GRANITE CITY — The Union Pacific “Big Boy” No. 4014 steam locomotive rolled through the Madison County area Tuesday evening, captivating railroad enthusiasts and casual observers alike.
Hundreds of spectators lined the tracks to photograph and view the passage of No. 4014, a marvel of engineering and a relic of a bygone era.
Sporting a 4-8-8-4 articulated wheel arrangement and stretching to a length of more than 132 feet, the engine is one of 25 examples of the largest successful steam locomotive ever built. It is the only one of the eight remaining operable.
ALCO built No. 4014 in November 1941 at a cost of $265,174 ($5,493,000 in 2023[9]) and delivered it the following month to Union Pacific, which placed it in revenue service.
The locomotives were produced by the American Locomotive Company between 1941 and 1944 and were used by Union Pacific for heavy freight service on Sherman Hill, west of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The train will continue its journey toward Texas before returning to Cheyenne, with a scheduled completion of its tour on Oct. 23.
