Vintage Big Boys At Work – The Real Deal !
Once upon a time, there were 25 of these monsters roaming the rails!
The Big Boy in 1941 was for the specific purpose of handling freight up the 65 mile grade of the Wasatch Mountain Range starting in Ogden,Utah and ending in Wyoming. Big Boys reduced the need to use two steam locomotives per train in order to haul freight in support of the war effort.
Union Pacific Big Boy #4014 stats:
- Operated from 1941-59
- Bearing full load weighed a total of 1,250,000 million lbs
- Only 25 ever made
- 4-8-8-4 configuration
- Top speed of 80 Mph
- Articulated with no compound of the steam
- Water Capacity – 25,000 gallons
- Cylinders- 4 outside (2 for each set of 4 driving wheels)
- Boiler pressure – 300 PSI
Let us know if you have had the opportunity to view Big Boy up close. We would love to hear about your experience!
