Big Boy draws thousand to Commercial Street

A common sight on the fourth of July in Morgan is Commercial Street lined with hundreds of spectators enjoying the parade. This year was no exception as a Morgan 4th has arguably become one of the most celebrated tradition in the Valley. However, when the parade ended, thousands of people descended on Commercial Street to see the Big Boy steam engine 4014 chug into valley and make a whistle stop in front of the newly refurbished train depot.

Starting in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where Big Boy is housed, the giant engine traveled through Wamsutter, Green River, dropping down into Utah. Excitement rippled through the crowd as word came that the train had traveled through Henifer. 

Many may question why Morgan was privileged to have the honor of Big Boy to stop in Morgan. That credit goes to Cindy Kay of the Morgan Historical Society. 

Putting in a call to the Union Pacific Railroad, Kay worked with UP’s Public Relations, Nathan Anderson. Not able to guarantee the stop at that time, Anderson called back a month later informing her that they would stop on their way through so the depot could have the ribbon cutting. 

Kay was thrilled when she found out this would all take place on the Fourth of July.

Before the train rolled into town, an official ribbon cutting took place on the dock of the train depot. Distinguished guests included, Mayor, Steve Gale; City Manager, Ty Bailey; Commissioners, Mike Newton and Blaine Fackrell. Also in attendance, members of the Morgan Valley Preservation committee and Morgan Historical Society Board of Trustees. 

Newton and Gale made brief remarks with Gale saying, “Today, we commemorate the restoration and reopening of this magnificent building with the arrival of Big Boy.” He mentioned that this very train would have delivered freight on this very track. “It’s wonderful to have it here on this momentous day After the ribbon cutting, 400 wooden whistles were handed out to excited onlookers.

As Big Boy Steam Engine 4014 rolled into the valley just before noon, the Morgan Band, consisting of high school and middle school students, played the patriotic song, “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”

The half hour whistle stop in Morgan was the first time for many to observe this massive locomotive. With the ground rumbling as the engineer blew the whistle, some plugging their ears while others smiling snapped photographs and took videos, including selfies to capture memories of this historical Fourth of July.  

In December of 1941, Big Boy Engine 4014 was one of the first of 25 Big Boys that were built and put into use. These 132 feet long locomotives weighing 1.2 million pounds were made exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad to navigate between Ogden, Utah and Cheyenne, Wyoming. According to Tyler Clarke of the Morgan Historical Society, these massive engines were built to navigate the steep grade through the canyons and valleys. They ran exclusively freight from 1941-1951 with the exception of transporting troops during the war. 

In 1951, UPR rerouted all their Big Boys to run east from Cheyenne to Mississippi until 1959. Engine 4014 was retired July 21, 1959 after traveling 1,031,205 miles during its 20 years of service. Only four were left in service from 1959-1962 when the more cost efficient diesel locomotive replaced all the Big Boys. 

Today, there are seven Big Boys on display in various cities around the country namely: St. Louis, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

In 2013, UPR reacquired Engine 4014 from the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California, relocating it back to Cheyenne, Wyoming to begin a multi-year restoration. This was the first time 4014 rolled through Morgan being pulled by several diesel locomotives. After the three year, $ 4 million restoration, it was returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's completion. This time, Big Boy 4014 fascinated onlookers as it came through Morgan under its own steam power.  

Five years later, July 4,2024, became a day that will go down in the history books as the third time the Big Boy 4014 came through Morgan, this time stopping in Morgan to celebrate the official reopening of the Morgan Train Depot.λ