1959: Big Boy was a King of the Rails. 2019: *Big Boy is the King of the Rails.*

Yesterday Big boy 4014 ran under its own power for the first time in decades

Big boy pushed a stalled diesel consist up a hill, this is how its done

I must have watched this on VHS hundreds of times as a kid. That last long whistle blast as the train disappears into the sunset still brings a tear to my eye. There will never be anything else quite like a steam locomotive.

I can never get enough of Big Boy's three chime steam whistle. It makes me feel like I went back in time.

No computers, no electronic calculators. Superior people using their skills as designers, machinists to make a magnificent machine.

Hard to believe the Big Boy is back in service. I never thought I would ever see it happen.

1:18 “And the thrill of seeing a mammoth engine at work was to be only a happy memory of childhood.” 60 years later, that mammoth engine has awoken.

On a trip to see my grandmother in Pittsburgh I was watching a steam engine in the rail yard near her home. My dad came down to sit next to me. He said, “Take a good look, son. We won’t be seeing those much longer”. I can still see, smell, feel and hear those wonderful machines.

The return of the KING of the high iron.

Good to see footage of 5511 running

man I remember watching this 10 Years ago when I was 5 and still into thomas. Now I'm taking my first steps into serious model railroading. Finally remembered the title of this amazing documentary.

"It's was the last of the giants" Until today!

This is my favorite classic railroad film of all time, along with Norfolk and Western 611 "Going Home." I'm glad UP has chosen to restore 4014, I hope they get many good excursions out of it.

I am absolutely delighted by the fact that, in a month, many of us will finally be able to say that we were one of the lucky boys to see them in action, an opportunity I would have thought disappeared forever.

The Union Pacific Big Boy is a legend!

They say they do everything bigger in America... That just brought real meaning to that statement...

This film features several survivors: 1243 (4:56) 2295 (3:44) 9000 (8:38) 3985 (9:35) 5511(5:18) 4012 (14:54) Drive Wheel 'L8' only. I'm guessing backmost axle, left wheel? and a special appearance by the original Big Boy 4000 at 14:29 and again at 17:30, although it did not survive into preservation. There are many background engines that I could not identify, so some of them COULD be survivors for all I know.

I remember back in the 50's as a young man going to Spencer, North Carolina, and seeing the steam engines at the repair yard. Spencer is now a museum where you can see round table and shop that repaired the trains and at times ride on a steam train.

It's amazing seeing these beautiful machines. It astounds me that my great grandpa got to fire the 844.

im still trying to get my head around the amount of service this engineering masterpiece needed, i mean what do you expect, its just massive

We got tired of double-heading the trains, so we built one engine with double the power.

I had this as a VHS when I was a kid, and dreamed of the moment in the beginning where a young kid sees one rolling by. It's so awesome to watch now, 30 years later, and see they only got the "happy memory" part wrong, with 4014 now operable.

This was a great documentation on steam history, I would love to see more. I'm 56 years old I never seen steam power in it's day but I seen 844 I think 3 times come thru Kansas, 3985 at least once and I have been fortunate to see 4014 from Grand Island earlier this year going to North Platt, Than now to find out she is going to be in my back yard on Nov.21 for 45 minutes. Thank you Union Pacific for all the great work and recreating this for all of our younger generation people to experience. The first time I saw 844 etched memories in my head that I can't forget and it's part of our history that formed this country, I feel greatly privliged to see all three engines in my lifetime, I know it costs tons of money to restore and operate these old historic engines keep up the great work and God Bless America

Only footage of UP 5511

Thanks so very much for this documentary, the Big Boy engine as with all steam locos was a living breathing mass of metal that has a beauty all of its own, fabulous machine and thankfully was saved and restored. To work on one of these each day must have been hard work at times but wonderful to look back on.

Soon you will be able to see a Big Boy when 4014 is back to service.

My maternal grandfather was a UP mechanic from WWI to 1965. @ 1960, when the last steam locomotive was to be retired, UP put together a special train for employees & families...Wonderful experience..

I recognize some of that country, Cheyenne to Laramie. Drove it a lot during the early 80's.

14:21 Steam Shop back in the day it was a hive of activity when those engines came in. now there are only three #844 #3985 and BIG BOY.

The Union Pacific restored both the Challenger No. 3985 a few years before they restored the Big Boy No, 4014. Many other railroad companies have restored many more steam locomotives and use them for passenger excursions.

A NECESSARY film for ANYONE who is a loyal fan of steam locomotives!

