Union Pacific Steam Program

The Union Pacific Steam Program is a steam excursion program begun by the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1960. The steam program has operated three steam locomotives in mainline excursion service, those being UP 4-8-4 (Living Legend) No. 844, UP 4-6-6-4 (Challenger) No. 3985, and UP 4-8-8-4 (Big Boy) No. 4014. It is based in Cheyenne, WY.
==Living Legend No. 844==
Union Pacific No. 844, also known as the Living Legend, is a class FEF-3 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, NY in December 1944. It was the last steam locomotive that was ever delivered to the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and is also the only steam locomotive in the United States to never be retired by a major class I North American railroad. It was used for snow-melting experiments in the early 1960s alongside UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3710. Afterwards, it was placed into mainline excursion service by the UP as their own ambassador for public relations. In 1962, the UP purchased a group of GP30 diesel locomotives from Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), which were numbered in the 800 series. One of these GP30 diesels was numbered 844, so to avoid conflict, it was renumbered to 8444 until that GP30 diesel's retirement from the UP in June 1989, at which point, it acquired back its original number. It doubleheaded with restored UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3985, following its restoration to operating condition in April 1981 by a group of UP volunteers, for Railfair '81 in Sacramento, CA. In 1987, the UP steam crew and a few members of 3985's restoration repainted it into the UP two-tone gray paint scheme until its last excursion in the two-tone gray paint scheme on October 20, 1991. In June 1990, it participated in the 1990 National Railroad Historical Society (NRHS) convention in St. Louis, MO alongside Cotton Belt 4-8-4 No. 819, Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 No. 1218, and Frisco 4-8-2 No. 1522. Following the 1990 NRHS convention, it doubleheaded an excursion with 1522. It would also doublehead again with 3985 on major excursions to Sacramento, CA in 1991 for Railfair '91 and 1999 for Railfair '99. Following Railfair '99, it was taken out of service temporarily for a replacement of the boiler structure, but later returned to service in May 2005. In May 2007, it doubleheaded with Southern Pacific 4-8-4 No. 4449, nicknamed the Daylight, on excursions in Portland, OR. It was taken out of service again temporarily in July 2013 for its Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) mandated 1,472-day boiler inspection and overhaul, following the 2013 Cheyenne Frontier Days Special excursion. It later returned to service on July 23, 2016 for the 2016 Cheyenne Frontier Days Special excursion. On July 21, 2018, while it was pulling the 2018 Cheyenne Frontier Days Special excursion, it fatally struck a pedestrian in Henderson, CO, near Denver. Following the tragic incident, it returned to Cheyenne, WY and didn't run again until May 4, 2019 when it doubleheaded with restored UP 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 for its inaugural excursion run from Cheyenne, WY to Ogden, UT, which was dubbed "The Great Race to Ogden". Following 4014's first excursion run, it hasn't ran since, but it is still fully operational. As of today, it and 4014 are the only two operational steam locomotives left on the UP's active roster, following the official retirement of 3985 from their steam excursion program in January 2020 due to its very poor mechanical condition.
==Challenger No. 3985==
Union Pacific No. 3985, also known as the Challenger, is an articulated 4-6-6-4 "Challenger" type steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, NY in July 1943. It operated both freight and passenger trains for the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) until it was retired from regular revenue service in 1962. It sat in storage inside the Cheyenne roundhouse for many years until it was eventually placed on static display near the Cheyenne depot in 1975. In 1979, it was taken off display and restored to operating condition in April 1981 by a group of UP volunteers. Following the restoration, it doubleheaded with never retired UP 4-8-4 No. 844 (renumbered to 8444 at the time) to Sacramento, CA for Railfair '81. However, as it was still a coal burner at the time, due to its propensity to shower the landscape with hot cinders from the firebox, it ignited several trackside grass fires. As a result of this, it was limited to operating only between Cheyenne and Laramie, WY in 1982 until it was eventually converted to burn No. 5 fuel oil in 1990. Following its conversion to burn oil, it pulled a 143-car double-stack intermodal freight train from Cheyenne, WY to North Platte, NE. It would also doublehead with 844 again to Sacramento, CA in 1991 for Railfair '91 and 1999 for Railfair '99. In November 1992, it was chosen to pull the Clinchfield Santa Steam Train from Shelby, KY to Kingsport, TN, followed by an additional run to St. Paul, VA, on CSX Transportation trackage for the 50th anniversary of that excursion. For this trip, it was renumbered and relettered to Clinchfield 4-6-6-4 No. 676. In 1993, it was renumbered to sister UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3967 for the 40th anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club Special excursion, but on the return trip of that excursion, it was renumbered again to UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3718. It also masqueraded as 3967 again in 2003 for the 50th anniversary of that same excursion. In October 2008, it was taken out of service temporarily for some heavy repairs and maintenance, but later returned to service after a series of test runs on August 31, 2010. The following month, in September 2010, it was chosen to pull the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Train from Cheyenne, WY to Denver, CO. It made its last excursion run on October 14, 2010 and was taken out of service again afterwards, this time indefinitely, due to several mechanical issues. It was originally slated to undergo its Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) mandated 1,472-day boiler inspection and overhaul, but following the restoration of UP 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 in May 2019, as a result of its very poor mechanical condition, it was officially retired from the UP's steam excursion program in January 2020. Its tender has temporarily been repurposed for use behind 4014 due to 4014's original tender not being converted to oil in time for its inaugural excursion run on May 4, 2019. On April 28, 2022, the UP donated it to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA) in Silvis, IL alongside UP 2-10-2 No. 5511, UP DDA40X diesel locomotive No. 6936, and other pieces of equipment from their heritage fleet. The RRHMA plans to restore both it and 5511 back to operating condition, as their current plan is to restore it first and then restore 5511 soon after that. On November 11, 2022, it was towed by diesels out of Cheyenne, WY alongside 5511 and 6936 and later arrived at the RRHMA's former Rock Island Railroad shops and yard in Silvis, IL on November 19, 2022. On January 6, 2023, the RRHMA began its second restoration back to operating condition, as the cab was removed from the locomotive. While it is no longer part of the UP's steam excursion program, it will eventually run again once its second restoration back to operating condition is complete.
