Union Pacific’s ‘Big Boy’ No. 4014 to make appearance in Utah; full schedule of stops to be announced
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- The worlds only operating Big Boy steam locomotive, No. 4014, along with Living Legend No. 844 arrive in Ogden on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, just days before the 150th anniversary celebration of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
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- Steam locomotive Big Boy No. 4014 meets head to head with Living Legend No. 844 during the ceremonial reenactment of the wedding of the rails on Thursday, May 9, 2019, just south of Union Station during the Ogden Heritage Festival to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
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- Steam locomotive Big Boy No. 4014 meets head to head with Living Legend No. 844 during the ceremonial reenactment of the wedding of the rails on Thursday, May 9, 2019, just south of Union Station during the Ogden Heritage Festival to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
BEN DORGER, Standard-Examiner file photo
The worlds only operating Big Boy steam locomotive, No. 4014, along with Living Legend No. 844 arrive in Ogden on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, just days before the 150th anniversary celebration of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
A living piece of history is returning to Utah — and potentially even making a stop in Ogden.
Last week, the Union Pacific Railroad announced on its website and social media that its operational “Big Boy” No. 4014, engine will be going on an extensive tour of the Union Pacific system in 2024.
“As we move forward at Union Pacific, we remember where we came from; the Big Boy represents the history of Union Pacific and the United States,” Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena said in the release. “When No. 4014 comes to town, we will celebrate with the communities where we operate, our employees and their families. Together, we will marvel at how far technology has brought us.”
While a full schedule of stops is expected to be revealed closer to the tour’s start, several cities along the Union Pacific’s extensive system have already been announced as major stops for the No. 4014, including Salt Lake City.
Other announced tour stops include:
- Chicago.
- Dallas/Fort Worth.
- Houston.
- Nampa, Idaho.
- Portland, Oregon.
- Roseville, California.
BEN DORGER, Standard-Examiner file photo
Steam locomotive Big Boy No. 4014 meets head to head with Living Legend No. 844 during the ceremonial reenactment of the wedding of the rails on Thursday, May 9, 2019, just south of Union Station during the Ogden Heritage Festival to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
Ogden hasn’t been formally announced as a stop as of this time and an inquiry to the Union Pacific’s media hotline was met with a message that the full schedule will be released at a later date. The last time the No. 4014 came through Ogden was in 2019 following its restoration as it pulled a special train to town to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
The No. 4014 has gone on a handful of large-scale tours of the Union Pacific system since it was restored. However, Big Boys used to be a more frequent visitor to the Ogden area. According to the Union Pacific’s website, the 25 locomotives of the class — first delivered in 1941 — primarily operated in between Ogden and Cheyenne, Wyoming. No. 4014 was retired in 1961 and spent several years on display at the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California, before being selected for restoration in 2013.
Steam locomotive Big Boy No. 4014 meets head to head with Living Legend No. 844 during the ceremonial reenactment of the wedding of the rails on Thursday, May 9, 2019, just south of Union Station during the Ogden Heritage Festival to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.