The plan is to have the #4014 Big Boy lead special excursions across the Great West by 2019 for the 150th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike in Utah which marked the link between the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific to create the first transcontinental railroad.
Thanks to Case for letting me know about this video!
The other cars in this are heritage fleet support cars, and here's a link
http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/attachments/media_kit/steam/844_support.pdf that gives some info about the "Howard Fogg"
The
Howard Fogg is Union Pacific’s last boiler car. It was built in 1949 by American Car and Foundry as baggage-dormitory No. 6006.
The Howard Fogg was converted to boiler-baggage-dorm No. 304 in 1962.
The car was converted to boiler-dorm-HEP (Head End Power) in 2000.
It was renumbered again in 1987 to No. 209 and assigned to the Heritage Fleet in 1990.
In 1996, it was renamed Howard Fogg after the passing of the renowned railroad artist.
The Howard Fogg still has a steam generator on board to provide steam if maintenance is required while locomotives No. 844 and No. 3985 are on the road. The car has been outfitted with an electric generator
The
Art Lockmann was built in 1962 by the St. Louis Car Company as baggage car No. 6334. It was one of the last baggage cars purchased by Union Pacific.
The car was converted to a tool car for snowplow service and renumbered No. 904304 in 1973.
It was assigned to the Heritage Fleet in 1981.
The car was named Art Lockman in 1992 and was renumbered UPP 6334 in 2003. The Art Lockman is a rolling “machine shop”. It carries tools, parts, machines, lubricants and numerous other items to maintain and repair the steam locomotives while on trips. The car also has a crew lounge area, locker room and laundry area.
Mr. Lockman retired as roundhouse foreman in Cheyenne, Wyoming, after working 43 years for Union Pacific. He is a well-known former employee who is still admired for his knowledge of steam locomotive maintenance and operation.
The
Lynn Nystrom was built in 1957 by American Car & Foundry as postal storage car No. 5714. It was rebuilt as a baggage/recreation car for ski train service between Los Angeles, California; Sun Valley, Idaho; and Park City, Utah.
The car was renamed the Pony Express in 1993 to commemorate a Union Pacific train of the same name that ran between Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah, from August 1926 to November 1954.
And this is very cool, someone drove alongside for a while and paced it on the highway
You may even want to see the local tv station coverage:
http://www.kgwn.tv/news/wyoming/headlines/Big-Boy-4014-comes-to-Cheyenne-258554061.html
