In a post to the company’s Official Union Pacific Steam Club Facebook page, the railroad showed a 13 second video clip taken from the engineer’s side of the locomotive at the cab, looking forward with steam billowing up. The caption said: “Steam testing in Cheyenne. The UP Steam Team has applied steam multiple times to UP 4014 as they continue to work through the process of bringing the Big Boy back to life.” The locomotive was not moving in the clip.
The railroad offered no other details. The image was obviously made inside the shop, leading most observers to think the testing is done with house steam and not the locomotive’s own boiler. The locomotive last steamed 60 years ago in July.
Big Boy No. 4014 has been under restoration by UP in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first transcontinental railroad. The railroad plans to run the engine on its historic original operating territory between Cheyenne and Ogden, Utah, where it will meet UP 4-8-4 No. 844 on May 9, the day before the anniversary. The Big Boy leaves Cheyenne May 4 and returns May 19.
I wonder why Ed and UP are being so secretive.