SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — There are trains, and there is Union Pacific’s Big Boy 4014.
Big Boy 4014 is the world’s largest steam locomotive still in operation, and it’s making its way through Utah, giving people a rare chance to see, hear and feel a piece of American history.
Originally built in 1941, Big Boy 4014 was designed to move massive loads across steep mountain terrain between Utah and Wyoming during a time of war, helping power a country on the move.
Today, it’s no longer hauling freight. Instead, it’s carrying something else: History.
MORE | Amazing America
After sitting in a museum for decades, Union Pacific Railroad restored the locomotive and brought it back to life – not to work, but to connect.
Union Pacific is bringing Big Boy back on the rails as part of its heritage program, this time on a cross-country tour to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Along the way, it will be joined by historic rail cars and commemorative locomotives, turning each stop into something more than just a sighting.
Behind all that steel and steam is lead engineer Ed Dickens.
“It’s never really lost on you what it is,” said Dickens. “We care for it.”
Dickens said the job is something he has been dreaming about since he was a kid. He explained that he was that little kid dressed like a train engineer at just five years old.
Now, decades later, he helps Big Boy roll through towns, seeing families, kids, and entire communities line the tracks just to watch it pass.
“It’s almost an emotional experience,” Dickens said. “You can feel the energy. When it rolls in, it’s beautiful.”
Dickens added that railroads helped America and, “When you see this, it brings you back to what it was built for.”
Big Boy 4014 is scheduled to stop at Salt Lake City’s Central Station at 3 p.m. before departing just a few hours later. It’s due back for another stop at the Ogden Union Station on April 18.
Comment with Bubbles
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
_____