1:10 - 1:24 With #4014 up and running, the thrill of seeing a Big Boy in action is no longer just a happy memory of childhood. :)

This is the video that introduced me to my favorite type of articulated steam locomotive, the Union Pacific "Big Boy" & I have been fascinated with this locomotive type ever since I was a young child about 25 years ago.

My grandpa and dad both worked for the ICRR Illinois Central. Grandad was a crew chief and dad a laborer. At 25 cents a day dad worked around the coal steam locomotives. It was a good job if you could get it. The RR gave Grandad a IC Railway house right 20 yards off the mainline, big Ol barn. As a kid my dad liked the smoke and cinder flying back by the window where he rode the line. Big trains Big drive wheels, lot of action and fun!!

I live in Schenectady, NY, the home of the former ALCO plant...birthplace of the Big Boys. Love seeing them run and the sounds.

This documentary was my favorite thing to watch as a kid, im now 21 and still love watching it every now and then, seeing 4014 live is a definite bucket list must see

Some priceless footage, one of the best BigBoy videos on here

I grew up from the mid-40’s -1060. In the 50’s I rode steam train almost everywhere. In 1949 me, my brother and mom road a steam train from Denmark,SC to SF, Ca on our way by ship to Guam. I just wish young people could ride steam trains like I had, it was a great time.

I have this film and still do. Its part of a box set of videos. This happened to be my favorite

One of my favorite railroad videos!

I notice Big Boy 4013 was a predominant fixture in this video. it's a damned shame that loco was sold for scrap shortly after it retired in July, 1959. Total bummer. But alas...we all have 4014 back on the rails as a object of our awe and wonder!!!

This is a moving tribute to these creations.Really wonderful.

This film deserves an HD restoration.

Just today, 4014 once again did what it was meant to do and pushed a stalled Manifest up a hill.

One of the best steam locomotive videos I've ever seen!

Guess whoooooos baaaack!! 4014 is out of the shop and has a fire in its belly. Its ALIVE!

Wow! Big Boy was some magnificent masterpiece. Being able to move rolling stock 5 miles long is a real feat of power⚠️ I'm glad there is still one in existence to be able to be viewed.

The scenery in this looks like a painting.

That closing shot of the sunset sky is stunning. Hooray for Kodachrome! I have a recording of SP&S 700's whistle in the Rockies that is note perfect for what we hear here. Hear here! :P

What a lovely film! And that music from the 50's! I love these films.

There is just nothing around nearly as glorious as these Big Boys!

1:16 "For by 1960 the age of steam had virtually ended, and the thrill of seeing a mammoth engine at work was to be only a happy memory of childhood." *Not anymore.*

God that whistle... I think that 3 chime whistle is my favorite whistle to ever get put on a locomotive. It is both haunting and powerful. (Fixed whistle-type error)

Haven't seen this one before. Magnificent machine and superb production. Thanks to all who contributed to this production. And special thanks to those who made the biggest steam engine ever come back to life. Marty Jasper

How many watching in 2021 Saw the 4014 Big Boy pass thru mu local today..amazing...!!

I saw 4014 on the 190th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad in Ogden, Utah. I love her whistle but it's so loud

Amazing technology and creative engineering. Never ceases to amaze me how something so heavy is able to move. Mind boggling!

I have a photo of the 4004 I took in Wyoming in about 1976 on a trip to Vegas. Love trains.

It's great that 4014 rolls again, representing a living tribute to the pinnacle of steam.

4:56 Union Pacific 1243 [Narrator] With this museum piece with its six churning driving wheels was new in 1890. It was considered a Samson of the rails. 5:04 [train whistle]

If #5511 at 5:18 looks like its smoke isn't being lifted very high, that's because it's not actually steaming. That locomotive was out of service by the time the movie was made, but to make it appear operational, the railroad set some tires on fire in its smokebox and pushed its train from behind with a diesel locomotive. The visibly weak puffs come from the valve gear being moved by the rotating driving wheels. You'll also note the lack of steam coming out of other places on the locomotive--compare it to the film segments just before.

Got to see the bigboy 4014 the other day. Stopped right near my home on a frontage road. Got to take plenty of videos and photos of it! Truly amazing to see!

Bravo film!! More electrifying than many fight scenes in today's movies ...at least I think so. I lost my sleepiness and sat up to watch this! Some of those rail cars, box cars, gondola's ...study in railroad history ...for my Model railroad. Loved this.

what a majestic and awe-inspiring creation was 'Big Boy:' a work of art that thrilled one with its bully and bluster; man Oh man!! Memories are made of this

At 9:35 is 3985. They had no idea how significant she would become. It's a shame she can't join 4014.

