and this machine sparked my memories.
I wanted the kids to see it. Who knows when it will be back out west again. It is the largest operational steam locomotive in the world, and the only operational one of it's kind.
25,000 gallons of water, 6100 gallons of diesel, 133 ft long with the black tender, and 1.3 million pounds of iron and steel, Superheater boiler rated for 300 PSI. Build in Schenectady NY in 1941 at the ALCO Locomotive plant. one of 14 of it's type built only for the UP.
100% American.

The kids loved it...I was blown away by the number of people there. All with a smile on their face, all excited to see this living, breathing icon of American industrial might from the age of their grandfather. It pleased me to see so many people who value this part of our culture...our history.
I had a chance to chat with one of the engineers for a few minutes. He told me that the UP knew the PR value 4014 represented, but they were not expecting the number of people it draws...everywhere it goes. They find people in the towns, but also way out on the desert or prairies sitting along some dirt road just waiting to see the locomotive roll by.
Clearly the man loves his job.
I thanked him for bringing it this far west for us to see, this trip was canceled by covid and again last year by freight needs, but this years was our turn. He thanked me for coming out, said the Steam Shop guys at UP love their locomotives, and are thankful the response is so powerful by the public.

The train left Roseville Sunday afternoon enroute up and over Donner Pass, with several brief stops scheduled along the way. That got altered when the locomotive hit a rotten oak tree on the right front steam system in the Auburn area. It took the crew about 3 hours to get him up and running again so the unfortunate folks in Colfax, Truckee, and Reno/Sparks didn't get to have their whistle stops.

We got home just in time to see the assassination attempt.

If it comes close to your town at some point on one of the summer tours it does it is worth seeing.

 

[rivermobster]

That's some impressive specs right there!

 

[TPC]

Algorithm has been sending us 4014 YouTubes. The diesels are for ballast and braking, Big Boy is doing 100%, all the pulling.

 

[renodaytona]

Was supposed to stop in Reno but some delay over the hill, it just went through no stopping.

 

[OLDRAAT]

I've been watching all the YouTube videos about it's trek.
Ran over a downed tree and had to stop for some drain plug repairs. Seems that the tree lost the fight.

 

[OLDRAAT]

It went through NE Oklahoma earlier in the year. Freaking huge. The DPU was not running when I saw it also.

 

[Jetboatjosh]

I miss it being at the LA fairplex
Such a badass machine

 

[mjc]

I went and saw it when they pulled it up cajon pass after getting it out of Pomona. It was an impressive sight and the amount of people up along the tracks watching was massive .

 

[TPC]

 

[Flying_Lavey]

It came through Tucson a couple years ago on its first tour I believe. It stopped a block away from our office. A few of us were talking about going over there during lunch to see it. It was a MADHOUSE!!!! We walked about 200 yards towards it and turned around. We couldn't get within 100' of it. Wasn't worth fighting the people to try to get closer.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I grew up with it at the fair grounds, have pics with my kids on it as well. I was sad to see it leave, but happy they brought her back to life. True American muscle and iron. The videos on the restoration are neat to watch as well.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

It is pretty fucking cool. We went and looked it over when the UP brought it through Chicago. The thing is massive. As it was leaving West Chicago the train went right past work, so we all went out and watched it go past. We all had a rail fan geek moment.

 

[wallnutz]

I have been lucky to see it twice in North Platte, Ne at the rail yard. Awesome piece of history and innovation.

 

[rickym20]

Thanks for posting, really nice to see when no graffiti are on the cars too. Bad Ass

 

[TPC]

I remember as a kid visiting it at the Fairgrounds.

Other visitors would ask the docents over and over if it’ll ever run again.
Answers were usually the astronomical cost to do it.

They took good care of it when they had it static for decades.

 

[TPC]

Thanks for posting, really nice to see when no graffiti are on the cars too. Bad Ass

6 year old Maynard and I used to take the train to my work or back several times a week. Occasionally a steamer would be parked in the station with similar cars, but well over 30 of them.

All in sparkling showroom condition. So many cars they split the train and half the cars were on the siding as you enter Union Station.
The Locomotive was big, half the size of the 4014, and the steam vented and boiler banked with a small fire to keep the boiler hot.

Never located who operated or owned that train, nor ever found any information about it. Absofuckinlutely epic. Scuttlebutt was some wealthy old codger maybe Warren Buffett owned it like a rail version of a yacht.

 

[OC Mike]

Very Cool. Thanks for sharing.
Went with my daughter to Sacramento on her 8th grade trip.
In Old Town there is a rail house. I got all caught up in it and separated from the group.
Fascinating stuff. I eventually caught up with them..

 

[Sleek-Jet]

6 year old Maynard and I used to take the train to my work or back several times a week. Occasionally a steamer would be parked in the station with similar cars, but well over 30 of them.

All in sparkling showroom condition. So many cars they split the train and half the cars were on the siding as you enter Union Station.
The Locomotive was big, half the size of the 4014, and the steam vented and boiler banked with a small fire to keep the boiler hot.

Never located who operated or owned that train, nor ever found any information about it. Absofuckinlutely epic. Scuttlebutt was some wealthy old codger maybe Warren Buffett owned it like a rail version of a yacht.

A big flex for wealthy individuals is owning their own Pulman type rail cars. Until a few years ago a car owner could pay to have them added to freight trains and travel the country. Now I believe the practice has been ended and the private cars are only used on limited excursions.

The UP guys on here probably know more than I do about them.