That is a question whose answer we’ll never know with full certainty, but estimates are coming in.
UP says it counted 115,000 visitors who went through its Experience the Union Pacific exhibit car during layovers on the three tours that began May 4 and ended Nov. 26. The company places the overall size of the spectators at 1.1 million people.
Meanwhile, a railfan club with close ties to the UP steam program has a more optimistic view of how many people witnessed Big Boy No. 4014 on its multiple tours in 2019. The Camerail Club in its monthly Mixed Train newsletter also says the huge public relations bonanza of the steam train means that No. 4014 will operate next summer.
“The bottom line is that the tour was just one grand success by any measure of standards that can be applied,” the newsletter says. “In view of the overwhelming successful tour, the Union Pacific will operate another for next summer. The route and details are yet to be worked out, but as they say in TV land, ‘stay tuned.’” UP spokeswoman Kristen South told Trains the company has no details on possible 2020 operations. But some sources say Pacific Northwest, California, or St. Louis tours may be possible.
The Camerail Club, which supplied staff for the “Experience the Union Pacific” exhibit car, says 112,500 people went through the car, or about one-third of the people who visited the locomotive and train. The club went on to say that number is a quarter to an eighth of the people who witnessed No. 4014’s operations from May through November. Using that as a guide, they estimated spectators at 1.35 million to 2.7 million.
UP restored No. 4014 to operation this year to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first transcontinental railroad. It is the first time a Big Boy locomotive has operated in 60 years. Trains covered the restoration in its special issue, Big Boy Back in Steam, and the corresponding video documentary of the same name. A second video, Big Boy on Tour, 2019 Part II, 4014 in the Midwest, Southwest, and South, will be available in January. The fall tour is covered in the January issue of Trains, available now, and in the February issue, available shortly after the new year. All are for sale at www.kalmbachhobbystore.com
There were hundreds of thousands that lined the tracks outside of the locations where the loco stopped. Well done UP. Can we see #4014 in 2020?
CANDID.ORG CHARITIES
I was one of them on 3 different occasions. In Utah-saw the train running thru Echo just by chance and also at Ogden. West Chicago, IL-went there to get close look at the engine since we could not get close in Ogden. And recently returned from visit to Kansas City with local railfan group. Thanks to Ed and his crew members for making this happen, when we visited Cheyenne steam shop in 2017, the engine was in many pieces, but it was all pulled together for an awesome performance And thanks to UP for allowing this to take place. I hope St. Louis is on the agenda for next year or sometime, have a lot of fans here who do want to see Big Boy.
The Big Boys were (and are) glorious machines and represent the pinnacle of steam engine technology. Alco (which by the way still exists via corporate acquisitions and mergers) did themselves proud.
But they represent the past, not the future. Fossil fueled steam technology is polluting and something we can ill afford in this day and age. Additionally they were expensive to operate. The drive to dieselize came not from some kind of gee-wow spirit on the part of the railroads, but from accountants with hearts like helium pumps who pointed out that even at the higher buy-in cost, diesel technology had (has) a lower total cost of operation.
There is a lesson here for those who are comfortable with diesel-electric technology. It may be in the ascendancy now, but if a technology with a lower total cost of operation comes along it will be dropped like a hot brick – and rightfully so.
Enjoy the Big Boy. We shall not see its like again.
The above comments are genetic in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. He’s signed on for an indefinite cruise on the HMS Pignuts.
PS Ms Harding, we shall see more.
Here in my small town in Arkansas I would estimate the crowd about 200-400 people. In Texarkana the crowd was larger. Good show.
When 4014 was in El Paso I recall hearing in from that when they were in Tucson, AZ, they had not expected the incredible crowd size there. It was estimated there must have been something like 50,000 plus. Shoot, the souvenir folks said they just about ran out material that day.
So overall estimates of 1.1 million, or more, that’s sounds about right and quite amazing.
1.1 million people wow that’s a lot