This marked the locomotive’s third visit to Ogden Union Station since it was rehabilitated and set out on the rails once again in 2019. The last visit came in 2024. This year, visitors got a much closer look at the “Big Boy” and the special diesels trailing it — one commemorating Abraham Lincoln and the other celebrating America250.

Ed Dickens, manager of heritage operations with the Union Pacific Railroad, told the Standard-Examiner Saturday that while certain realities exist in its maintenance, the locomotive is running as well as ever seven years into its renewed life.

“It’s a great machine,” he said. “Union Pacific did a full restoration of the locomotive, so it runs like a Swiss watch. We’ve got about 25,000 miles on it and it’s well-broken in and it operates just the way they designed it to operate. It’s a very powerful locomotive, very reliable locomotive. This class of locomotives was designed and built toward the very end of the steam locomotive era, so it represents a lot of really good modern technology for steam locomotives. It is, however, over 80 years old and it has sustained steam-era logistics — fuel, oil, water, grease, lubrication. It requires a lot of our labor every night and throughout the day to keep it operating. That was customary for all steam locomotives.”

He noted that the locomotive — as did all 25 of the type that were built — have a major connection to Ogden.

Rob Nielsen, Standard-Examiner

“We’re here in Ogden, Utah, and there was an immense locomotive facility here,” he said. “It’s no longer here, but at one time, there was a very large infrastructure to support all steam locomotives.”

The Big Boys were originally built to tackle the grades between Green River, Wyoming, and Ogden and primarily operated on this route throughout their service life.

Dickens said the logistical support that the Big Boy needs now travels along with it wherever it goes.

He added that operating No. 4014 requires a lot of steps.

“It’s like operating an old tractor, or maybe flying an old airplane,” he said. “There’s nuance and skill, but there’s a long apprenticeship to steam locomotive maintenance and operation. That apprenticeship serves you well in that you understand all of the different parts and you work from the bottom up. You start out in servicing roles and lubricating and eventually work your way up toward the left seat — the fireman’s seat. You begin as an ‘engine watchman’ and that’s where you’re monitoring the systems when the locomotive is stationary. From there you transition over to monitoring the locomotive on the road and it takes several years of good apprenticeship, studying, testing, demonstrating the practical skills and ability to do the work.”

Rob Nielsen, Standard-Examiner

No. 4014 is currently on the western leg of its Coast-to-Coast tour, which technically began at its base of operations Cheyenne, Wyoming, in March. The locomotive passed through Utah earlier in April on its way to Roseville, California, before making its way to Ogden this past weekend.

However, the tour officially kicked off with an event that marked the beginning of the Transcontinental Railroad.

“This has been a really fun tour,” Dickens said. “We began the tour at Mile 0 in Sacramento, California — that was the very beginning point for the Central Pacific Railroad as they began building the railroad east. For those who remember their American history, the Transcontinental Railroad was completed not too far from here in Promontory, Utah. The Union Pacific began building from the east in Omaha, Nebraska. … (Sacramento) was what we called our Mile 0 Event. That was the kickoff for the 250th tour — our Coast-to-Coast Tour — where we’re ultimately heading toward Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.”

Following the conclusion of the western leg of the Coast-to-Coast Tour, the Big Boy will receive maintenance in Cheyenne before making its way towards Philadelphia, a trip that will take the locomotive onto Norfolk & Southern Railway trackage for much of the journey.

Dickens said it isn’t too much trouble to transition between the Union Pacific and another railroad.

Rob Nielsen, Standard-Examiner

“There’s specific coordination, but the railroads are all interoperable,” he said. “We interchange traffic frequently. It’s very common that UP locomotives operate off the network. This one is a little bit unique in that it’s our steam locomotive and we generally don’t take it off the network. From a public relations standpoint, we enjoy all the public relations benefits on our network, so this will be the first time we get to enjoy operating on the Norfolk Southern, and we’ll be traveling through their communities and sharing the great mystique of the Big Boy with the Norfolk Southern and all of the communities we’ll be going through.”

He reminded the public that wants to come out and see the Big Boy to avoid trespassing, expect a train on any and all tracks and to stand 25 feet clear of the tracks as it passes.

For more information, visit https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam.

Like a scene from another time, Union Pacific Heritage Fleet equipment sits at a platform at Ogden Union Station on Sunday, April 19, 2026. The equipment is accompanying the Big Boy No. 4014 on its Coast-to-Coast Tour.

People view Hostlers Model Railroad Club's layout at Ogden Union Station during the Big Boy's visit on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

Crowds view Union Pacific's Big Boy during its weekend stop in Ogden on Saturday, April 18, 2026.

Crowds view Union Pacific's Big Boy during its weekend stop in Ogden on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

Union Pacific's Big Boy blows its whistle for a small crowd just after arriving at Ogden Union Station on Friday, April 17, 2026.

Union Pacific's Big Boy just after arriving at Ogden Union Station on Friday, April 17, 2026.

A view from the Big Boy's cab during its visit to Ogden on Saturday, April 18, 2026.

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