• HOME
  • NEWS
  • ABOUT
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Info & Updates
    • Subscribe/Renew with PayPal
    • Subscribe/Renew with Credit Card
    • Back Issues
    • Retrospectives
  • CONTACT US
  • AVAILABLE AT

All about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm

Cowcatcher Magazine

  • Home
  • News
    • Top News
    • Class 1 Railroads
    • Short Line Railroads
    • Light Rail / Commuter
    • Model Railroading
    • Railroad in Focus
    • Up Close
    • Heritage
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Information & Updates
    • Subscribe or Renew with Paypal
    • Subscribe or Renew with Credit Card
    • Back Issues
    • Retrospectives
  • Contact Us
  • Available At

UP acquires ‘Big Boy’ from California museum, plans to restore to working order

July 24th, 2013

Union Pacific Railroad announced Tuesday it reached an agreement with the Southern California Chapter – Railway & Locomotive Historical Society in Pomona, CA, to transfer ownership of one of the world’s largest steam locomotives, “Big Boy” No. 4014, back to Union Pacific.

“Big Boy” No. 4014 has been re-acquired by Union Pacific Railroad and will be restored to working condition. – Courtesy Union Pacific Railroad

UP plans to relocate No. 4014 to Cheyenne, WY, where the railroad’s Heritage Fleet Operations team will work to restore it to operating condition. Details regarding those efforts will be made public at a later date. Restoration is expected to take three to four years.

UP donated No. 4014 to the historical society Dec. 7, 1961. The locomotive arrived Jan. 8, 1962, at its current display location at the Rail Giants Train Museum in Pomona.

“Our steam locomotive program is a source of great pride to Union Pacific employees past and present,” said Ed Dickens, senior manager – Union Pacific Heritage Operations. “We are very excited about the opportunity to bring history to life by restoring No. 4014.”

Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for UP, the first of which was delivered in 1941. The locomotives are 132 feet long and weigh 1.2 million pounds. Because of their great length, the frames of the Big Boys are “hinged,” or articulated, to allow them to negotiate curves. They have a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which means there are four wheels on the leading set of “pilot” wheels that guide the engine, eight drivers, another set of eight drivers, and four wheels following which support the rear of the locomotive. The massive engines normally operated between Ogden, UT, and Cheyenne, WY.

Eight of the Big Boys were donated for public display in various cities around the country. They can be found in Pomona, CA; St. Louis, MO; Dallas, TX; Omaha, NE; Denver, CO; Scranton, PA; Green Bay, WI; and Cheyenne.

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

UP currently operates No. 844 and “Challenger” No. 3985 on steam excursions across the country.

  • Heritage, News

Add Your Comment

Cancel reply
  • Delivery Delays

    We are experiencing delays in the mailing of the May/June 2022 edition. We appreciate your patience!

  • May/June 2022

  • Order Today!

    PURCHASE THE CURRENT ISSUE TODAY!

    JUST $6.95, includes shipping (U.S. only)!

     

    Allow 3-5 business days for delivery upon placement of order.

     

    ** Email us for international shipping rates**

     

  • Re-Discovery

    Just about every weekend, Ron Natinsky mans the Model Train Garden, unofficially the OBGT (Our Big Garden Train), on a small plot a stone’s throw behind the Butterfly House at the Texas Discovery Gardens in Dallas. It has been his labor of love for four years, since agreeing to donate his time and what was left of his G-scale collection to create a public garden railroad experience. Each year, about 25,000 people visit the railroad at Fair Park.

     

  • Expanding a small oil company

    On the N-scale Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad, the Ozark Oil Co. has provided small-batch petroleum products for Whitehurst, Pine Ridge and Van Buren since 1961. Until recently, two small tanks were enough for Ozark to manage its customer base. But the arrival of Walthers’ Cornerstone Oil Storage Tank Kit signaled additional capacity to meet growing demand.

     – Cowcatcher Magazine

     

  • ‘Loose car’ deliveries

    Incorporating “loose car” deliveries is applicable for railroads large and small in modeling railroads in any era. An example is a small family-owned lumber company in Houston. The lumber transfer and storage facility near downtown is on the former Southern Pacific Sunset Route mainline and receives regular deliveries of centerbeam cars. It is a perfect fit for anyone looking to model a modern small industry served by a big railroad, either on a permanent layout or a module.

  • PLUS…

    The Rocky Mountain Train Show returned with gusto in early April after being sidelined in 2021 because of the pandemic. …

     

    Canadian railroads make the grade on Amtrak’s annual host railroad report card, but some U.S. freight railroads fell short. …

     

    The Monon’s Thoroughbred was the Hoosier Line’s racehorse and the “lifeline of Indiana” on the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railway. …

     

    THESE STORIES AND MORE, PLUS A FULL CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS AND THE BUSINESS PULSE OF THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY!

     

  • Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad





    Visit the new N-scale Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad, the official model railroad of the Cowcatcher Magazine, and track progress. All aboard!
  • Product News & Review

    Athearn EMD SD70ACu Locomotive

     

     

    The Cowcatcher reviews Athearn Trains’ newly released HO-scale SD70ACu diesel locomotive in the March/April 2022 issue. The Canadian Pacific model sent for review is highly detailed and rugged, with plenty of gusto to pull a lot of cars.

     

    More product reviews!

     

    See product news!

     

  • Don’t Miss an Issue

    Click here to subscribe to Cowcatcher Magazine, the model railroad magazine and rail enthusiast magazine all about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm, today!
  • Cowcatcher Tracks

    Stay in touch with what’s happening between issues! Cowcatcher subscribers receive our monthly email digest, Cowcatcher Tracks*, which is filled with colorful insights, as well as updates. See a sample copy here!

    * Must provide email address when subscribing.

  • Back Issues

    Be sure to check out our Back Issues page for any issues you may have missed. We have expanded descriptions for issues published beginning in 2007. Click here to order.

     

    See our most recent issues and order today!

     

  • Article & Photo Submissions

    We encourage readers to submit articles and photos. For details, visit our guide here .

  • HMA Promotional Video

    https://youtu.be/bxrwl13N1Rc

© 2020 Cowcatcher Magazine | No content from this site may be copied or re-used without permission | 2022 Cowcatcher Magazine. Site powered by Childress Media