When the design specifications were complete, it was decided on the use of a simple articulated, high speed, 132 ft. long locomotive sporting sixteen 68 diameter drive wheels. What they created was the longest and among the heaviest, most powerful steam locomotive legends in the world. And had not the worker at ALCO chalked Big Boy on the front of the smoke box of one of the 4-8-8-4s under construction, a name that immediately caught on, it is rumored that the name of the type would have been Wasatch, for the mountains they were built to conquer.
Quote from Worlds Greatest Steam Locomotives by Eugene L. Huddleston:
There were 25 locomotives fabricated in two different groups. Class 1 were locomotives #4000-4019 and Class 2 was numbered 4020-4024. The first Big Boy #4000 was delivered to Omaha, NE on September 5, 1941. Union Pacific's commitment to the Big Boy required them to replace the lighter rail and straighten out many miles of track for clearance, as well as to resize elements of their service areas (such as turntable lengths, etc.) for the entire line these locos would run on.
The Big Boys demonstrated fantastic strength and speed as they faced these challenges throughout their storied careers. With the total mileage on the Big Boy fleet being approximately 1,000,000 miles for each locomotive, one must say that they earned their reputation.
Several examples remain in museums around the country but silently they sit as a visual echo to the thunder that once made them revered throughout the landscape that the Big Boys dominated.
In this production, BLI is modeling three numbered Class-1 Big Boys, two numbered Class-2 Big Boys, and an unpainted model of each. We will also offer two models of #4014 as it appears today with slight paint variations based on the timeframe. Additionally, we are building two models of the Big Boy in the Union Pacific Two Tone Gray paint scheme - one with aluminum lettering and one with yellow. This is a fantasy paint scheme as the Big Boy never received this paint in real life.
Industry-leading Model Features:
ALL-NEW Paragon4 Sound & Control System
Synchronized Puffing Smoke with Chuff Sound
Variable Puffing Smoke Intensity and timing
Separate Whistle Smoke Feature - smoke streams from whistle area when whistle is blown
Integral DCC Decoder with Back EMF for Industry Best Slow Speed Operation in DC and DCC
Precision Drive Mechanism engineered for continuous heavy load towing and smooth slow speed operation
5-Pole Can Motor with Skew Wound Armature
Heavy Die Cast Boiler, Tender Body, and Chassis for Increased Tractive Effort
Premium Caliber Painting with Authentic Paint Scheme
Prototypical Light Operation with Separately Controllable Headlight, Reverse Light, Cab Light, Front Numberboards, Front Marker Lights, Rear Marker Lights
Factory-installed Engineer and Fireman Figures
Optional Smoke Hood can be Installed if Desired
Optional Operating Front Coupler Included in Box
Prototypically Accurate Details for Each Road Number
Two After-cooler variations - As-Delivered for the Class-1 and Wilson Aftercooler for the Class-2 models
Three Accurately Modeled Tender Variations: 25-C-100 for the Class-1 models, 25-C-400 for the Class-2 models, and the Challenger #3985 tender for the #4014 Excursion Service models.
Many Separately Applied Details such as Handrails, Ladders, Piping, Cab Glass, Whistle, Brass Bell, Markers, Numberboards, Air Tanks, and Many Others
Equipped with Rubber Traction Tires for Increased Pulling Power
Recommended Minimum Radius: 18 inches
Accurate Prototypical Sounds for the Union Pacific Big Boys