Union Pacific's famed “Big Boy” steam locomotive comes west during summer tour

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
·3 min read
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Union Pacific's famed Big Boy steam locomotive will be headed west during its "Westward Bound" summer tour.

The world's largest operating steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014 will depart from its home base in Cheyenne, Wyoming on June 30 as it travels through Utah, Nevada and California.

Union Pacific's famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, will come west during its "Westward Bound" summer tour.
Union Pacific's famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, will come west during its "Westward Bound" summer tour.

Unfortunately, Big Boy won’t be traveling through the Victor Valley this year but will make numerous whistle-stops in communities along the way from Wyoming to Northern California.

During the tour, longer public display stops will also be made on July 12 and 13 in Roseville, near Sacramento, and on July 20 and 21 in Ogden, Utah.

In October 2019, Big Boy made a stop in Victorville during its "Great Race Across the Southwest," a third and final tour of the train that celebrated its 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.

Big Boy also came through the High Desert in April 2014 and made a stop in Barstow as it was towed by a modern Union Pacific engine from Colton to Wyoming.

Westward Bound

The Westward Bound tour will honor Union Pacific's rich railroad legacy and celebrate the railroad's employees and the communities it serves. For part of its journey, the Big Boy's consist will include an assortment of rail cars giving spectators a glimpse into what the locomotive looked like pulling freight in its heyday, Union Pacific said.

"The Big Boy locomotive symbolizes the pivotal role railroads played in shaping our nation's history, and the technological advances we have witnessed within our industry," Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena said "We are thrilled to share this living piece of history with our employees and the public, and we love seeing the enthusiasm this locomotive generates wherever its whistle blows."

Union Pacific's famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, will come west during its "Westward Bound" summer tour.
Union Pacific's famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, will come west during its "Westward Bound" summer tour.

Big Boy tour

Additional route details and approximate times for Big Boy whistle-stops will be shared closer to the tour. A route map can be found at UPsteam.com.

During the tour, the Union Pacific Museum will host a special passenger trip. The unique experience is the annual gala fundraiser for the nonprofit organization which provides a rare opportunity to travel on this historic heritage equipment.

More information on the specifics will appear at UPtrainTix.com when they become available.

This is one of two public tours planned for Big Boy in 2024, with a second tour planned later this fall with stops in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, and Illinois, among other states. Details of the second tour will be released later this spring.

A Union Pacific map for its famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, which will come west during its "Westward Bound" summer tour.
A Union Pacific map for its famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, which will come west during its "Westward Bound" summer tour.

High Desert train fans to visit Big Boy

Lance Stevens of Victorville told the Daily Press he plans to travel to Ogden and Roseville to photograph the “magnificent locomotive.”

“I was out of town the last time the Big Boy came through the High Desert so I missed my chance to shoot this beast,” he said. “I’m an amateur photographer but I love trains, especially these old vintage locomotives.”

Jason Ramos said he plans on taking his family to Roseville to look at the Big Boy locomotive, which he described as a "massive steam locomotive that shakes the earth" when it rumbles through.

“My family loves trains, so we’re going to visit the Sacramento area and visit Big Boy as part of our summer vacation,” said Ramos, who lives in Victorville. "I watched it travel through Hesperia and it's quite the sight."

The Big Boy

"Weighing in at 1.2 million pounds, the Big Boy makes a big impression in communities it visits, reminding us of bygone days and the important role the railroad continues to play in our global economy," said Scott Moore, retired senior vice president for corporate relations and chief administrative officer for Union Pacific.

Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific, the first of which was delivered in 1941 to handle the steep terrain between Cheyenne and Ogden, Utah. Of the eight still in existence, No. 4014 is the world's only operating Big Boy.

The seven other Big Boys are on display in Cheyenne, St. Louis, Dallas, Denver, Omaha, Nebraska; Scranton, Pennsylvania and Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Union Pacific's famed “Big Boy” steam locomotive comes west this summer