UP Big Boy 4014 helps a stalled freight train in Blair Ne.

Fun fact: Big Boy's pullage rating went up several times over their lifespans not *only because they were being improved, but because the company kept realizing that the engines were a lot more powerful that they thought

Fun fact. The last time a bigboy pulled/pushed freight was back in 1959. This was the first time in 64 years a bigboy did this! fantastic!

Probably one of the best moments in modern rail history. An old titan showing she still has more power than anybody else

"Hey grandpa, we know you're retired, but can you help us lift this real quick?" "Yes"

When you see the train crew videoing their own train, you know it's about to be awesome.

The restoration job on 4014 is just stunning. Well done all.

That engine was PUSHING a whole train and its load, while PULLING one of its own! WOW that machine is powerful, and to think that its powered by STEAM. thats soooo cool

Im a 55 year old woman who doesnt know the 1st thing about trains, and I thought that was freakin AWSOME!!!!

I bet the crew of the 4014 was loving this, this is what they live for

During the 1960's in the UK, during the changeover from steam to diesel (1968-onwards) we frequently saw steam locos coming to the resue of ailing 1st generation diesel units. It's amazing to see it all happening again after 55 years, especially with that gorgeous machine proving its worth!

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. Vital Statistics Tender Type: 14-wheeled Water Capacity: 25,000 gallons Fuel: Coal** 56,000 lbs. Gauge of Track: 4 ft. 8-1/2 in. Cylinder: Diameter: 23 3/4 in. Stroke: 32 in. Driving Wheel Diameter: 68 in. Boiler: Outside Diameter: 106 9/16 in. Pressure: 300 lbs. Fire Box: Length: 235 1/32 in. Width: 96 3/16 in. Tubes: 2-1/4 in. Diameter: 75 x 22 ft. 0 in. 4 in. Diameter: 184 Wheel Base: Driving: 47 ft. 3 in. Engine: 72 ft. 5 1/2 in. Engine & Tender: 132 ft. 9 7/8 in. Weight in Working Order, Pounds: Leading: 97,000 Driving: 540,000 Trailing: 125,000 Engine: 762,000 Tender: 427,500 Evaporating Surfaces, Square Feet: Tubes: 967 Flues: 4,218 Fire Box: 593 Circulators: 111 Total: 5,889 Superheating Surface, Square Feet: 2,466 Grate Area: 150 Maximum Tractive Power: 135,375 lbs. Factor of Adhesion: 4.00 **Original configuration. Now converted to No. 5 Oil

I am 77 years old and remember watching these beautiful beasts. We lived three houses from the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. My beloved Father, R.I.P. worked 38 for Southern Pacific til he retired.

“Dispatch, we’re stalled here. Are there are units in the area that can give us a push?” “Hmmm…. Why, yes. As a matter of fact there is.”

I was privileged to see 4014 when it was in Texas. Words cannot express the sound and size of this beautiful piece of machinery.

Amazing!! Trains were not built by politicians and lawyers, they are built by working Americans, the BEST!!

No matter what your opinion is on steam, you gotta admit it’s great to see the old engine do the thing she was made for again

This was an incredible sight to observe of a steam locomotive in helper service assisting a stalled freight train in 2023, this is possibly the best footage of big boy 4014 in operation since it was fully restored back in May 2019.

Just imagine being one of the select few train engineers in the world that get to autually pull/push a fully loaded train. Super cool!

Don’t you know? Big Boy had a BIG smile on his face! “This is what I was built to do!”

I’m 66 and this makes me feel like a little kid