We lived within 2 blocks of a Railroad "Roundhouse". I actually saw steam locomotives when I was small. I could hear those lonesome whistles all thru the night.

What a great film! So reminiscent of the ones I enjoyed in grade school in the 50's. Nothing says WWII America like the "Big Boy".

I used to watch this as a kid, thank you for having this up.

Wow, the announcer speaks so eloquently of the romance of the iron horse - and all I see is that huge sooty exhaust cloud spewing up into the pristine Western air - still, a cool machine

Incredible seeing 3985 in revenue service.

You gotta love the serendipitous music with the cartoon. Brings back so many memories.

22:11 Narrator: "The rumble and roar of Big Boy will seem still to echo from the high country of Southern Wyoming." Union Pacific 4014: *I'm about to ruin this man's whole career.*

This is a great documentary, Thank You!

21:19 Okay, guys, so the Union Pacific's steam fleet wasn't made out of atoms.

I can't believe I just got to actually see one of these operate again 😍

Poetry in motion. Great video of these marvels!

Last of The Giants is the story of BIG BOY's life from when he left ALCO in 41 to his first day on the job at Steam Shop. BIG BOY pulled the stuff that won WWII. when the war was over BIG BOY was sent to the museum in Pomona. Now he is back ready to conquer Sherman Hill once again.

I LOVE this engine! One day I hope to be able to book a ride aboard one of it's excursion trips!

I've gotten to see two of the 8 surviving Big Boys. Those being the 4017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the 4012 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Brilliant Postings.. 🙏 Thank you for your time.. ❤️

What an awesome documentary!! I watched on a DVD I just bought at the train store and we were just amazed!!!!

3:01 to 3:08 with that qoute the moaning of its chime whistle, is once true again with 4014 #LONGLIVETHEBIGBOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally a Big Boy documentary showing what these engines were built for (around 19 minutes in) , hauling (racing) armaments like tanks, and munitions to the coasts. mb

he's back

"Every inch of Big Boy radiated majesty." Ain't gonna get scriptwriting like that now. Did anyone notice that some of the background music was employed in the Hanna-Barbera cartoons of the same era? And the resonant confidence-inspiring voice of the narrator, typical of the early post-WW II era. Note that the film regretted that the age of the Big Boys had passed, but that there was a better future coming. Alas, it didn't happen.

Its been 8 years since the last time i saw this show. Im so glad i found it again

While designed for smooth operation up to 80 mph to avoid beating itself up hauling freight at track speed, no Big Boy has ever hit 80 and revenue speeds hardly exceeded 50 mph, mainly because their mainstay was the steeper grades. The fastest reported speed on a Big Boy was 72 mph on a test run. Still impressive if you ask me, and still faster than the Challenger's official top speed of 70 mph (I still love the Challengers though). Though neither the largest nor most powerful steam locomotive ever built, it still ranks among them and it goes without saying that they are legends. Definitely more than worthy of preservation. So glad 8 survive. The Big Boy was probably the first locomotive I got to know about and study, having first heard of it as a child and they still fascinate me to this day and is my favorite steam locomotive (tied with the Norfolk & Western J 4-8-4).

This should be the intro for the DVD set for the big boy 4014 when it comes out.

22:21 such a sad ending of a magnificent locomotive. (Yes I know 4014 has returned but when this was made this was the end and some people who watched this back in the day had probably never heard a big boy in person.)

“And once the engineer on his hero throne had cracked the throttle to start the tons-a-Rollin’ it took some doing to hold big boy back.

Wow, this documentary screams the time period in which it was made. You don't hear such flowery language in today's documentaries.

I got an N-scale Big Boy for my birthday, and fast forward a few days later, I bought some freight cars for him. I’m really excited once we build our full railroad layout to see him pulling some cars!!! I can’t wait!!!

I have this film on dvd, used to watch it all the time as a kid

I think it is a shame that 4000 was scrapped.

Most recently, I heard that Big Boy helped a stalled diesel train get up a hill in Blair, Nebraska.

To any hustonians, Big Boy 4014 will be at the Amtrak station on November 6 through the 8th

I saw 4012 in steamtown it was so awesome to witness a behemoth like it

Much underappreciated "technology" of the day scoffed at by today's younger generation mesmerized by their little electronic gadgets.

5:18 I know that 5511 is now preserved, and is one of the last 2-10-2 steam locomotives of the Union Pacific Railroad, it is now awaiting operational restoration along with 3985.