Big Boy Train | Spike 150

Big Boy Train

Train
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Union Pacific first constructed The “Big Boy” train in 1940 to conquer new territory along the Transcontinental Railroad. The “Big Boy” train would be built with mechanics that could power through the Wasatch Mountains, and beyond. Initially, they were built for freight, adding crew and machinery to its capabilities throughout the 1900s. As World War II continued on, the War Production Committee granted the UP to continue producing “Big Boy” trains as they transported war materials across the states. After World War II, limited service continued as transportation for passengers as far as Cheyenne, but was mostly discontinued due to high maintenance and costs.

It has taken more than two years of meticulous restoration, but the “Big Boy” train #4014 will make its reappearance on May 9, 2019 at Ogden Union Station. You can see the engine and follow from Ogden to Wyoming on May 12th at locations in Morgan and Echo, Utah.  Join Union Pacific’s Steam Club to follow the train as it travels the United States this summer.

Continue Your Student's Discovery

  • The TRCC, Apollo 11, and the Next Moon Shot

    Students will learn about the concept of a “moonshot,” the American realization of reaching the Moon, and how that effort shared many similar attributes with the completion of the transcontinental railroad (TCRR).

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  • From Stage to Railroad

    Students will compare two primary accounts of overland travel in the 1860s – one by stagecoach, the other by railroad – to see how travel changed upon completion of the transcontinental railroad.

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  • The Transcontinental Rail Network

    Lessons examine the geographic, political, and economic factors that influenced the growth of this network.

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Additional Questions and Discussions for Your Students

  • Have you ridden on a train before? Where did you go?
  • How long do you think it would take to travel the US by train?
  • What other transportation methods do we use today?

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