UP: A return to steam for Big Boy 4014
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefOne of the largest and perhaps most famous steam locomotives ever built—Union Pacific’s articulated 4-8-8-4 “Big Boy” No. 4014—will be restored to operating condition by UP’s Cheyenne, Wyo.-based Heritage Fleet Operations within the next five years. 4014 will join UP’s two other famous steam locomotives—4-6-6-4 Challenger 3985 and 4-8-4 Northern 844—in excursion service when her restoration is completed. She will become the world’s largest operational steam locomotive.
![“Thanks to Secretary Pete [Buttigieg], USDOT, the Federal Railroad Administration and all our partners for making the S-Line passenger rail a reality!!” NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins said in a July 1 LinkedIn post. “Thanks to the hard work of our NCDOT team we broke ground on the first construction project in the Raleigh to Wake Forest segment, a $19M project to grade separate Durant Road 7 months after the grant announcement!!” (Photograph Courtesy of Joey Hopkins)](https://www.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/slinelead-315x168.png)