Trains Bob Lettenberger’s pick:
Union Pacific No. 4014 — Big Boy — 2022 Cheyenne-Denver trip
Name of train: Big Boy
The route: Round trip Cheyenne, Wyo. — the home base for UP’s steam program, and Denver’s Union Station. I got to ride in Big Boy’s cab traveling north from Greeley, Colo., to Cheyenne.
Duration: The trip between Greeley and Cheyenne took between 2 to 3 hours, and it was a time I didn’t want to end.
The adventure: On assignment for Trains, I was invited to ride Big Boy’s cab from Greeley to Cheyenne on the last leg of the 3-day trip. The morning of July 30, 2022, was hot with the temperature rapidly accelerating toward 90 degrees as the morning progressed. Word was that Big Boy’s cab would be hotter than just being outside. This is a 100% accurate statement.
After ascending the ladder to Big Boy’s cab, it was time to let this experience begin to wash over me in order to soak in every moment. The cab is big with seating for four and ample room to walk around. Once all were aboard — there were seven in the cab — people generally stayed in an assigned location for safety and so as not to interfere with operations. My position: gangway at the back of the cab, fireman’s side. The further into the cab one stepped the hotter it got. My spot on the gangway provided a small breeze as we moved along, but it was mostly just the hot air recirculating — that’s fine, as it was Big Boy air.
One aspect of riding in Big Boy’s cab that struck me was the view of people standing trackside. When down in the crowd, it was a sea of humanity all focused for a few fleeting moments on Big Boy. One really does not see individuals from this perspective. From the cab, however, one can focus on a single person or place, until it passes from the field of vision. There was the young girl who climbed atop the depot’s decorative fence for an elevated view. She did not expect me to look directly at her and wave. Nor did the two teenagers on a four-wheeled ATV anticipate that anyone in the cab was watching them as they tried to race Big Boy only to find a fence at the end of their field and nothing blocking the tracks. It is also stunning how many near-misses occurred — not train-to-vehicle, but vehicle-to-vehicle — as railfans attempted to drive with one hand while holding their camera out the window with the other.
About halfway to Cheyenne, Ed Dickens, UP steam chief, who was engineering, turned in his seat and motioned me over.
“How are you doing?” he questioned, his mouth about 2 inches from my ear.
“Great,” I said.
“You’ve just been standing there the whole trip and have not said anything,” he continued. “Are you having fun?”
“I’m having the time of my life!,” I said.
“Don’t you have any questions?,” he asked.
“Sure, I do, but right now you guys have a job to do, and I just want to watch it happen. We can talk later,” I concluded.
Ed Dickens and I did get to talk about the trip later in an interview for Trains LIVE. The program aired Aug. 17, 2022.
Insider tips: When it comes to riding in the cab of the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, please consider:
- The opportunity to take such a ride is rare indeed. If offered, go! It will be the trip of a lifetime.
- Whether you are in the cab or on the ground, always remain safe around this huge machine. Do exactly as you are instructed. On the ground, always stay back at least 25 feet from the tracks. Safety is the top job for the UP steam crew.
- Take a few pictures, but then put the camera away and simply be absorbed in the moment and all that is going on around you. The sights, sounds, and smells will become memories that last forever.
- Tuck a bottle or two of water in your camera bag or big pockets. When offered water, take a bottle. In the heat of Big Boy’s cab, staying hydrated is paramount.
- Although modernized in some ways, No. 4014 belongs to history. Placed in service during December 1941, it was a tool that helped the U.S. come out on top in World War II. As you ride along, block out the contemporary enhancements — radio, PTC monitor, the big UP shield on the floor — and imagine it is a time gone by. It will change your perspective in so many ways.
