Wednesday 8/18/2021 - UP 4014 Runs from Houston To Bueamont
In late summer 2021, Union Pacific's 'Big Boy' steam locomotive venture out on a special that took it back down to the gulf cost. It's ultimate destination was New Orleans, La to do a charter fundraiser for the Union Pacific Museum. The charter was to run from New Orleans to Palquemine, La on Sunday, August 22, 2021. On the way to New Orleans, the 4014 had display days in Ft. Worth, Tx; Houston, Tx; New Orleans, La; St. Louis, Mo; and Denver, Co.
The 4014 is a a 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' type of locomotive and in some respects, the largest ever built. She was built for the UP in 1941 and retired to the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California in 1961. The restoration started in 2013 and concluded just in time to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad in 2019.
The 4014 was on display in Ft. Worth on August 14 and then ran to Hearne, Tx where it overnighted. Then on August 16th, traveled down to Houston via Hempstead, Tx. I was unable to chase its trip south due to a previously planned vacation. On August 17, the 4014 was on display at the Amtrak (old Southern Pacific) station in Houston. On Wednesday, she left going east to Beaumont.
The usual gang from the Houston area chased the 4014. Jason Rose's trip report can be found here. He also put together the video which can be found at the bottom of this page.
The 4014 is a a 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' type of locomotive and in some respects, the largest ever built. She was built for the UP in 1941 and retired to the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, California in 1961. The restoration started in 2013 and concluded just in time to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad in 2019.
The 4014 was on display in Ft. Worth on August 14 and then ran to Hearne, Tx where it overnighted. Then on August 16th, traveled down to Houston via Hempstead, Tx. I was unable to chase its trip south due to a previously planned vacation. On August 17, the 4014 was on display at the Amtrak (old Southern Pacific) station in Houston. On Wednesday, she left going east to Beaumont.
The usual gang from the Houston area chased the 4014. Jason Rose's trip report can be found here. He also put together the video which can be found at the bottom of this page.
The route the 4014 took was, what I think is the MoPac line between Houston and Beaumont. I know it was not on the more southernly Sunset Route of the former Southern Pacific. This route left Houston heading northeast and crossed Lake Houston. From there, it went through Huffman, Tx and then up to Hardin, Tx before swinging east, southeast to Beaumont. The Big Boy had scheduled short stops at both Huffman and Hardin. Both Jason and I thought the 4014 was going to stop in Huffman proper so we setup at the Old Atascocita Road grade crossing just before Huffman. We then had plans to jump to the otherside of Huffman when the 4014 made its 20 minute stop there. I could have swore that I checked the address of the 4014's stop but never the less, she stopped about a quarter of a mile before the spot we setup at. We both arrived at the road crossing plenty early and endured a few good rain showers staking our spots. Being fairly soaked didn't make the wait any more enjoyable but it was better than setting behind a computer working all day.
After 4014's stop, the tracking website showed she was on the move again and rumbles of thunder could be heard. Luckily she appeared before we got wet a third time. The sun was still out and the storm clouds made a great back drop.
After 4014's stop, the tracking website showed she was on the move again and rumbles of thunder could be heard. Luckily she appeared before we got wet a third time. The sun was still out and the storm clouds made a great back drop.
After the 4014 rolled by, Jason and I split ways as I headed east to chase the 4014 all the way to Beaumont. I had a spot picked out just before the 4014's stop in Hardin, Tx so I put it in the maps on my phone and off I went. A few 'rookie' mistakes in the chase resulted me being stuck in thick traffic through Huffman. That along with the route through Dayton, Tx being slowed by overpass construction (or maybe a wreak under the underpass?) and then a few heavy rain storms, caused me to miss the 4014 into Hardin. I continued to a spot just outside of Beaumont at the line's crossing of Sour Lake Rd. I arrived there about an hour before the 4014 did and the weather was kind of cooperating. It was raining on all sides but looked to be saying clear at my spot for a while. With rumbles of thunder all around, I stayed in the truck, no need to tempt the weather. Once the tracking website showed the 4014 getting close, I venture out into what was now light steady rain. My father in law arrived about 5 minutes before the 4014 did to witness it with me. The rain was quickly getting heavier as the 4014 rolled through and started a solid down pour as we ran for the trucks after the roll by.
We were close to Beaumont at this point so I figured I would head into town just to see how crazy the display location was and I needed gas anyway. I got to the site but no Big Boy yet. I figured she had stopped before getting to the area for some reason and she wasn't scheduled to be there on display for a good 30 minutes still. The spot was right under the I-10 overpass of the rail line so I did a few loops through the area just to see if I could find a convenient parking spot open up. I was completing the third pass, about to get gas and head back to Houston when I checked the tracking website on my phone and saw that the 4014 was actually stopped passed the display site. I was right near the street going that way so I took it. After going a few blocks, there she was but she was being hid by warehouses. I did a U turn and found a side road at the 11th street overpass right when the the coaches were backing across the bridge. The 4014 was in the process of backing to its display site under I-10. I jumped out and was able to get a few shots of the big engine on the overpass. It really displays the great size of the 4-8-8-4 locomotive!
I later found out that the Beaumont Amtrak station was where the 4014 had stopped passed 11th street. If I would have taken the 11th street underpass to the other side of the tracks, I would have seen it. It probably pulled up to it for media or local dignitaries or something to that effect. After the big engine backed by, I watched it continue down to its display site. I chose my way home back by the display site and it was even crazier than before. So I continued on, getting gas and headed back west to Houston and home.
Below is a video put together from clips from a few of us friends on the 4014's run through Texas in 2021.
Below is a video put together from clips from a few of us friends on the 4014's run through Texas in 2021.