School children and residents watch No. 4014's train pass under the pedestrian walkway over the yard in Laramie, Wyo.
No. 4014's train eases out of the twin Hermosa Tunnels for photographs for Trains.
Cheyenne, Wyo. – I wonder what No. 4014 was thinking as her diesel great grandchildren escorted her Thursday across Sherman Hill to her new home in Cheyenne, Wyo., after an absence of 55 years. As the UP steam crew pushed the Big Boy into the engine house into a stall next to never-retired 4-8-4 No. 844, I couldn’t help but wonder if a conversation between the two locomotives might develop after the last worker turned off the lights and went home. If it did, I think it went something like this. 844: “So, where have you been all these years?” 4014: “Oh, after I retired I moved to southern California where it’s warmer.” 844: “Well, why’d you come back?” 4014: “Well, California was nice, but I really missed home, and thought it might be good to start a second career as a performer.” 844: “Oh my, well, I can tell you from experience that you’ll love show business.” 4014: “After seeing all my fans, I think I can get used to it.” Yes, we can only imagine what was said between those two last night. And with that, here are the notes from the final day of No. 4014’s move to its new home for restoration.
No. 4014 parked on a siding in front of Laramie’s depot Wednesday night, but had a tough time Thursday morning getting onto Track 1 on account of a series of freights the dispatchers wanted to move. Laramie is much changed from the way I first saw it on a Challenger No. 3985 trip in May 1987. The welded rail plant is closed, and the wye used for turning the steam locomotives is gone, but the famous footbridge across the yard is still open and still provides an excellent vantage point. The UP Consolidation in the park sure needs a roof and much cosmetic attention.
No. 4014 drops downgrade at Granite, Wyo. on the east slope of Sherman Hill.
Trains' "Big Boy on the Road to Restoration" placard rides No. 4014's tender at Cheyenne, Wyo.
When it came time to make the trek across Sherman Hill and into Cheyenne, I was torn as to where to witness this spectacle. In the end, I chose to visit the twin Hermosa Tunnels, where all three main lines converge. UP’s Ed Dickens was gracious in slowing to a craw for Trains to photograph this image that had been made famous when eastbound Big Boys regularly blasted out of the bores. We didn’t catch up to the train again until Granite as it takes a good while to get into Hermosa and a good long while to exit it as well. During our wait we were pelted with snow, but in the end, when the train came, the sun was out and we were smiling.
The traffic jam I envisioned along Otto Road leading into Cheyenne, was precisely the Los Angeles-type traffic I’d anticipated. A line of cars 2 miles long crept into town. Thankfully, UP stopped just outside of town to put Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen on board, and after an eastbound stack train departed, the special pulled into the depot for a few words for reporters, a few photos, and then a horn and whistle salute as they pulled out for the shop.
The UP steam crew poses with the locomotive, having come almost 1,300 miles on the journey from Southern California.
Diesel No. 4014 shoves steam locomotive No. 4014 into the UP steam shop Thursday afternoon.
Our Trains chase Jeep Compass got appropriately muddy on Thursday as we navigated the backroads of Sherman Hill. During the chase, our vehicle carried magnetic placards for Trains and our Big Boy on the Road to Restoration special magazine about the project. Thus, at the end, we thought it appropriate to put one clean magnetic sign in the hands of UP steam boss Ed Dickens, who promptly found a spot for it on No. 4014’s tender near the gangway. Thanks for this special honor, Ed, and congratulations to all involved at UP and the RailGiants Museum for making what has often been said was impossible -- to restore a Big Boy and run it -- possible.
And thanks to all of you for following along with us at Trains as we cover this amazing tale of resurrection. We appreciate your going with us on the live streaming webcam and enjoying its excellent images and sounds and bearing with us during its frustrating technical difficulties, when there was no signal, or when we made a wrong turn. Despite its many drawbacks, it still gives us the chance to take you along with us as often as we can. Coverage of No. 4014’s cross country move will appear in the July issue of Trains, and we plan to take our best video and make it into a DVD later this summer. As the restoration progresses, look for coverage in our pages and on our website.
UP's Ed Dickens reviews notes as No. 4014 settles into its new home.
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