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Union Pacific No. 4017

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Union Pacific No. 4017, or UP 4017, is a four-cylinder articulated 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy "-type steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1941. It was constructed alongside the other Big Boy locomotives to address the limitations of the earlier ALCO 4-6-6-4 "Challenger" class and was designed for hauling heavy freight over the steep grades of the Union Pacific's western routes.

4017 served reliably during its career, hauling long freight trains across challenging terrain, including Sherman Hill and the Wasatch Range. By November 30, 1958, 4017 and the rest of the Big Boy fleet were officially retired and placed into storage in a "dead line." However, on July 7, 1959, it was briefly returned to steam before making its final run on July 20 of that year. Afterward, it was stored once again in case of a sudden increase in freight demand.

In May 1961, 4017 was permanently retired with 1,052,072 miles logged over its service life. That same year, it was donated to the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Its relocation from Cheyenne was made possible with assistance from the Milwaukee Road and the Chicago and North Western Railway.

In 1995, the locomotive was sandblasted, repainted, and enhanced with interior firebox lighting for public viewing. A few years later, in the summer of 2000, the museum began constructing a new display hall to protect 4017 and other historic locomotives. As part of this move, the locomotive was completely repainted with an accurate color match to the waste oil and graphite coating once used on the fire and smoke boxes during its operating years.

By 2002, 4017 had been moved into the completed display hall. Visitors can now step into both the cab and the tender, making it one of the most immersive Big Boy exhibits available. Since it was never stored outdoors in a park, 4017 has remained one of the most complete and well-preserved Big Boys in existence, despite currently having no boiler jacket.

Trivia[]

  • No. 4017 is one of eight surviving Big Boys.
  • This locomotive was one of the last Big Boys to undergo heavy repairs at Union Pacific's Cheyenne, WY, workshops in July 1959.

Gallery[]

Specs[]

List of Union Pacific Big Boy Locomotives
Real-Life Members: 4000 • 4001 • 4002 • 4003 • 4004 • 4005 • 4006 • 4007 • 4008 • 4009 • 4010 • 4011 • 4012 • 4013 • 4014 • 4015 • 4016 • 4017 • 4018 • 4019 • 4020 • 4021 • 4022 • 4023 • 4024
Fallen: 4000 • 4001 • 4002 • 4003 • 4007 • 4008 • 4009 • 4010 • 4011 • 4013 • 4013 • 4015 • 4016 • 4019 • 4020 • 4021 • 4022 • 4024
Preserved: 4004 • 4005 • 4006 • 4012 • 4014 • 4017 • 4018 • 4023
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