Big Boy Steam Engine brings hundreds out to the tracks

With a line of cars stretching as far as the eye could see in both directions, the train crossing on Main Street in Soda Springs was packed with people waiting to get a look at the Union Pacific “Big Boy” no. 4014.  The train is the largest steam locomotive which is known to be in operation, and the only one of the original twenty-five (only eight still remain) built for Union Pacific railroad to navigate the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains still in use.  The others are housed in various museums devoted to railroad history, but this living piece of that history was restored and converted from coal fuel to a more modern oil standard.  The trains were initially designed for use between Wyoming and Utah, and the summer runs—which began as part of a 150 anniversary celebration of the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 2019—go from Cheyenne to California and back.  The Soda Springs stop is part of its return trip. 

Pictures don’t necessarily do the train justice, as its “Big Boy” moniker is no joke.  The locomotive is just over 16 feet tall, and 85 feet long.  In person, it dwarfed even the very large crowd that had turned out to see its historic trip.  As a result of the crowds and the eager attention paid by young and old alike, the visit required a large safety crew composed of UP officials, Railroad police, the Caribou County Sheriff’s Office, and many volunteers.  Alan David is one of the volunteers, who says that he “helps out as much as I can” during the summer tour.  David keeps a Facebook page of his adventures following the train with his dog Max on a page called “Where is Max Today?”  Max had elected to stay inside during the visit, as the temperatures stayed on the hot side, especially at 3:00 in the afternoon.  David was also himself busy making sure that onlookers stayed at least 25 feet back from the tracks.

“This is a pretty awesome thing to see,” David said.  “But we have to make sure everyone stays safe out here.”  As the train approached, shaking the ground and blowing its iconic stack, spontaneous cheers broke out from the crowd.  David just smiled, having seen people react this way plenty of times in the past.  “It’s not the same until you actually see it,” he said.

After the train had come to a stop, the crowd was free to approach it more closely (though no one was allowed on the train itself), and witness its spectacular size up close.  From the playful “Big Boy” scrawled across the front of the locomotive to the loaded cars behind it, the no. 4014 was a sight to behold, and may have converted even a few who hadn’t realized they were “train people” until just then.  From the time it pulled to a stop until it disappeared from view heading toward Montpelier, a constant salute of phones and cameras covered its progress like a towering rock star from times past, which it can fairly be said to be.

For those who made it downtown to see what the fuss was all about, the question was likely answered.  For those who didn’t, make sure to catch the “Big Boy” the next time you have a chance.