Big Boy No. 4014: A Year of New Horizons for Union Pacific’s Beloved Locomotive

It’s been a year of firsts for Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 – the world’s largest operating steam locomotive.

This summer, Big Boy embarked on its first ever coast-to-coast journey – a tour many thought would never happen in their lifetime, but that Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena envisioned as a first-of-its-kind journey to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and the role railroads played in helping to build this country.

The tour attracted millions of people and captured hearts and headlines over a 7,136-mile journey that extended from Sacramento to Philadelphia.

“Union Pacific gave America a great gift: it brought people from across the country together to celebrate the spirit of America and a powerful locomotive that embodies the industrial might of a nation that always dreams big,” said Michelle Kempema, executive director of the Colorado Model Railroad Museum in Greeley, Colorado.

Big Boy is now set to embark on another first: a holiday excursion Nov. 21 from its home base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Denver, putting an end cap on a special year that few Union Pacific employees will ever forget.

“What stood out most was the pride shared by our employees and their families. Seeing generations come together around Big Boy was a powerful reminder that the railroad’s legacy extends well beyond the tracks,” said Steve Duda, manager – Field Operations for Union Pacific in Northlake, Illinois.

In 2025, as America began to plan for its birthday bash, Vena broached the idea of a coast-to-coast tour that would take Big Boy off Union Pacific’s railroad network for the first time since it was delivered in 1941 from a factory in New York. The tour posed numerous logistical challenges, but under Vena’s leadership and vision, the planning got underway in earnest in late 2025 with the Steam Crew climbing aboard.

When all was said and done, the tour took hundreds of employees from both Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern and other stakeholders to pull together to get it done safely and successfully: public affairs liaison officers coordinated with hundreds of local cities and communities along the route to plan and prepare for whistle-stops and display days, railroad police officers developed extensive security plans for Big Boy visits while operational teams developed and implemented plans that allowed Big Boy to safely and seamlessly operate off Union Pacific’s network.

“Railroaders are some of the best workers in the world who overcome challenges every day to deliver for America. I am proud of the entire team at Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern for bringing this tour to fruition and sharing our history with millions of Americans,” said Vena.

Next up, Big Boy’s Holiday Excursion with another special appearance from the world’s fastest operating steam locomotive.

Union Pacific’s Living Legend No. 844 will join Big Boy on the rails Nov. 21 for its first outing since the pair traveled together in 2019 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike in Utah.

The two steam locomotives will run as a “double header” as part of a Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser, which will include a donation from Union Pacific’s Community Ties Giving Program.

The steam duo will then be on public display later that day at Denver’s Union Station, with Santa Claus and his elves handing out limited-edition gifts. Admission is free and open to the public.