Black Hills Central | Steam in the heart of South Dakota

In the shadows of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota, you can find one of America’s oldest tourist railroads. Welcome to the Black Hills Central Railroad (BHC). Operating between Hill City and Keystone, S.D., tourists can ride behind articulated steam locomotives over some of the steepest grades in the country. As highlighted in the August […]

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Union Pacific No. 4014 | Big Boy trip to the ballpark

In June 2023, Union Pacific’s No. 4014 “Big Boy”,  a 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive, ventured out from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Omaha, Neb., for a display date at the 2023 College [Baseball] World Series. While any big steam run is noteworthy in this day and age, it was the routing that made this especially appealing. Instead of […]

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Big Boy Men: The genius behind a steam legend

Smoking steam locomotive entering cut on curve. The Big Boy men.

The Big Boy Men William M. Jeffers, Union Pacific Railroad president, and Otto Jabelmann, vice president — research and mechanical standards, began their careers in the lowest ranking positions. Both men were known for their tempers and a belief that the only way to get a job done was to do it with their own […]

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UP Museum holds auction for Big Boy cab ride

Close-up of chrome part showing notch.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — The Union Pacific Museum is auctioning the opportunity for one person to ride in the cap of Big Boy No. 4014 on Monday, July 3, from Pine Bluff, Wyo., to the UP Steam Shop in Cheyenne. The auction is being held in lieu of a passenger excursion fundraiser for the museum. […]

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The Lionel Legacy 2-6-0 makes a comeback

Lionel Legacy 2-6-0 in Strasburg paint

The Lionel Legacy 2-6-0 “Mogul” type locomotive graced the company’s 2022 Vol. 2 catalog. It’s a welcome re-release as the previous 2016 models were struck with gearing issues. These caused many of them to run poorly at slow speeds. Many were returned to Lionel and never made it to the the second-hand market. This new […]

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Big Skies & Iron Rails, Changing Weather

While the landscape of the American West remains constant and wild, the weather under Big Skies is forever changing…and frequently challenging the men, women, and machines working along steel rails. From a safe, temperature-controlled environment, enjoy a closer look at the perils and pure, natural beauty railfan Tom Danneman captured for Big Skies & Iron Rails […]

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Big Skies & Iron Rails, Changing Weather

While the landscape of the American West remains constant and wild, the weather under Big Skies is forever changing…and frequently challenging the men, women, and machines working along steel rails. From a safe, temperature-controlled environment, enjoy a closer look at the perils and pure, natural beauty railfan Tom Danneman captured for Big Skies & Iron Rails […]

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UP diesel and steam in Idaho

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In the early 1950s, Union Pacific F3 units in A-B-B formation lead freight train 257 west up the nearly 2 percent grade to Reverse, Idaho, on the road’s main line to Portland, Ore.; 107 cars to the rear, two 2-8-8-0s assist the diesels. Henry R. Griffiths Jr. photo […]

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