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OT: Union Pacific's Big Boy will be travelling through the MidWest in July/Aug

Spud

Diamond
Joined
Jan 12, 2006
Location
Brookfield, Wisconsin
The only working Big Boy (No. 4014) will be starting in Cheyenne Wy and traveling through several MidWestern States.

It will be stopping in Altoona Wi overnight. I can't make it that far but intend on seeing it when it stops in Butler Wi.

See below link for other stops in the MidWest.
The Train Is Coming: Big Boy Locomotive To Make Stop In Wisconsin's Railroad City | Wisconsin Public Radio

The National Railroad Museum in Green Bay Wi has a Big Boy, but it is static display only.

Below is video of Big Boy # 4014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuJPVhtQFeQ
 
We're planning on going, Altoona is only 7 miles from our home. My 17 year old son and my father in-law are huge steam engine junkies and are working on getting their hours in for a hobbyist license of some sort? My wife and I joined them at WMSTR in western MN last summer and it was impressive to say the least. I will try to remember to get some pics to post on here.
 
You doo know there is an "Antique section" here at PM ?

And this subject has a couple of threads on it......:nutter:
 
You doo know there is an "Antique section" here at PM ?

And this subject has a couple of threads on it......:nutter:

You always have an attitude when replying to my posts. Beats me why.

And I did look at the Antique section's 1st page before posting ; did not see a thread on this subject.
 
The yard the engine will lay over for three days is 15 miles from my home in Geneva, Il. Further, the tracks heading west are a couple hundred yards from home. I can stand in the front yard and watch it pass.

Tom
 
It is worth the trip if you are able. We went to see it and the 844 in Ogden for the 150th golden spike ceremony. It was amazing, it is an awesome machine. You can see it on video but it just doesn't do justice to the size of the engine. it really was a sight to see it running.
 
Am thinking about a road trip up to Duluth, Mn as I have not been there in years. Lots to see in Duluth/Superior as well as the big boy. Worked on #1309 a little this spring and the Big Boy is bigger still. I like smaller steam locomotives personally but after hearing my whole life it seems that a Big Boy will never run again much less one running in the midwest. Not a bucket list thing but I owe it to myself to say I did it. The other sights in the Duluth area will make it a grand trip if I don't wimp out and stay home. In all honesty I think Rick Roland and crews accomplishment with the steel mill Porter they restored and got running earlier this year was as grand an accomplishment. But to each his own. A very cool thing big or small. Regards, John.
 
I was not able to see this in person, have a broken ankle and the crowd was pretty big, but my son got some pics I thought I would share here from the stop in Altoona WI,
 

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Last 2 pics, My boy and my father in-law spend a long weekend every fall at WMSTR near Moorehead MN, they've been around this sort of thing a lot and were absolutely blown away by how impressive this engine was
 

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Just came back from the Wauwatosa Home Depot. The locomotive is parked just behind Home Depot. Clear unobstructed view and lots of parking available. The Butler yard runs past the Home Depot.

 
Lets make it just as difficult as we can to post a photo on this website, anyway, I didn't post the 4004 in Cheyenne
 
I was in Elkhart, IA when it pulled in and back out 15 minutes later. You can walk around it all you want, but standing beside the track when it steams in truly gives an appreciation of it's size. And its relatively quiet, much quieter coming in than a diesel electric.

Lots of photos of the engine out there, mine are nothing special. Mostly other people's heads. But these are of the machine shop car:
4014 machine shop.jpg
4014 machine shop 1.jpg
4014 machine shop 2.jpg
 








 
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