The Day I Played Hooky with a 1.2-Million-Pound Giant

I’ve been writing the three-book Kiara Series since last August (2025), but a few weeks ago, I decided to play hooky and take an afternoon off.

What pulled me away?

Per a Union Pacific press release:

The Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 is embarking on a historic coast-to-coast tour to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. The locomotive departed Cheyenne, WY, on May 25, 2026, for its eastern leg, featuring major public displays, whistle-stops, and special July 4th celebrations in the Northeast.

The locomotive was going to pass nearby, presenting a great opportunity to see it in person. Stretching 133 feet long and weighing 1.2 million pounds, No. 4014 was built in 1941 and was restored by the Union Pacific Steam Team. It is the only operational Big Boy remaining, and it represents the absolute end of an era.

Memories of the Vista Dome Era

I find myself deeply drawn to the 20th-century railroad, as I have wonderful memories of traveling by rail during childhood. My aunt lived in Denver, Colorado, during the 1960s, and my grandmother and I would travel by rail from Illinois to visit her.

Although it was past the time of steam locomotives, names like the Union Pacific’s city trains—“The City of Denver” and “The City of Los Angeles”—Great Northern’s “The Empire Builder,” and the CB&Q’s “Zephyrs” bring back a flood of memories. Little did I realize back then that traveling in Vista Dome cars and having Pullman rooms converted to sleeping quarters at night would become once-in-a-lifetime experiences that would soon end with the era. Thinking back, remembering the sights and sounds of those enormous engines pulling into the station always brings a smile to my face.

So when the opportunity presented itself, the choice was easy. Heck yes, I can sneak away from writing about near-future AI relationships to watch a real, operating steam train in action. Talk about two different worlds.

The View from a Rural Road

I drove to town with my wife, bought two drive-through lunches, and we headed to a remote section of Union Pacific rail about five miles outside of town. The Big Boy 4014 was scheduled for an hour-long stop in the city, and a massive crowd was anticipated. I figured if we just wanted to see it go by, we’d get positioned on a road alongside a rural stretch of rail well ahead of the visit.

It was a good plan for us. It was also a good plan for the other 100 people parked on the exact same stretch.

The wait soon took on a party atmosphere as we all awaited the giant's appearance. We ate our lunch, people-watched, and a couple even brought out a Frisbee. A coal train rolled by. Then another UP container train flew by.

Fifteen Seconds of Another Time

Anticipation was high, and then, we heard the steam whistle.

Cameras came out. Video buttons were clicked. And for 15 to 20 seconds, all of us standing on that remote rural road shared a collective moment, transported entirely back to another time.

Big Boy 4014 rolled by at 35 mph with the engineers at their stations and everyone waving. And in a breath, it was all down the rail.

We all could have seen it at its one-hour stop five miles down the track. I’m sure many along that road went on and did just that. But for me, those 15 to 20 seconds were all I needed. My wife and I returned home smiling, having shared just a fleeting moment of a time gone by.