Big Boy 4014 is on the move

[Mark Sedenquist]

Can't go backwards now...
(Photo courtesy of Bruce Jones)

A railroad locomotive is not the usual fare for this site, but this is a memorable event...

"...During World War II Union Pacific operated some of the most modern and powerful steam locomotives ever built. Among them were the famous "Big Boys," the largest steam locomotives in the world, which were unique to Union Pacific.."

One particular "Big Boy" steam locomotive has been living at the RailGiants railroad museum in Pomona, California for several decades. Tonight, or to be more accurate, in the wee hours of tomorrow... Big Boy 4014 will begin a journey to the Union Pacific shops in Cheyenne to be completely rebuilt with the goal of returning a working "modern" steam locomotive to the rails.

Background on steam engines.


Large tractor pulls Big Boy 4014 towards the distant Metrolink tracks in November
(Photo courtesy of Bruce Jones)

Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. The locomotives were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds. Because of their great length, the frames of the Big Boys were "hinged," or articulated, to allow them to negotiate curves. They had a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which meant they had four wheels on the leading set of "pilot" wheels which guided the engine, eight drivers, another set of eight drivers, and four wheels following which supported the rear of the locomotive. The massive engines normally operated between Ogden, Utah, and Cheyenne, Wyo.

Eight of the Big Boys were donated for public display in various cities around the country. They can be found in Pomona, Calif.; St. Louis, Mo.; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Neb.; Denver, Colo.; Scranton, Penn.; Green Bay, Wis.; and Cheyenne, Wyo.

Big Boy No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December 1941. The locomotive was retired in December 1961, having traveled 1,031,205 miles in its 20 years in service.

The locomotive's progress will be tracked on this GPS map.


Getting much closer
(Photo courtesy of Bruce Jones)

To get it moved from the museum to the closest railroad tracks, UP engineers constructed a series of short track segments and then pulled the heavy locomotive across the parking lot of Fairplex in a series of leap-frog installations. Here's a video that shows how these sections of track were installed to move the 450-ton locomotive. (**Note: On the Union Pacific site, the weight is stipulated to be 2,200,000 pounds or 1100 tons. Not real sure why there is a 650 ton discrepancy on this...)

Long-time RTA photo contributor, Bruce Jones, has been documenting some of this move.

More updates from the RailGiants museum


Parking lot move completed... Just have to open the gate to the Metrolink rail -- actually a new rail had to be installed!
(Photo courtesy of Bruce Jones)

Text and other information courtesy of the Union Pacific Railroad