Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 – Jim Pearson Photography

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific’s UP 4014 Big Boy departs Prescott, Arkansas

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific’s Race Across the Southwest was on the move again as UP 4014 Big Boy departs Prescott, Arkansas on its way north on the UP Little Rock Subdivision on a beautiful and cold fall morning. As you can tell the cold weather went a long way in producing beautiful plumes of steam!!

Did you know: The Big Boy and its tender is only 100 feet shorter than a Boeing 747! It takes a sedan, a school bus, and a diesel engine to match the length of the Big Boy and its tender. With a height of 16 feet 4 inches, and a length of 132 feet, it falls short of the 232 foot Boeing 747 only by 100 feet!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @48mm, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 125.

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific 4014 passes a northbound BNSF tank Train at Little Rock, AR

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific 4014 passes a northbound BNSF tank Train as it heads back through the Locust Street Yard after turning its train on the Van Buren Wye at Little Rock, Arkansas. They turned the train for its display Thursday in Little Rock and Friday morning it will continue its move as it heads for its next overnight stop in Van Buren, Arkansas.

Union Pacific has billed this move as The Great Race Across the Southwest as the train is making a circle around the southwest over a six week or so period hitting Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

Tech Info: Fuji XT1, Nikon 18mm, 1/450sec, f/7.1, ISO 200.

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific’s 4014 Big Boy pulls it’s train north out of Union Station at Little Rock, Arkansas

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific’s 4014 Big Boy pulls it’s train north out of Union Station at Little Rock, Arkansas on a cold fall afternoon.

Union Pacific has billed this move as The Great Race Across the Southwest as the train is making a circle around the southwest over a six week or so period hitting Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

According to Wikipedia: Union Pacific 4014 is a four-cylinder simple articulated 4-8-8-4 Big Boy-type steam locomotive owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. Built in 1941 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York, No. 4014 is the only operating Big Boy of the eight that remain in existence.

The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959. It was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex in Pomona, California. In 2013, Union Pacific re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[citation needed] In 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after it sat dormant for almost six decades. Part of Union Pacific’s heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves.

Tech Info: Fuji XT1, Nikon 18mm, 1/350sec, f/7.1, ISO 200.

Union Pacific 4014, the Big Boy heads north on UP’s Hoxie Subdivision at Jacksonville, Arkansas

Union Pacific 4014, the Big Boy heads north on UP’s Hoxie Subdivision at Jacksonville, Arkansas as part of its 2021-month long tour around the United States on August 27th, 2021!

Here engineer Ed Dickens keeps an eye on the tracks ahead as it approaches the N JP Wright Loop Road crossing, perhaps scanning for the legendary the Loop Road Monster (Bigfoot) which has been sighted in this rural area in the past, but there wasn’t any sight of him during the big boys run through the area! I guess bigfoot doesn’t like steam trains nearly as much as the throngs of railfans that chased it!

UP 4014 is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive that was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

The Big Boy was on a month-long tour around the Midwest through, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming before arriving home in Cheyenne, Wyoming on September 7th, 2021.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 210mm, f/5.3, 1/1600, ISO 280.

Engineer Ed Dickens, left, conductor and others on the right on Union Pacific Big Boy 4014…

Engineer Ed Dickens, left, conductor and others on the right on Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 crew keep an eye on the tracks ahead as they round the curve after crossing the Kaskaskia River bridge on the UP Chester Subdivision at Brewerville, Illinois, as they make the way to St. Louis, MO, the last stop on this leg of their journey on August 28th, 2021

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 195mm, f/5.3, 1/1600, ISO 160.

Engineer Ed Dickens keeps an eye on the track ahead, south of Chester, Illinois

Engineer Ed Dickens keeps an eye on the track ahead as Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 heads north on the UP Chester Subdivision somewhere south of Chester, Illinois, as they make the way to St. Louis, MO during the trains recent tour around central united states on August 28th, 2021.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 340mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO 320.

Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 at Brewerville, Illinois

The conductor and others on the Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 crew keeps an eye on the tracks ahead as they round the curve after crossing the Kaskaskia River bridge on the UP Chester Subdivision at Brewerville, Illinois, as they make the way to St. Louis, MO, the last stop on this leg of their journey.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 165mm, f/5, 1/1600, ISO 200, August 28, 2021.

Union Pacific 4014 northbound at Jacksonville, AR

Union Pacific 4014, the Big Boy, heads north on UPs Hoxie Subdivision at Jacksonville, Arkansas as part of its 2021-month long tour around the United States on August 27th, 2021!

Here engineer Ed Dickens keeps an eye on the tracks ahead as it approaches the N JP Wright Loop Road crossing, perhaps scanning for the legendary the Loop Road Monster (Bigfoot) which has been sighted in this rural area in the past, but there wasnt any sight of him during the big boys run through the area! I guess bigfoot doesnt like steam trains nearly as much as the throngs of railfans that chased it!

UP 4014 is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive that was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

The Big Boy was on a month-long tour around the Midwest through, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming before arriving home in Cheyenne, Wyoming on September 7th.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 150mm, f/6, 1/1600, ISO 320.

Union Pacific 4014 northbound at Newport, AR

Union Pacific steam locomotive 4014, the Big Boy, with its entire train in view, passes the Farmers Elevator complex as it heads north on the UP Hoxie Subdivision at Newport, Arkansas on August 27th, 2021. Here it is on the leg of its trip from Little Rock, AR to Poplar Bluff, MO during its month-long tour around the Union Pacific line.

The Big Boy is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive which was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York in 1941. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100, August 27, 2021.

UP 4014 northbound on the Hoxie Sub

Engineer Ed Dickens watches the road ahead in this Infrared photograph of the Union Pacific Big Boy, as it approaches a crossing north of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas on the Hoxie Subdivision, during its run between Little Rock and Poplar Bluff on August 27, 2021.

UP 4014 is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive that was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

The Big Boy is on a month-long tour around the Midwest through, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming before heading home to Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @200mm, f/8, 1/500, ISO 200.

Union Pacific's 4014, the Big Boy, passes over Corning Lake as it approaches downtown Corning, Arkansas on Friday, August 27th, 2021, as they head north on the UP Hoxie subdivision on its way to Popular Bluff, AR.

The Big Boy is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive which was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York in 1941. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

According to Wikipedia: "The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959, when it was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California.

In 2013, UP re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In May 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after sitting dormant for almost six decades.

It ran its first excursion, double-headed with Union Pacific 844, three days later on May 4, 2019. Now part of the Union Pacific's heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves."

The Big Boy is currently on a month-long tour around the Midwest through, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming before heading home to Cheyenne, Wyoming on September 7th. For the route and schedule visit: https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm to see if it's stopping near you!

Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100, August 27, 2021.

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Union Pacific 4014 Northbound at Corning, AR

Union Pacific’s 4014, the Big Boy, passes over the Black River as it approaches downtown Corning, Arkansas on Friday, August 27th, 2021, as they head north on the UP Hoxie subdivision on its way to Poplar Bluff, AR.

The Big Boy is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive which was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York in 1941. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

According to Wikipedia: “The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959, when it was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California.

In 2013, UP re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In May 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after sitting dormant for almost six decades.

It ran its first excursion, double-headed with Union Pacific 844, three days later on May 4, 2019. Now part of the Union Pacific’s heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves.”

The Big Boy is currently on a month-long tour around the Midwest through, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming before heading home to Cheyenne, Wyoming on September 7th. For the route and schedule visit: https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm to see if it’s stopping near you!

Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100, August 27, 2021.

An infrared photograph of Union Pacific's 4014, Big Boy as it backs into the static display area at Popular Bluff, Arkansas on UP's Hoxie Subdivision, on August 27th, 2021, during its overnight stop on their month-long tour around the United States.

The Big Boy is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive which was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York in 1941. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

According to Wikipedia: The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959, when it was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California.

In 2013, UP re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In May 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after sitting dormant for almost six decades.

It ran its first excursion, double-headed with Union Pacific 844, three days later on May 4, 2019. Now part of the Union Pacific's heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 12-24 @24mm, f/4.5, 1/500, ISO 200.

Union Pacific 4014 at Poplar Bluff, MO

An infrared photograph of Union Pacific’s 4014, Big Boy as it backs into the static display area at Popular Bluff, Missouri on UP’s Hoxie Subdivision, on August 27th, 2021, during its overnight stop on their month-long tour around the United States.

The Big Boy is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive which was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York in 1941. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

According to Wikipedia: “The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959, when it was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California.

In 2013, UP re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In May 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after sitting dormant for almost six decades.

It ran its first excursion, double-headed with Union Pacific 844, three days later on May 4, 2019. Now part of the Union Pacific’s heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves.”

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 12-24 @24mm, f/4.5, 1/500, ISO 200.

Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy on the move!

A Selection of videos from my Union Pacific 4014, Big Boy Chase on August 27th & 28th, 2021 through Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois along the UP Hoxie and Chester Subdivisions.

UP 4014 northbound at Brewerville, Illinois

The crowd was huge at Chester, Illinois and just didn’t want to let the Big Boy leave which delayed its departing from there. This made me and a lot of other railfans stand around at a grade crossing waiting for this shot for over an hour and a half in the 100-degree weather, but it was worth it for my last shot of Union Pacific 4014 on its 2021 tour!

I ended up cropping this shot much tighter than I actually shot it thanks to two guys in cowboy hats that walked down next to the tracks in everyone’s shot, but that stuff happens and after working with this shot, I like how this in-your-face photograph turned out! Sometimes when you’re doing a chase that is a popular as this in the hobby, you just must adjust accordingly as everyone wants their shot, even the cowboys!

Here engineer Ed Dickens and the rest of the Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 crew keeps an eye on the tracks ahead as it crosses the Kaskaskia River on the UP Chester Subdivision at Brewerville, Illinois.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 195mm, f/6, 1/1000, ISO 560, August 28, 2021.

UP 4014 North at McRae, AR

This is one of the last images from my DJI Air 2 drone before it ended up in the top of a 30’ oak tree the next day at Dexter, MO after a Fly Away.

In this shot Engineer Ed Dickens waves from the cab as Union Pacific’s 4014, the Big Boy, passes under the signal bridge in downtown McRae, Arkansas on Friday, on August 27th, 2021, as they head north on the UP Hoxie subdivision on its way to Popular Bluff, MO.

The Big Boy is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive which was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York in 1941. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

According to Wikipedia: “The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959, when it was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California.

In 2013, UP re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In May 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after sitting dormant for almost six decades.

It ran its first excursion, double-headed with Union Pacific 844, three days later on May 4, 2019. Now part of the Union Pacific’s heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves.”

The Big Boy is currently on a month-long tour around the Midwest through, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming before heading home to Cheyenne, Wyoming on September 7th. For the route and schedule visit: https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm to see if it’s stopping near you!

Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100, August 27, 2021.

Infrared of the Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 at Aldridge, Illinois

It was a bit of a wait in a hot and humid sun, but it was well worth the wait for my first Infrared photograph of the Union Pacific Big Boy, which is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive that was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one. Here it makes its way north across the Big Muddy River in Aldridge, Illinois on August 28, 2021, as it heads to its next scheduled stop at Chester, Illinois.

The Big Boy is on a month-long tour around the Midwest through, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming before heading home to Cheyenne, Wyoming. For the route and schedule visit: https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm to see if it’s stopping near you!

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @200mm, f/8, 1/500, ISO 200, August 28, 2021, 2021.

UP 4014 Live from Popular Bluff, AR

From a Live Broadcast of Union Pacific’s 4014, Big Boy, as it backs into its display area at Popular Bluff, Arkansas on UP’s Hoxie Subdivision, on August 27th, 2021.

November 13, 2019 - UP engineer Ed Dickens leans out the cab of Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy as it heads through the curve approaching Malvern, Arkansas, as it races north on the Little Rock Subdivision with it's passenger train on UP's Race Across the Southwest event.

According to Union Pacific's Website: Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. The locomotives were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds. Because of their great length, the frames of the Big Boys were "hinged," or articulated, to allow them to negotiate curves. They had a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which meant they had four wheels on the leading set of "pilot" wheels which guided the engine, eight drivers, another set of eight drivers, and four wheels following which supported the rear of the locomotive. The massive engines normally operated between Ogden, Utah, and Cheyenne, Wyo.

There are seven Big Boys on public display in various cities around the country. They can be found in St. Louis, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Big Boy No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December 1941. The locomotive was retired in December 1961, having traveled 1,031,205 miles in its 20 years in service. Union Pacific reacquired No. 4014 from the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California, in 2013, and relocated it back to Cheyenne to begin a multi-year restoration process. It returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's Completion.

Digital Art – Union Pacific Big Boy 4014

Digital Art – Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 arrives at Malvern, Arkansas.

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Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” locomotive releases built up steam…

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” locomotive releases built up steam as it sits at the station in Prescott, Arkansas, waiting for time to depart north on UP’s Little Rock Subdivision during UP’s Great Race Across the Southwest steam tour.

According to Wikipedia: Union Pacific 4014 is a four-cylinder simple articulated 4-8-8-4 Big Boy-type steam locomotive owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. Built in 1941 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York, No. 4014 is the only operating Big Boy of the eight that remain in existence.

The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959. It was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex in Pomona, California. In 2013, Union Pacific re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[citation needed] In 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after it sat dormant for almost six decades. Part of Union Pacific’s heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves.

Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” 4014 puts out a huge plume of steam in the cold November air as it departs Hope, AR

November 12, 2019 – Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” 4014 puts out a huge plume of steam in the cold November air as it departs Hope, Arkansas and heads north on Union Pacific’s Little Rock Subdivision on its way to Prescott, AR where it tied down for the night.

According to Wikipedia: The Union Pacific Big Boy is a type of simple articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive manufactured by the American Locomotive Company between 1941 and 1944 and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in revenue service until 1959.

The 25 Big Boy locomotives were built to haul freight over the Wasatch mountains between Ogden, Utah, and Green River, Wyoming. In the late 1940s, they were reassigned to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where they hauled freight over Sherman Hill to Laramie, Wyoming. They were the only locomotives to use a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement: four-wheel leading truck for stability entering curves, two sets of eight driving wheels and a four-wheel trailing truck to support the large firebox.

Eight Big Boys survive, most on static display at museums across the country. This one, No. 4014, was re-acquired by Union Pacific and restored to operating condition in 2019, regaining the title as the largest and most powerful operating steam locomotive in the world.

Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” 4014 at Hope, AR

November 12, 2019 – Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” 4014 puts out a huge plume of steam as it rounds a curve in the cold November air at Hope, Arkansas as it heads north on the UP’s Little Rock Subdivision on its way to Prescott, AR where it tied down for the night during Union Pacific’s Great Race Across the Southwest tour.