==Big Boy No. 4014==
Union Pacific No. 4014, also known as the Big Boy, is an articulated 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy" type steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, NY in November 1941. It operated long and heavy freight trains for the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) until its last revenue run on July 21, 1959. It was eventually retired from regular revenue service in 1961 and donated to the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, CA. In late 2012, the UP announced that they will be acquiring back one of the eight surviving Big Boy locomotives with the intent of restoring it to operating condition. It was ultimately chosen for restoration by the UP because it was overall in the best condition, having been stored and maintained in relatively mild Southern California climate, and also, of the other surviving Big Boys, it was one of the last ones to be overhauled by the UP back in the days of steam. It was reacquired by the UP in July 2013 in trade for UP SD40-2C diesel locomotive No. 3105, a boxcar, and a caboose and later moved to UP's West Colton Yard in Barstow, CA in January 2014. On April 28, 2014, it was moved from UP's West Colton Yard all the way to the UP's steam shops and roundhouse in Cheyenne, WY. During the restoration process, it was converted from burning coal to burning No. 5 fuel oil. Restoration work began in July 2016, following the completion of UP 4-8-4 No. 844's complete overhaul, and was later completed on May 1, 2019, just in time for the 150th anniversary of the Driving of the Golden Spike in Promontory Summit, UT in 1869. On May 4, 2019, it made its inaugural excursion run, doubleheaded with 844, from Cheyenne, WY to Ogden, UT. This first excursion run was dubbed "The Great Race to Ogden". In August 2021, it became the first-ever steam locomotive to be equipped with Positive Train Control (PTC) technology. In April 2022, it was announced that it would embark on a West Coast tour in the Pacific Northwest on June 26th and have a meetup in Portland, OR with Southern Pacific 4-8-4 No. 4449, nicknamed the Daylight. However, due to freight traffic congestion because of supply chain issues, the tour was later postponed indefinitely by the UP until further notice. So instead, it operated to Denver, CO in July 28, 2022 and was placed on public display under steam there on July 29, 2022 before leading a special excursion hosted by the Union Pacific Museum back to Cheyenne, WY on July 30, 2022. For this excursion trip, it was fitted with a new dual-beam headlight and its whistle was swapped out with 844's whistle. In May 2023, it was announced that it will embark on the Home Run Express Tour from Cheyenne, WY to Omaha, NE and back where it will be on public display under steam at the Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, NE before returning back to Cheyenne, WY. For this excursion trip, it was given back its excursion service whistle. On June 29, 2023, on its way back to Cheyenne, WY, it assisted a stalled UP freight train by coupling behind the rear end of the train. As of today, it and 844 are the only two operational steam locomotives left on the UP's active roster, following the official retirement of UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3985 from their steam excursion program in January 2020 due to its very poor mechanical condition. It now serves as 3985's official replacement in the UP's steam excursion program.
== Trivia ==
*844 is the only steam locomotive in the United States to never be retired by a major class I North American railroad.
*844 was originally built as a coal burner, but was converted to burn No. 5 fuel oil in 1946.
*844 was used alongside UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3710 for snow-melting experiments in the early 1960s.
*From 1962 to June 1989, 844 was renumbered to 8444 due to an EMD GP30 diesel locomotive assigned the number 844 at the time.
*3985 was retired from regular revenue service in 1962, but was later restored to operating condition in April 1981 by a group of UP volunteers.
*844 and 3985 doubleheaded with each other to Sacramento, CA in 1981 for Railfair '81, 1991 for Railfair '91, and 1999 for Railfair '99.
*From 1987 to October 20, 1991, 844 was repainted by the UP steam crew and a few members of 3985's restoration in the UP two-tone gray paint scheme.
