CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Union Pacific’s famed Big Boy steam locomotive No. 4014 is set to return to the tracks this summer for what UP’s Steam Club is calling the “West Coast Steam Tour,” kicking off on June 26 from the railroad’s heritage headquarters in Cheyenne.
This year’s tour celebrates Union Pacific’s 160th anniversary, its heritage, and the railroad’s relationship to the communities it serves. This will also be the first time the 4-8-8-4 has visited the Pacific Northwest since its return to service in 2019. The railroad traces its inception to the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862.
Billed as the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, 4014 was built in 1941 by American Locomotive Company, ended regular service in 1959, and later became an exhibit at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, Calif. In 2013, Union Pacific re-acquired the engine from the museum and moved it to Cheyenne for its restoration.
The Big Boy will make a huge loop that will take the engine west via Sparks, Nev., to Roseville, Calif., then north to Portland, Ore., then east again to Cheyenne via Boise, Idaho. The engine will be on display in Sparks on July 6, Roseville on July 8-9, Portland on July 15-16, and Boise on July 21-22.
Display days will include locomotive viewing, live Q&A sessions with the steam crew, and access to the “Experience the Union Pacific Rail Car,” a multi-media walk-through exhibition that provides a glimpse at the past while telling the story of modern-day railroading.
After departing the Cheyenne shop on June 26, the engine and its train will make brief whistle-stops in dozens of communities in Wyoming, Nevada, California, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah. Further details for these stops will be released to the Steam Club in May.
The railroad recently turned 4014 on the turntable at the Cheyenne roundhouse and has released this video of the event.
Will there be a chance to ride the train? Or ist it pictures only?
Given the bombshell dropped by Omaha yesterday, and I know I am going to upset the railfans but I really dont care, this whole tour should be put on hold until the railroad gets its house in order. You cant get trains over the road due to power and crew “issues” (I refuse to use the word shortage), but somehow we are going find the time, money, and track space to do this. Kind of a slap in the face to the shippers right now if you ask me. Maybe they can save some money and just tack the engine and cars on the rear of one of those 15,000 footers out there and tow it to the different places.
First off, those are paying customers in the cars behind 4014. I imagine they pay substantially more per mile than shippers.
Secondly, we all know why there are manpower shortages, but not 1 in a 1000 will admit it. Hint: “safe and effective.”
If we had leadership in Washington, all these problems would have been tackled months ago, including use of military personnel to assist the railroads and Longshoremen. Alas, this System is nothing but lies, and that includes the lunatic warmongering in Eastern Europe – like America has nothing to concern itself about right now right here. Some of us watching all this come to a not-irrational conclusion that the problems – in the supply chain, etc. – are deliberate. And no, I’m not aiming that at UP (or BNSF, NS, CSX, or KSC, either).
As much as I want to see 4014, not driving from the Bay Area to Roseville just for that purpose(with all the other lunatics doing the same thing)…even if I did make an entire weekend out of it, and I’m even on vacation at that time.
Why drive to Roseville and deal with all of the traffic when you take a train from the Bay Area?
Indeed!
https://www.amtrak.com/stations/rsv
I agree that a 4014/4440 get together would be a great event. My understanding however is that relations between the current UP steam crew and the 4449 group are frosty at best, so its not likely to actually happen.
How’s this for a dream (unlikely) scenario: As 4014 heads to Roseville from the east, 4449 runs an excursion from Portland south for a meet. The two then doubleheader back to Portland. 4014 would probably need to lead the whole way since that’s where the PTC box lives.
That would be cool if the 4014 and the SP 4449 posed side by side when it’s in Portland, it also would be cool if they arranged a few days where the 4014 & 4449 double headed in the area but that’s probably unlikely. Would like to see the SP 4449 return to Southern California though.
i wonder if the 4014 will meet the southern pacific 4449
Spring brings JOY! Good to see her going to strut her stuff.