Big Boy No. 4014

Big Boy No. 4014 is the world’s largest operating steam locomotive. Of the eight remaining Big Boys in existence today, No. 4014 is the only one still in operation. 

The Big Boy

Twenty-five Big Boys were commissioned exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. These massive locomotives were built to haul heavy equipment in support of the war effort, normally operating between Ogden, Utah, and Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Big Boys are 133 feet long and weigh 1.2 million pounds.

Due to their great length, the frames of the Big Boys are “hinged,” or articulated, to allow them to negotiate curves. They have a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which means they have four wheels on the leading set of “pilot” wheels to guide the engine; eight drivers on the first engine; another set of eight drivers on the second engine; and four wheels trailing that support the rear of the locomotive.

No. 4014 was retired in Dec. 1961 after traveling 1,031,205 miles. Union Pacific reacquired it from the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California, in 2013 and relocated it back to Cheyenne, Wyoming, for a multi-year restoration. It returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's Completion.

The seven other remaining Big Boys are on public display in St. Louis, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Dare to Compare

How does Big Boy No. 4014 compare to a diesel locomotive ... or a Boeing 747? Take a look!

Big Boy 4014 compared to 747-final

Big Boy No. 4014 Vital Statistics

14-wheeled

25,000 galons

No. 5 Oil (2019 - present)
Coal 56,000 lbs. (1941-1961)

4 ft. 8-1/2 in.

Diameter: 23 3/4 in. 
Stroke: 32 in.

68 in.

Outside Diameter: 106 9/16 in. 
Pressure: 300 lbs.

Length: 235 1/32 in. 

Width: 96 3/16 in.

2-1/4 in. Diameter: 75 x 22 ft. 0 in. 
4 in. Diameter: 184

Driving: 47 ft. 3 in. 
Engine: 72 ft. 5 1/2 in. 
Engine & Tender: 132 ft. 9 7/8 in.

Leading:   97,000 
Driving:    540,000 
Trailing:   125,000 
Engine:    762,000 
Tender:    427,500

Tubes: 967 
Flues: 4,218 
Fire Box: 593 
Circulators: 111 
Total: 5,889

2,466

150        

135,375 lbs.        

4.00