Big Boy No. 4014 is the world's largest operating steam locomotive. Twenty-five Big Boys were commissioned exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. These massive locomotives were built to haul heavy equipment in support of the war effort, normally operating between Ogden, Utah, and Cheyenne, Wyoming. No. 4014 was retired in December 1961 after traveling 1,031,205 miles. Of the eight remaining Big Boys in existence today, this is the only one still in operation. It is 133' long and weighs 1.2 million pounds. It is making a cross country trek in honor of our nation's 250th birthday.
The exciting news is that it is making a 15 minute "whistle stop" here in Lorain. How wonderful that our humble city is part of this historic journey!!! You can read more about it here.
How cool it would be to see that Big Boy in commission. I'm also feeling more patriotic than normal this year because of that significant birthday!!! God Bless America.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome piece of machinery! Thanks for sharing Big Boy’s story . Reading the link you shared and seeing the map of his travel for this 250th, I was excited to see towns in the Chicago area he traveled through. I grew up in Geneva and looks like he might have made a stop at the station there. All the different places we’ve lived, I’ve always been within ear shot of train sounds. Love that sound especially at night. I was sad when they did away with cabooses. I’m rambling now…..
ReplyDeleteHow cool to have this locomotive pass and stop in your town. I wonder if one of these sits at Greenfield Village. They have quite a few locomotives there, but I dont remember looking at the names. I grew up 1/2 mile from a railroad. When my parents first built their house the train whistles were annoying, but we got use to them and then most time we even stopped hearting them. There is a train across the river in Canada here now where we live. Depending on the direction of the wind, we can hear that one at times. I sure hope you do another post when this one does its whistle stop. Wish I could be there. Janice
ReplyDeleteThat is a massive cool train ! Would be awesome to see it and hear it on the train tracks !
ReplyDeleteWhat a magnificent train! How I'd love to see it on its patriotic tour. It would give me chills I know hearing it. When my mother sold the family farm after my father died, she kept a 15-acre parcel of it and built a prefab home which is where I lived until I was married. It was directly across from the railroad tracks and the train rolled by every afternoon at 3:10 pm. I remember missing that sound as there was road it crossed shortly before it was directly across from our place and the whistle was loud and clear.
ReplyDeleteThat would be something to see. My cousins now travel by trains, no more flying. They have the time and can't say enough about loving the ride.
ReplyDeleteWhat a train! Lucky you getting to see it.
ReplyDeleteCathy