Union Pacific No. 4014

UP No. 4014 'The Big Boy'
UP Big Boy No. 4014 Steaming in Knapp, WI on July 2019.
Overview -
Propulsion:	Steam
Loco Type:	Tender Engine
Gauge:	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
History -
Name:	The Big Boy
Designer:	Otto Jabelmann A.H. Fetters
Livery:	UP Unlined Freight Black
Manufacturing Details:
Builder:	American Locomotive Company (ALCo.)
(b/n) Builder's No.	69585
Build Date:	November, 1941
Service:
Operator:	Union Pacific Railroad (Heritage Fleet)
No.	4014
Years in Operation:	1941 - 1961 2019 - Current
Disposition:	Preserved: Operational
Wheel Arrangement:
Whyte Notation:	4-8-8-4+T
UIC-Classification:	(2′D)D2′ h4
Picture-Scheme:	ooOOOO OOOOoo
Configuration Name:	Big Boy
Axle No.	12
Boiler & Firebox:
Current Boiler Pressure:	300 lbf/in2 (2.1 MPa)
Heating Surface:	5,889 sq. ft. (547 m2)
Tubes:	967 sq. ft. (90 m2)
Cylinders:
Cylinders (Dia. x Stroke):	24 in × 32 in (610 mm × 813 mm)
Operation:
Fuel Capacity:	6, 450 US Gallons
Water Capacity:	25,000 US Gallons (95,000 l; 21,000 Imperial Gallons)
Weight of Locomotive:	762,000 lb (345,637 kg)
Total Weight:	1,198,500 lb (543,630 kg)
Weight of Tender(s):	436,500 lb (197,993 kg)
Performance Statistics:
Horsepower:	7, 000
Maximum Speed:	80 mph (130 km/h)
Tractive Effort:	138,240 lbf (614.9 kN)
Dimensions:
Total Length:	132 ft. 9 7⁄8 in (40.48 m)
Valves & Motion:
Valve Gear:	Heusinger

Union Pacific Railroad No. 4014, also known as 'The Big Boy', is a 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy" type articulated steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in November 1941. It was retired from revenue service in 1961 and previously donated to the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, CA until being reacquired by the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in July 2013 and later restored to operating condition for excursion service in May 2019. As of today, it is owned and operated by the UP as part of their heritage fleet, based in Cheyenne, WY.

History

Union Pacific Railroad No. 4014 'The Big Boy' is a four-cylinder articulated 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy" type steam locomotive owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. It was built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in November 1941 along with the other Big Boy locomotives to fix problems with the preceding 4-6-6-4 Challenger class locomotives. 4014 last ran in revenue service on July 21, 1959, along with all the other Big Boys. It was retired two years later on December 7, 1961, and was then donated to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society in Pomona, CA. Its top speed is 80 mph, and its power output is 6,290 hp.

4014 reached its destination in January 1962 and was displayed in Fairplex and the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, CA until November 14, 2013. Thereafter, 4014 was moved on May 8, 2014 to Union Pacific's Steam Shop in Cheyenne, WY where it was extensively restored back to running condition (with UP SD40-2 number 3105, a boxcar, and a caboose taking 4014's place at the RailGiants Train Museum). With 4014 now in running condition, it joined the never retired Union Pacific No. 844, nicknamed the 'Living Legend', in excursion service. It also became the largest, heaviest and most powerful operational steam locomotive in the world, displacing (and eventually replacing) Union Pacific Challenger No. 3985. 4014 began its move on January 26, 2014, when it was pulled out of the RailGiants Train Museum. It finally arrived in Cheyenne, WY on May 8, 2014. Upon the completion of 844's complete overhaul in July 2016, the restoration work of the Big Boy began the following month on August 11, 2016.

