4014: ‘Big Boy’ in bits

Disassembly of one of the world’s largest steam locomotives is now at an advanced stage, as the boiler and front engine unit of Union Pacific ‘Big Boy’ 4‑8‑8‑4 No. 4014 have been removed at the railroad’s Cheyenne workshops in Wyoming. The ‘Union Pacific Steam Team’ began the stripping process in November, and completed the work in January. Ed Dickens, senior manager of UP Heritage Operations, said: “We have disassembled the boiler. You can walk from one end to the other inside the locomotive.” A pair of 70‑ton cranes were used to lift No. 4014’s boiler so the front engine unit could be removed from underneath the locomotive. Said Mr Dickens: “That scale of disassembly hasn’t been seen around here since the mid‑1950s.” The team has nearly finished inspecting all 16 of No. 4014’s driving wheels, and has fabricated a number of boiler components and other mechanical parts.