The 150th anniversary of completion of the Trans-continental Railroad is celebrated in 2019. During the 1940s, Union Pacific built 25 large steam locomotives. They normally operated between Cheyenne, Wyoming and Ogden, Utah. Their heavy weight and multiple traction wheels provided the force needed to transport trains of freight over the continental divide. More history of Union Pacific here.
Bigboy #4014 was restored to operation and has been on tour. It traveled the tracks not far from our home on 30 July. My friend and I scouted out a good location for pictures the week before. Our wives joined us, along with a hundred others, at this rural crossing to see it go by. We heard the whistle in the distance. The crowd got quiet and moved closer to the tracks. The crossing gates came down. It rounded the bend blowing the whistle – two longs, a short, one long. The ground shook. My body shook. It was power on wheels. Turn up the sound on the video for maximum effect.
©JWielert2019
Our View From Iowa 