Big Boy No. 4014, shown in November 2013 when the engine was removed from the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, will leave Cheyenne, May 4.
Trains: Jim Wrinn
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The consist of the Union Pacific steam special leaving Cheyenne May 4 and heading for Ogden, Utah, and the 150th anniversary of the first transcontinental railroad will include water cars for each of the steam locomotives, a standard UP flag unit, and nine passenger cars, UP said Thursday in response to a query from Trains New Wire.
What was supposed to be a solo trip by freshly restored Big Boy No. 4014 became a doubleheader Wednesday after the railroad said it needs more time to complete painting and testing of the 4-8-8-4. The original plan called for No. 844 to precede the Big Boy this weekend.
Instead the two will run together, arriving in Ogden, May 8 and returning May 12-19. They will be on display in Ogden May 9-11, recreating on May 9 the famous nose-to-nose pose of the Central Pacific Jupiter UP No. 119 at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869.
The ceremonial train will be light duty for the newly restored Big Boy, which is expected to begin test running in coming days. The 25 Big Boys were built to wheel 3,500-ton freights at 70 mph and to pull the same train up the 65-mile-long Wasatch grade between Ogden and Evanston, Wyo.
UP says the consist, as of today and subject to change, from front to back, is as follows:
No. 4014
Water car Jim Adams (UPP 809)
No. 844
Water car Joe Jordan (UPP 814)
A flag unit
Tool car Art Lockman (UPP 6334)
Boiler car Howard Fogg (UPP 209)
Baggage Car Lynn Nystrom (UPP 5714)
Power car 207
Crew car Willie James
Crew car Omaha
Dome lounge City of San Francisco
Diner Overland
Observation Idaho
Trains will be on site for the trip and will live stream on its Facebook page and post video clips and stories at www.TrainsMag.com. Additionally, the brand is producing a DVD and a special issue, both entitled, Big Boy Back in Steam
Steven Bauer, I’m sure you can find enough T&E crews with unpaid claims to recreate the holdup for ransom. Lol
Meant to say most are probably more interested in the machinery THAN the 150th anniversary itself.
3500 ton trains are ‘toy trains’ in today’s world of railroading.
For the return cars coming back are Columbine,Challenger, Walter Dean, Ed Herriman, Promontory, Council Bluff, Denver, Generator Car 2066, Little Rock, Green River, and Track Inspection Car St. Lewis. So they will have 9 going down 28 coming back.
This hearkens back to Southern Railway’s 11-car Southern Crescent pulled by four 2,250 hp EMD E8’s.
George Pins, here’s some information for your question from this page
https://sites.google.com/site/superupfan/home/completed-cars/howard-fogg
“The steam generator is handy for the steam crew as they can use it to run steam driven accessories on the steam locomotives without having to fire their boilers. In addition, steam from the Howard Fogg can be used to accelerate the firing of the locomotive boilers. Rounding out the “dorm” designation are three sleeping rooms, a laundry room, shower and a small lounge for the crew.”
I am just curious where they will stop this thing to reenact Durants’ train being held on the way to the ceremony because the workers hadn’t been paid.
If I had time, i would not go to Wyoming or Utah and deal with the crowds and foam, but rather fly to either the Bay or Reno, rent a car, drive up to the summit tunnel, pop a top on a Sierra Nevada and salute the laborers that built this line. I am guessing most of the crowd that will be chasing this thing are more interested in the machinery and the actual 150th anniversary itself. If the train was being pulled by Heritage diesels I doubt you would see the crowds that are anticipated.
I pity the pool crews working Ogden-Green River-Rawlins-Cheyenne the next couple of weeks. Lord knows how many near hits they will encounter.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is a boiler car? A steam heater car? For what? Isn’t the consist HEP electric heated? For use other than in this consist?
Kind of soured a little on this whole thing after the 1% Express. While I’ll never even be able to afford to get to Cheyenne, for those close by, the Ticket prices for that excursion will keep the average working stiff off that train too.
Who is ready to RUMBLE?! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Why don’t they just add a mile of double stacks? The train is a tad over powered.
KRAZ!!!!!
The power car is for the electric power for the coaches. A road unit does not supply head-end power for it’s train.
It looks like a very over powered train.
James, most likely for dynamic braking.
Why do they need the diesel if they have the power car?
I think they will have enough HP and TE to move the train at track speed.