Did you see Big Boy 4014 Today? New tour schedule just released

For the final time this year, the Big Boy No. 4014 will ride the rails on the Union Pacific system. We're calling it "The Great Race Across the Southwest." No. 4014 will leave Cheyenne Sept. 27, and travel to locations in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

Display locations include:

• Oct. 2-3: Provo, Utah
• Oct. 7: Las Vegas, Nev.
• Oct. 10-11: Greater Los Angeles Area
• Oct. 18: Tucson, Ariz.
• Oct. 21-22: El Paso, Texas

While we are releasing the route map for the entire tour, only the October display dates are currently available. We anticipate releasing the full schedule before the Sept. 27 tour launch.

View the route map and October schedule at the Steam section of UP.com.

As with past tours, you can follow No. 4014 as it makes its way across the system via our Steam Locomotive Tracking map, which traces No. 4014's location and is continuously updated while the train is on the move.

You also can track the Big Boy via the UP Steam Twitter page at http://www.twitter.com/up_steam. The account tweets the train's location as it changes.

Find both the tracking map and Twitter feed, along with steam schedule information, at upsteam.com.

The Experience the Union Pacific Rail Car, a new, multi-media walk-through exhibition providing a glimpse at the past while telling the story of modern-day railroading, will accompany the Big Boy and will be open for free tours at select locations. Find out more.

Steam Schedule Terminology

Our online steam schedule includes basic location information about where the Big Boy will travel, dates, arrival and departure times, as well as display times. In addition, here are some terms we use on the schedule and what they mean:

On Display – In addition to day-long display hours, display days include access to the Experience the Union Pacific Rail Car. Special-edition Big Boy and Golden Spike souvenirs also are available for sale from the merchandise tent. Admission to display days are free. These are the best times to see the Big Boy.

Viewing Only – Locations where fans can safely view and photograph the Big Boy. In some cases, the Big Boy will be displayed behind a fence or other perimeter. Unlike display days, the Experience the Union Pacific Car will not be available for tours and merchandise will not be sold.

Passenger Excursion – While listed on the steam schedule, passenger excursion tickets are sold by outside entities -- not Union Pacific -- and are usually sold out well in advance of excursion day. 

No Public Access – Locations where the public is not allowed to view the Big Boy because of safety or security reasons. This usually means the locomotive will be stored within a rail yard or other Union Pacific property where live rail operations are being conducted. Non-employees who access these locations without permission will be treated as trespassers.

Share Your Safety Knowledge!

You are among the more than 46,800 members of the Union Pacific Steam Club, and that number keeps growing. Thanks for joining the club!

As a Steam Club member and rail fan, we know you are more aware of the dangers associated with train operations than your neighbor who may be trackside for the first time.  We're asking you to have the courage to tell someone if what they're doing is unsafe – whether they're standing on or too close to the tracks, running along the ballast, leaving trip hazards in walkways or climbing on equipment.

Please help us and the UP Steam program spread a message of safety or report any unsafe behavior you see.

Safety Reminder

Let's go over some basic safety information:

• The average train overhangs the track by at least three feet and wider loads can extend even further from the tracks. Stand back at least 25 feet or more from the tracks to avoid debris and steam or being hit by the train itself.
• Trains can't stop quickly to avoid people or vehicles on the tracks.
• Railroad tracks, trestles, yards and right of way are private property – please do not trespass.
• Never assume tracks are abandoned or inactive – ALWAYS expect a train and assume tracks are active.
• Look both ways when approaching railroad crossings, and stop for trains. A train's distance from you -- and its speed -- can be deceiving.
• Look twice at crossings with multiple tracks. Two tracks may mean two trains, so make sure all tracks are clear before crossing each rail line.
• Avoid distractions including loud music, texting and talking on cell phones. Look up and listen for train horns.

When taking photos or video, be mindful of your surroundings. Make sure you're in a safe place, staying 25 feet from UP tracks, bridges or structures. Not only is it safer, you'll also get a better shot, avoiding an extreme, blurry close-up of only part of the locomotive as it passes by.

Keep Sharing Those Photos, Video and Stories on Facebook

More than 400,000 people visited the Big Boy last month during the "Great Race Across the Midwest." During that time, more than 2,500 photos, videos and stories were contributed by Official Union Pacific Steam Club Facebook Group members.

If you're not already a member, what are you waiting for? Joining is easy: Just click on the following URL and ask to become a member: https://www.facebook.com/groups/UPSteamClub/  

Before joining in the discussion, take a moment to read our Facebook Policy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/UPSteamClub/about/ This policy also explains what we will – and will not -- allow group members to post, with special emphasis on safe photos and videos.

When small schedule changes occur, we'll let you know via the Steam Club Facebook Group and the UP Steam Twitter feed located at twitter.com/up_steam. It's a great way to get the latest news, and maybe make some new friends.

That's all for now. Be safe, and we'll see you trackside,

Union Pacific Steam Club