4014's restoration was later completed in late April 2019, just in time for the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad in May 2019 and the 75th anniversary of Living Legend No. 844. On April 27, 2019, 4014 has successfully had an oil fire lit, making it the first Big Boy fired up in 60 years, as well as the first Big Boy successfully converted to oil-firing. The very first test run of 4014 was on May 2, 2019, and the first excursion run began on May 4, 2019, doubleheaded with 844, as part of the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. As of January 2020, 4014 has officially replaced 3985 in excursion service for the Union Pacific's steam program due to 3985's poor mechanical condition. In August 2021, 4014 became the first-ever steam locomotive in the United States to be equipped with Positive Train Control (PTC) technology, even though the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) informed the UP back in late 2018 that installing PTC on their steam locomotives wasn't necessary at the time.

In June 2022, it was announced that 4014 was to embark on a West Coast tour in the Pacific Northwest on June 26th and have a meetup in Portland, OR with Southern Pacific No. 4449, nicknamed The Daylight, but due to freight traffic congestion because of supply chain issues, the tour was cancelled. Instead, 4014 operated to Denver, CO on July 28th and was placed on public display under steam there on July 29th before leading a special excursion hosted by the Union Pacific Museum back to Cheyenne, WY on July 30th.

As of June 7, 2023, it was announced that 4014 will embark on an excursion run from Cheyenne, WY to Omaha, NE with the Home Run Express Tour. It will be placed on public display under steam at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, NE before returning back to Cheyenne, WY in early July. On June 29, 2023, on its way back to Cheyenne, WY, 4014 assisted a stalled Union Pacific freight train by coupling behind the rear end of the train.

In April 2024, plans have been announced for 4014's first of two tours in 2024. The first tour will take place during the summer with stops in Roseville, CA on July 12th and 13th and Ogden, UT on July 20th and 21st, with 4014 scheduled to leave Cheyenne, WY on June 30th. The second tour is being planned for the fall with stops in the states of Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, and Illinois, among others. It has also been reported that siding improvements are being made in the state of Idaho, which should increase the chance of 4014 operating another tour in the Pacific Northwest, likely in Boise, ID and Portland, OR, sometime next year in 2025.

Trivia

• On May 2, 2019, 4014 successfully made its first run under its own steam, officially gaining and reclaiming the title of "Largest Operating Steam Locomotive in the World", which was originally held by Challenger locomotive 3985. It then made its first excursion, dubbed The Great Race to Ogden, on May 4, 2019, doubleheaded with Living Legend 844.

• 4014 was previously renumbered to UP x4014 because of an EMD SD70M diesel locomotive that previously had 4014's number. That SD70M has now been renumbered to 4479 to allow the Big Boy to be numbered back to simply 4014.
• In December 2018, Union Pacific requested from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) waivers to exempt 4014, 844, and 3985 from federal Positive Train Control (PTC) requirements. In February 2019, the FRA officials responded that such waivers were not needed. However, 4014 was later successfully fitted with PTC technology in August 2021 before its big 2021 excursion tour.
• 4014 currently uses the oil tender from now retired 3985 and is the first Big Boy to be successfully converted to burn oil, unlike brother Big Boy locomotive 4005 during its revenue service career with the Union Pacific.
  • 4014 is temporarily using 3985's tender until its original tender is restored by the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA) in Silvis, IL, at which point, it will get its original tender back in exchange for 3985's tender.
  • In April 2024, 4014's original tender was sandblasted and received a new coat of primer by the RRHMA's shop complex and is being prepared for conversion from carrying coal to oil.
• The locomotive can be seen in Herron Rail Video's Union Pacific Streamliners and Classic Steam in 1950s revenue service, being towed to the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California during the 1960s, and on present day excursion service.
• In 2022, 4014 was fitted with a new dual-beam headlight and its whistle was swapped out with 844's whistle. However, in 2023, 4014 was given back its excursion service whistle.
  • Said whistle from 844 is 4014's regular service whistle, which it wore during its freight career.
• On June 29, 2023, 4014 assisted a stalled Union Pacific freight train by coupling behind the rear end of the train.
• In May 2024, 4014 was fitted with a third dynamo to power the PTC equipment without the use of diesel assistance during test runs.

Gallery

• Gallery