It's Big Boy time - Again! Join us for the experience right here

One of the questions I like to ask readers when I visit with them is “what would you like for us at Trains to do next.” The answers vary, of course, depending on interests. Some want a feature story on their favorite locomotive or railroad. Others want to know more about what’s ahead for railroading. But inevitably, just about everyone wants us to take them along on the journeys we make to cover railroading for you. I like that idea. 

So, once again, as we did last spring, we’ll take you along with us as best we can starting Friday when Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 begins its amazing Southwestern tour. We’ll be in Cheyenne Friday to follow along as the 4-8-8-4 makes its way across traditional Big Boy territory and then stay with it as it moves on the Salt Lake City-Los Angles main line across Utah and Nevada. As often as we can get a signal, we’ll live stream on the Trains Facebook page, and we’ll also send back video to post on www.TrainsMag.com. Be sure to check both out.

Big Boy Back in Steam, our special issue, and our DVD of the history, restoration, and initial operations of No. 4014, are still available at www.kalmbachhobbystore.com. (BTW, we just added Blu Ray to the options) While we’re in the field with No. 4014, we’ll be collecting images, stories, and video for our January and February issues of Trains and another DVD capturing the best moments of No. 4014’s Midwest and Southwestern tours, making for a complete record of its first year in operation. If you shoot some great images or video and want us to consider them, please upload your high res still images to www.contribute.kalmbach.comor send video via Dropbox and share with editor@trainsmag.com.

Look for us in the field, and be sure to say hello. And look for more updates here and on trains News Wire as we follow along with UP Extra 4014 West. As always, be safe and encourage others around you to stay off the tracks and enjoy this miracle of railway preservation: A Big Boy Back in Steam!