Big Boy No. 4014 arrives in Sidney

Let’s go back in time to 1941. The United States was still in shock over the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan. The war in Europe continues to escalate. Germany attacks the Soviet Union. The United States enters the war. People were listening to Chattanooga Choo Choo on the radio and watching Citizen Kane on the big screen. The Big Boy No. 4014 steam engine was delivered to the Union Pacific.

 

There were 25 Big Boy steam engines that were built exclusively for the Union Pacific. These massive engines were built to handle the steep terrain between Cheyenne, Wyo., and Ogden, Utah. There are only eight of these engines left in existence.

 

Big Boy No. 4014 retired after 20 years and 1,031,505 miles of service. The Union Pacific crossed paths with it again in 2013 at the Rail Giants Museum in Pomona, Calif. The UP brought it back home to Cheyenne to start an extensive restoration project. No. 4014 returned to the rails in May of 2019 just in time to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Transcontinental Railroad’s completion.

 

Out of eight Big Boy steam engines, seven are on static display. Only two of these engines are indoors. Only No. 4014 is still in operation.

 

The Big Boy 4014 will be in Sidney until Wednesday morning. It is scheduled to depart for North Platte at 9 a.m.

 

You can see all the stops at: https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm