October 20, 2008 - The late evening light rakes across the base of Mormon Rocks as UP 5958 and 6266 (ex-Southern Pacific Unit) lead a west bound freight down the Cajon Pass in southern California. Local legend has it that the rocks were named for the Mormon pioneers who camped here after their descent from the pass ridgeline. Another legend calls the rocks the 'Chanting Rocks,' as when the wind would blow across the portholes in the rocks it was said the sound made was similar to a low chanting or singing.

The late evening light rakes across the base of Mormon Rocks…

October 20, 2008 – The late evening light rakes across the base of Mormon Rocks as UP 5958 and 6266 (ex-Southern Pacific Unit) lead a west bound freight down the Cajon Pass in southern California.

Local legend has it that the rocks were named for the Mormon pioneers who camped here after their descent from the pass ridgeline. Another legend calls the rocks the ‘Chanting Rocks,’ as when the wind would blow across the portholes in the rocks it was said the sound made was similar to a low chanting or singing.

May 1, 2005 - Blast From The Past - The conductor on a Union Pacific freight walks past the American Flag on his engine in the yard at Salem, Illinois. According to the Union Pacific Website: When we added the flag to our locomotives more than a decade ago – at the suggestion of an employee after 9/11 – we followed the tradition of having the Union (the blue field of stars) lead the way, such that on the right-hand side of the vehicle ("passenger side"), the flag would appear reversed. Further, the flag was painted to convey the motion of forward movement as if it were billowing with the speed of the locomotive. Having the Union forward on both sides is the overwhelming choice anytime the flag is portrayed on a transport vehicle, from NASA space shuttles to Air Force One.

The conductor on a Union Pacific freight walks past the American Flag…

May 1, 2005 – Blast From The Past – The conductor on a Union Pacific freight walks past the American Flag on his engine in the yard at Salem, Illinois.

According to the Union Pacific Website: When we added the flag to our locomotives more than a decade ago – at the suggestion of an employee after 9/11 – we followed the tradition of having the Union (the blue field of stars) lead the way, such that on the right-hand side of the vehicle (“passenger side”), the flag would appear reversed.

Further, the flag was painted to convey the motion of forward movement as if it were billowing with the speed of the locomotive. Having the Union forward on both sides is the overwhelming choice anytime the flag is portrayed on a transport vehicle, from NASA space shuttles to Air Force One.

June 21, 2006 - Blast From The Past - It's 9:45 in the morning as Union Pacific 2365 struggles past CP Canyon as it heads east up the Cajon Pass in southern California with a loaded manifest.The pass is one of the busiest rail areas in southern California.

Union Pacific 2365 struggles past CP Canyon…

June 21, 2006 – Blast From The Past – It’s 9:45 in the morning as Union Pacific 2365 struggles past CP Canyon as it heads east up the Cajon Pass in southern California with a loaded manifest.The pass is one of the busiest rail areas in southern California.

February 26, 2020 - Union Pacific 5883 rounds the curve coming into Hanson, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a empty coke train.

Union Pacific 5883 rounds the curve…

February 26, 2020 – Union Pacific 5883 rounds the curve coming into Hanson, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a empty coke train.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

November 13, 2019 - Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy pulls it's train north out of Union Station at Little Rock, Arkansas on a cold fall afternoon. Union Pacific 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: Little Rock Union Station, also known as Mopac Station, is a train station in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. The present Little Rock station opened August 1, 1921, having been constructed by the Missouri Pacific Railroad after a fire destroyed the prior station on April 7, 1920. The structure used existing foundations, some exterior walls and the clock tower of the previous station, which had survived the fire. The station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as "Mopac Station". Although known as Union Station, this particular structure was used by only a single railroad, Missouri Pacific. Prior structures on this site were served by two additional railroads, Memphis & Little Rock (1874–1893) and St. Louis Southwestern Railroad (known as the 'Cotton Belt'). (ca. 1892–1910). The present (1921) structure was predated by a large wooden structure erected in 1874, and a brick station that opened in 1909 and burned in 1920. The main entrance to Union Station was located on the Markham Street level, and waiting rooms, ticket office and a restaurant were located on this level. The upper two floors housed the railroad's train dispatchers and offices of the freight and passenger departments, American Refrigerator Transit, and the Pullman Company, which staffed the sleeping and dining cars of passenger trains. The basement (track level) held extensive mail and Railway Express Agency facilities, a baggage room, and a small dining car commissary. Passenger access to the tracks was via an open air midway extending from the north side of the building, with stairways and three umbrella sheds extending in each direction at track level. This midway structure was original to the 1908 station, having survived the 1920 fire. Missouri Pacific passenger service to Little Rock ended just after midnight on May 1, 1971. The remaining umbrella sheds and midway were dismantled in October 1973, less than six months before Amtrak began a new passenger route through Little Rock. Amtrak continued to use the original waiting room and ticket office area until July 1992. The waiting area and ticket offices were relocated to a newly renovated area of the station located at track level.

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

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

Union Pacific 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: Little Rock Union Station, also known as Mopac Station, is a train station in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system.

The present Little Rock station opened August 1, 1921, having been constructed by the Missouri Pacific Railroad after a fire destroyed the prior station on April 7, 1920. The structure used existing foundations, some exterior walls and the clock tower of the previous station, which had survived the fire. The station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “Mopac Station”.

Although known as Union Station, this particular structure was used by only a single railroad, Missouri Pacific. Prior structures on this site were served by two additional railroads, Memphis & Little Rock (1874–1893) and St. Louis Southwestern Railroad (known as the ‘Cotton Belt’). (ca. 1892–1910). The present (1921) structure was predated by a large wooden structure erected in 1874, and a brick station that opened in 1909 and burned in 1920.

The main entrance to Union Station was located on the Markham Street level, and waiting rooms, ticket office and a restaurant were located on this level. The upper two floors housed the railroad’s train dispatchers and offices of the freight and passenger departments, American Refrigerator Transit, and the Pullman Company, which staffed the sleeping and dining cars of passenger trains. The basement (track level) held extensive mail and Railway Express Agency facilities, a baggage room, and a small dining car commissary. Passenger access to the tracks was via an open air midway extending from the north side of the building, with stairways and three umbrella sheds extending in each direction at track level. This midway structure was original to the 1908 station, having survived the 1920 fire.

Missouri Pacific passenger service to Little Rock ended just after midnight on May 1, 1971. The remaining umbrella sheds and midway were dismantled in October 1973, less than six months before Amtrak began a new passenger route through Little Rock. Amtrak continued to use the original waiting room and ticket office area until July 1992. The waiting area and ticket offices were relocated to a newly renovated area of the station located at track level.

November 13, 2019 - A crewmember on Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 keeps a watchful eye on ground operations as the train works to get ready to depart from Prescott, Arkansas on its way to Little Rock on UP's Little Rock Subdivision.

Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 at Prescott, AR

November 13, 2019 – A crewmember on Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 keeps a watchful eye on ground operations as the train works to get ready to depart from Prescott, Arkansas on its way to Little Rock on UP’s Little Rock Subdivision.

November 12, 2019 - Union Pacific's "Big Boy" 4014 puts out a huge plume of steam 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 will tie 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 puts out a huge plume of steam…

November 12, 2019 – Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” 4014 puts out a huge plume of steam 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 will tie 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.

November 13, 2019 - During Union Pacific's Race Across the Southwest UP 4014 Big Boy appears out of the steam as it pulls away from Prescott, Arkansas on its way north on UP's Little Rock Subdivision on a beautiful and cold fall morning.

During Union Pacific’s Race Across the Southwest…

November 13, 2019 – During Union Pacific’s Race Across the Southwest UP 4014 Big Boy appears out of the steam as it pulls away from Prescott, Arkansas on its way north on UP’s Little Rock Subdivision on a beautiful and cold fall morning.

November 13, 2019 - Union Pacific 2581 passes UP Steam Locomotive 4014 Big Boy, as it sits in the siding at Prescott, Arkansas, as it waits for the northbound mixed freight to pass, so the Big Boy can start it's trip north on the Little Rock Subdivision.

UP Steam Locomotive 4014 at Prescott, AR

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific 2581 passes UP Steam Locomotive 4014 Big Boy, as it sits in the siding at Prescott, Arkansas, as it waits for the northbound mixed freight to pass, so the Big Boy can start it’s trip north on the Little Rock Subdivision.

November 13, 2019 - Union Pacific's Race Across the Southwest was on the move again as UP 4014 Big Boy heads through the countryside just north of Prescott, Arkansas on its way north on UP's 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: As if the 4000s weren’t big enough, the Union Pacific actually contemplated ordering five additional 4-8-8-4s that would be even larger. As World War II dragged on, the U.P. needed additional power on its line to Los Angeles through southwest Utah. According to an article by historian and artist Gil Bennett (Classic Trains, Spring 2019), plans were on the drawing board to build #4025-4029. This third class of Big Boys was to measure 139 feet, 11 5/8 inches long and weighs just under 1.3 million pounds. All would be oil fired, instead of coal. The locomotive, itself, would be a foot longer than existing Big Boys. The tender was to be extended to just over 54 feet long in order to accommodate a 33,000 gal. water tank. By comparison, #4014 and it's tender is 132 feet, 9 7/8 inches long. Its water tank holds 24,000 gals. When the war ended in September 1945, at least a year, if not two, ahead of some predictions, the need for extra steam powered locomotives became a moot point. The bigger Big Boy idea was dropped and the Union Pacific, like most other major railroads, concentrated on shifting to diesel power.

