All about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm
June 27, 2024
Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 will visit 14 states over two tours, the first starting the end of this month.
Fresh from an upgrade of its Positive Train Control system, the Big Boy will tour five states from Wyoming to California on this summer’s “Westward Bound” tour, which runs June 30 through July 26. The massive locomotive will make 19 whistle stops on the tour.
No. 4014 will be on display at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum “Big Boy” Fundraiser July 10 (tickets required). Free public appearances are July 12-13 in Roseville, CA, and July 20-21 in Ogden, UT.
After a month back home in Cheyenne, WY, the “Heartland of America Tour” will start Aug. 29 and include nine states: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. The eight-week tour concludes in late October.
So far, scheduled display dates are Sept. 8 in Rochelle, IL, Oct. 6 in Houston and Oct. 10-11 in Fort Worth. UP said additional route details with locations and times will be shared closer to the tour.
July’s stop at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum includes caboose train rides, motorcar rides, tours, model train exhibits and food trucks. Western Pacific 0-6-0 No. 165, the only operating WP steam engine, will head the museum’s caboose rides.
The Big Boy is expected to arrive the evening of July 9 and be on display the following day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Money generated from the event will go towards museum operations and capital projects. WPRM is planning to construct the Whitman Building, a multi-purpose display and event center. Last year WPRM received a $1 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Fund to go toward Phase 1 construction.
Earlier this year the Big Boy got an updated PTC system. The new system’s components – computer, GPS satellite and radio antennas – are now housed within the locomotive and tender. The equipment used to be mounted and hard-wired to an accompanying diesel locomotive.
“We are still going to travel with a diesel locomotive most of the time, saving wear and tear on Big Boy’s brakes and extending fuel and water, but this is going to give our steam team greater flexibility to park the locomotive, switch the train or operate Big Boy solely as needed,” said Big Boy engineer Ed Dickens, UP manager of heritage operations.
UP urges the public to stand at least 25 fee from the track and not to trespass on tracks, trestles, yards and right of way, which are considered private property. Locations where the Big Boy stops overnight are closed to the public due to safety and security reasons, unless otherwise noted on the schedule. Non-employees who access these locations without permission will be treated as trespassers.
In a video on UP’s steam website Dickens urged people wishing to get a glimpse of the locomotive in action be proactive about safety.
“It’s important that you be a safety advocate for yourself and the safety of others and kindly and gently remind people if you see behavior outside of this expectation, please once again remind them 25 feet back,” he said. “It’s really exciting when you see the locomotive and, trust me when I tell you, you’re going to want to be 25 feet back.”
