Big Boy No. 4014 to make stop in Navasota
Photo courtesy of Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014, a Union Pacific steam train will stop in Navasota Friday, Nov. 8, as part of its celebration honoring the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's Completion.
The historic Union Pacific steam train, Big Boy No. 4014 will make a stop in downtown Navasota at the crossing of East McAlpine and South Railroad Street as part of the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad’s Completion, Friday, Nov. 8, from 1:15 p.m. till 1:45 p.m.
The Big Boy’s return to the rails is a result of a meticulous restoration project that has taken over two years. Big Boy 4041 is the only operable Big Boy locomotive in the world.
Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. Big Boy 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December 1941 and retired in December 1961 after traveling 1,031,205 miles during its 20-years of service.
Union Pacific reacquired Big Boy 4014 from the RailGiants Museum in Ponoma, California in 2013, and relocated it back to Cheyenne to begin the multiyear restoration process. It returned to service in May 2019 ready for the 150th celebration on the Transcontinental Railroad’s Completion.
The massive Big Boy 4014 is 133-feet long and 17-feet tall. It has 14-wheels and a 25,000-gallon water capacity. The fire box is 235 and 1/32 inches by 96 and 3/16 inches. Its boiler has a diameter of 106 and 9/16 inches with 30 pounds of pressure. It operates on coal and has a 56,000-pound capacity.
For the final time in 2019 Big Boy No. 4014 will ride the rails on the Union Pacific System going through Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
Due to the dynamic nature of these operations, Union Pacific reminds the public running times and scheduled stops are subject to change. For the most accurate and up to date schedule visit up.com.
Important safety tips to adhere to when coming to view the locomotives in person are to stand back 25-feet from all railroad tracks; railroad tracks, trestles, yards and right of way are private property- please don’t trespass; Never assume tracks are abandoned or inactive-always expect a train.