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News & Reviews News Wire News Photos: UP Big Boy 4014 circumnavigates Chicago

News Photos: UP Big Boy 4014 circumnavigates Chicago

By Bob Johnston | September 9, 2024

You don't see that every day

UP Big Boy 4014

black steam locomotive — There wasn’t a lot of smoke, but with steam blasting from under the cab and whistle blaring, the burly 4-8-8-4 crosses East Avenue. Three photos, Bob Johnston

LA GRANGE, Ill. — Having a Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive pass through the Chicago area doesn’t happen every day (or maybe for the last seven decades).

So it is no surprise hundreds of onlookers turned out at multiple locations to watch “Big Boy” 4014 make its way over the Indiana Harbor Belt Railway from ex-Chicago and North Western rails west of downtown Chicago to former Chicago and Eastern Illinois tracks headed south [see, “UP Big Boy arrives in the Midwest,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 7, 2024].

The sweeping curve where the IHB crosses both East Avenue and 47th Street south of downtown La Grange provided a perfect place to view today’s action.

black steam locomotive with men in cab — Watching the track ahead on the “blind side” of the curve.

men taking photos of yellow dome lounge — Photographers complete their shots as a UP dome lounge passes.

One thought on “News Photos: UP Big Boy 4014 circumnavigates Chicago”

RON HULL says:

September 9, 2024 at 9:45 pm

I was fortunate enough to catch it passing through Chicago Ridge on the southwest side of the city. Even got a wave from the hogger. It is almost overwhelming to behold.

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