*In 1990, 3985 was converted from burning coal to burning No. 5 fuel oil after it ignited several trackside grass fires.
*3985 pulled a 143-car double-stack intermodal freight train from Cheyenne, WY to North Platte, NE in 1990, following its conversion to burn oil.
*844 participated in the 1990 NRHS convention in St. Louis, MO alongside Cotton Belt 4-8-4 No. 819, Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 No. 1218, and Frisco 4-8-2 No. 1522.
* In 1992, 3985 was chosen to pull the 50th anniversary excursion of the Clinchfield Santa Steam Train on CSX Transportation trackage. For this excursion, it was renumbered and relettered to Clinchfield 4-6-6-4 No. 676.
*In 1993, 3985 was renumbered to sister UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3967 for the 40th anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club Special excursion, but would later be renumbered again to UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3718 on the return trip. It also masqueraded as 3967 again in 2003 for the 50th anniversary of that same excursion.
*In 1999, following Railfair '99 in Sacramento, CA, 844 was taken out of service for a replacement of the boiler structure. It would later return to service in May 2005.
*In May 2007, 844 doubleheaded with Southern Pacific 4-8-4 No. 4449 on excursions in Portland, OR.
*In October 2008, 3985 was taken out of service for some heavy repairs and maintenance. It would later return to service after a series of test runs on August 31, 2010.
*In September 2010, following its recent repairs and maintenance, 3985 was chosen to pull the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Train from Cheyenne, WY to Denver, CO.
*3985 was taken out of service indefinitely, following its last excursion run on October 14, 2010.
*In July 2013, following the 2013 Cheyenne Frontier Days Special excursion, 844 was taken out of service for its FRA mandated 1,472-day boiler inspection and overhaul.
* 4014 was retired from regular revenue service in 1961 and donated to the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, CA, but was later reacquired by the UP in July 2013 and restored to operating condition on May 1, 2019. Restoration work would begin in July 2016, following the completion of 844's complete overhaul.
*When 4014 was reacquired by the UP from the RailGiants Train Museum, it was traded in exchange for UP SD40-2C diesel locomotive No. 3105, a boxcar, and a caboose.
* During the restoration process, 4014 was converted from burning coal to burning No. 5 fuel oil just like both 844 and 3985.
*On July 23, 2016, 844 returned to service pulling the 2016 Cheyenne Frontier Days Special excursion.
*On July 21, 2018, 844 fatally struck a pedestrian in Henderson, CO, near Denver, while it was pulling the 2018 Cheyenne Frontier Days Special excursion.
*On May 4, 2019, 4014 made its inaugural excursion run, doubleheaded with 844, from Cheyenne, WY to Ogden, UT, following the completion of its restoration. This first excursion run with 4014 was dubbed "The Great Race to Ogden".
*Due to its very poor mechanical condition, 3985 was officially retired from UP's steam excursion program in January 2020 and was permanently replaced by 4014, following the completion of its restoration on May 1, 2019.
*In April 2022, it was announced by the UP that 4014 would embark on a West Coast tour in the Pacific Northwest on June 26th and have a meetup in Portland, OR with 4449.
*On April 28, 2022, the UP donated 3985, UP 2-10-2 No. 5511, UP DDA40X diesel locomotive No. 6936, and other pieces of equipment from their heritage fleet to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA) in Silvis, IL where they plan to restore both 3985 and 5511 back to operating condition.
*In early June 2022, it was announced by the UP that 4014's West Coast tour has been postponed indefinitely until further notice due to freight traffic congestion because of supply chain issues.
*On July 28, 2022, 4014 operated to Denver, CO and was placed on display under steam there on July 29, 2022 before leading a special excursion hosted by the Union Pacific Museum back to Cheyenne, WY on July 30, 2022.
*In 2022, 4014 was fitted a new dual-beam headlight and its whistle was swapped out with 844's whistle.
*In May 2023, it was announced that 4014 will embark on the Home Run Express Tour from Cheyenne, WY to Omaha, NE and back where it will be on public display under steam at the Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, NE before returning back to Cheyenne, WY.
*On June 2023, on its way back to Cheyenne, WY, 4014 assisted a stalled UP freight train by coupling to the rear end of the train.
*In 2023, 4014 was given back its excursion service whistle.
*844 and 4014 are the only two operational steam locomotives left on the UP's active roster, following the official retirement of 3985 from the UP's steam excursion program due to its very poor mechanical condition.
*844 is one of four surviving UP class FEF Northerns in preservation, the others being UP class FEF-1 No. 814, UP class FEF-2 No. 833, and sister UP class FEF-3 No. 838.
*3985 is one of two surviving UP Challengers in preservation, the other one being UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3977.
*4014 is one of eight surviving UP Big Boys in preservation, the others being UP 4-8-8-4 Nos. 4004, 4005, 4006, 4012, 4017, 4018, and 4023.