Westward Bound Tour
Union Pacific's famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, will return to the rails this summer with a scenic tour across mountain ranges and high desert vistas in four western states: Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California.Big Boy will journey from its home base in Cheyenne, Wyoming on Sunday, June 30, en route to Roseville, California, before returning to Wyoming by the end of July. It will make numerous whistle-stops in communities along the way, with public display stops scheduled in:
- July 12-13: Roseville, California
- July 20-21: Ogden, Utah
During the tour, the Union Pacific Museum will host a special passenger trip. The unique experience is the annual gala fundraiser for the nonprofit organization and provides a rare opportunity to travel on this historic heritage equipment. More information on the specifics will appear at www.UPtrainTix.com when they become available.
2024 Westward Bound Tour Route
This is one of two public tours planned for Big Boy in 2024, with a second tour planned later this fall with stops in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, and Illinois, among other states. Details of the second tour will be released later this spring.
The month-long "Westward Bound" tour will honor Union Pacific's rich railroad legacy and celebrate the railroad's employees and communities it serves. For part of its journey, the Big Boy's consist will include an assortment of rail cars giving spectators a glimpse into what the locomotive looked like pulling freight in its heyday.
"The Big Boy locomotive symbolizes the pivotal role railroads played in shaping our nation's history, and the technological advances we have witnessed within our industry," said Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena. "We are thrilled to share this living piece of history with our employees and the public, and we love seeing the enthusiasm this locomotive generates wherever its whistle blows."
Last fall, we had anticipated including Boise, Idaho, and Portland, Oregon on the Westward Bound tour. As planning continued, we determined that the network capacity on our northern corridor could not accommodate Big Boy No. 4014 along with anticipated demand on a single track. Our goal is to share the Big Boy with as many rail fans as possible across our network, and we look forward to seeing everyone track side – 25 feet back this summer and fall.
