As of Monday morning, Christy McCarthy, executive director of the Cheyenne Depot Museum, tells Trains News Wire that all of the “VIP” tickets have been sold and there are approximately 195 general admission tickets still available. General admission will grant ticket holders access to the parking lot next to the depot where the locomotive will be parked prior to leaving for Ogden, Utah, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the First Transcontinental Railroad.
McCarthy says that shuttle service will be provided from an off-site parking lot to the depot. A grand stand will be set up on the platform for VIPs to see the festivities and food trucks will also be on site.
In March, UP released the schedule for the locomotive’s inaugural run to Ogden. The locomotive is set to depart Cheyenne on May 4 and arrive in Ogden on May 8 where it will meet up with 4-8-4 No. 844. Both locomotives will return east on May 12.
The UP steam crew is currently in the midst of a frantic and final push to ensure the locomotive is ready for service in six weeks. On March 20, UP posted on Facebook that it was “steam testing” No. 4014. A brief video showed steam billowing up from the engineer side of the locomotive but offered few other details.
To purchase tickets, go to the museum’s page at www.eventbrite.com.