'Big Boy' No. 4014 Returns

Amid the afternoon sun and heat, a long baritone screech from the past made its way into Sidney.

The Union Pacific “Big Boy 4014” whistled and chugged as it made its way into Sidney minutes ahead of schedule.

The massive locomotive is polished and ready to tour the United States from Cheyenne, Wyo. It is a symbol of how the railroad expanded across the western United States. Built in the 1940s, the locomotive was designed to conquer the mountains while carrying equipment in support of World War II.

On Aug. 5, Big Boy No. 4014 began a 10-state tour from Cheyenne, Wyo., gathering the attention of fans along the way.

The Big Boy stopped in Pine Bluffs, Wyo., and Kimball on its way to its first overnight stop in Sidney. In Sidney, Hickory Street was lined with the curious, the young and the young at heart in addition to locomotive fans and people who get excited about anything with proven age. Hickory Street in downtown Sidney was lined with residents a short walk from the tracks to families who took a day trip from further northwest. At least one couple extended their vacation to ensure they could see the famed locomotive.

“Every time it comes through, we come here,” said Ray Dykes. Dykes and his family drove to Sidney from Mitchell, arriving in time to wait for the No. 4014 to arrive.

He's not specifically a train fan, but he likes restored history.

“I just like anything old,” Dykes said.

He said they watched the video on the rebuilding of the 4014.

Keith and Julie Arndt, of Fresno, Calif., decided to extend their month-long vacation when they heard about the Big Boy's scheduled arrival.

“We extended our vacation two weeks to catch up with the Big Boy,” said Keith Arndt.

They were in southern Colorado near Leadville when they decided to make the trip to Sidney. Their vacation started in Glacier National Park.

The thrill of seeing a big Boy locomotive close-up is part of what makes the program a success, according to Ed Dickens, senior manager-Union Pacific Heritage Operations. Dickens said people are drawn to historic trains, even more so locomotives like the Big Boy, as rail enthusiasts, the nostalgia of a working older locomotive, and simply the whistle.

Diesel locomotives are equipped with a whistle with one pitch; their decisions are about how often or how long to activate the whistle. Steam engines like No. 4014 are different. The engineer can change the pitch.

Some people are excited by the Big Boy locomotives because they show what can be done when people are focused. He said there's also the mindset of “what makes that work,” the mechanical curiosity.

Dickens shares some of the curiosity and affection for mechanical transportation as he recalls the disassembly and rebuilding of the Big Boy No. 4014 in Cheyenne with a gleam in his eyes.

According to the Union Pacific, 25 Big Boys were built exclusively for the UP Railroad. The first was delivered in 1941. The No. 4014 Big Boy measures almost twice the length of a diesel locomotive at 133 feet in length compared to 74 feet for a diesel locomotive. It weighs in a 1.2 million pounds.

Because of its size, the frames of the Big Boy were “hinged” to allow them to negotiate curves. The Big Boys generally operated between Ogden, Utah and Cheyenne, Wyo. There are seven Big Boys on display across the country: St. Louis, Mo.; Dallas, Texas; Omaha; Denver, Scranton, Penn.; Green Bay, Wisc.; and Cheyenne.

Big Boy No. 4014 was retired in December 1961 after about 20 years and more than one million miles. Union Pacific later purchased the 4014 from the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, Calif. in 2013. It was moved back to Cheyenne where a multi-year restoration project began. It returned to the rails in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's completion.