Union Pacific’s Race Across the Southwest was on the move again…

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific’s Race Across the Southwest was on the move again as UP 4014 Big Boy heads through the countryside just north of Prescott, Arkansas on its way north on UP’s 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: As if the 4000s weren’t big enough, the Union Pacific actually contemplated ordering five additional 4-8-8-4s that would be even larger. As World War II dragged on, the U.P. needed additional power on its line to Los Angeles through southwest Utah.

According to an article by historian and artist Gil Bennett (Classic Trains, Spring 2019), plans were on the drawing board to build #4025-4029. This third class of Big Boys was to measure 139 feet, 11 5/8 inches long and weighs just under 1.3 million pounds. All would be oil fired, instead of coal. The locomotive, itself, would be a foot longer than existing Big Boys. The tender was to be extended to just over 54 feet long in order to accommodate a 33,000 gal. water tank.

By comparison, #4014 and it’s tender is 132 feet, 9 7/8 inches long. Its water tank holds 24,000 gals. When the war ended in September 1945, at least a year, if not two, ahead of some predictions, the need for extra steam powered locomotives became a moot point.

The bigger Big Boy idea was dropped and the Union Pacific, like most other major railroads, concentrated on shifting to diesel power.

November 13, 2019 - Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy heads across the Ouachita River at Arkadelphia, Arkansas as it races north on the Little Rock Subdivision with it's passenger train on UP's Race Across the Southwest event. Did you know: Union Pacific placed two orders for Big Boys. In 1941, they ordered 20. In 1944, five more were constructed. Their territory was basically the 435 miles between Cheyenne, Wyoming and Ogden, Utah. As a class, Big Boys ran until 1959, with some coming out of service earlier. Additionally, from 1941 to 1948, Big Boys only worked the 163 miles from Ogden to Green River, Wyoming. From 1948 to 1959, they did not travel west of Green River. In their final years, the Big Boys only worked the 58 miles between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming. Every one of the first 20 Big Boys tallied over one million miles of service. The last five had all traveled over 800,000 miles when they were retired. All this on a piece of railroad just over 400 miles long. For the record, #4017 traveled 1,052,072 miles during its life.

Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy heads across the Ouachita River at Arkadelphia, Arkansas…

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy heads across the Ouachita River at Arkadelphia, Arkansas as it races north on the Little Rock Subdivision with it’s passenger train on UP’s Race Across the Southwest event.

Did you know: Union Pacific placed two orders for Big Boys. In 1941, they ordered 20. In 1944, five more were constructed. Their territory was basically the 435 miles between Cheyenne, Wyoming and Ogden, Utah. As a class, Big Boys ran until 1959, with some coming out of service earlier. Additionally, from 1941 to 1948, Big Boys only worked the 163 miles from Ogden to Green River, Wyoming.

From 1948 to 1959, they did not travel west of Green River. In their final years, the Big Boys only worked the 58 miles between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming. Every one of the first 20 Big Boys tallied over one million miles of service. The last five had all traveled over 800,000 miles when they were retired. All this on a piece of railroad just over 400 miles long. For the record, #4017 traveled 1,052,072 miles during its life.

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!

Union Pacific’s Race Across the Southwest…

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!

November 13, 2019 - Union Pacific 4014 "Big Boy" locomotive leads its train northbound on the Little Rock Subdivision at Perla, Arkansas, during Union Pacific's Great Race Across the Southwest tour with the restored engine. Interesting Fact: The entire Big Boy Fleet #4000-4024 would have cost over 100 million dollars to build today! UP ordered 20 class 4000 engines in 1941 and then 5 more in 1944 at $265,174 per engine. Adjusted for inflation this totaled a whopping $107,620,056.25, each engine individually running $4,304,802.25!

Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” locomotive leads it’s train…

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” locomotive leads it’s train northbound on the Little Rock Subdivision at Perla, Arkansas, during Union Pacific’s Great Race Across the Southwest tour with the restored engine.

Interesting Fact: The entire Big Boy Fleet #4000-4024 would have cost over 100 million dollars to build today!

UP ordered 20 class 4000 engines in 1941 and then 5 more in 1944 at $265,174 per engine. Adjusted for inflation this totaled a whopping $107,620,056.25, each engine individually running $4,304,802.25!