Heritage
Big Boy No. 4014 Steams Out of Cheyenne on Historic Coast-to-Coast Tour
The world's largest operating steam locomotive departed its home base in Cheyenne on Saturday, beginning a historic coast-to-coast tour celebrating America's 250th anniversary with 27 whistle-stops across four western states.
Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014, a 4-8-8-4 articulated locomotive weighing over 1.2 million pounds, steamed along Sherman Hill on the first leg of its western journey, accompanied by several historical passenger cars from Union Pacific's Heritage Fleet.
The first run took the Big Boy from Cheyenne to Medicine Bow on Saturday, with subsequent stops planned in Wamsutter, Rock Springs, and Green River. The Green River stop is scheduled for April 1, where the locomotive will be on public display.
Crowds gathered at every crossing and depot along the route Saturday, waving flags and snapping photos as the massive locomotive thundered past. In Medicine Bow — the tiny town made famous by Owen Wister's novel "The Virginian" — an estimated 200 people lined the tracks.
"There's nothing quite like it," said longtime Casper railfan Harold Kessler, who drove to Cheyenne to see the departure. "When 600 tons of steel rolls by under steam power, you feel it in your chest. It's living history."
The western leg of the tour ends April 24 when Big Boy returns to Cheyenne. The locomotive will then embark on an eastern leg later in the year, making it the first coast-to-coast steam tour in modern history.
Union Pacific restored Big Boy No. 4014 in 2019 from a static display in Pomona, California. It is the only operating Big Boy among the eight that survive; the other seven are on static display at museums and parks across the country.
The tour honors the role railroads played in building and connecting the nation. Union Pacific's transcontinental line, completed in 1869, passes through Wyoming and was instrumental in the state's development.
"Wyoming was built by the railroad," said Wyoming State Historical Society president Dr. Ellen Torres. "Having Big Boy No. 4014 steam through these communities is a powerful reminder of that legacy."
For the complete tour schedule and whistle-stop locations, visit up.com.
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