Union Pacific Steam Shop Tour 

I was continually reminded during Eds shop tour of the SERIOUS dollar commitment UP made, In this day and age you just know there were beancounter naysayers and other opposition. I truly hope the 4014 steam program knocked it out of the park for UP in positive PR and enhanced freight account revenues. Here is to trusting this program continues the returns to UP!

The only thing missing was the subtle combination of old water, grease, oil, and metal grinding wafting past one's olfactory passages!

I wish my company had pride like that.

Watching this I found myself becoming more and more appreciative of what these guys accomplished by bringing 4014 back to life. Such a monumental task they had before them and completed with such pride and commitment. All my life I dreamed of seeing a Big Boy operate and the year 2019 is a year I will never forget. Saying thank you to all of you in Cheyenne just doesn't seem to do justice to such a gargantuan project as this. Just know that there are so many of us out here that truly thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You have brought so much joy to so many throughout the country, and the world, with this undertaking.

This terrific narration cannot go unnoticed! Sheer passion speaks through this gentleman.

Thanks to you, Mr. Ed Dickens, and to the Union Pacific Railroad for. keeping a well-equipped steam shop active. What a superb presentation! I am a (very) senior citizen who grew up in a time when steam ruled the rails.

I'm so happy you folks did this video.

I was hoping to see 3985. Retired or not, she's still my favorite and I'll forever hold out hope she'll return.

Fantastic video. Ed's comments towards the end of this video related to these living machines being works of art is no longer understood nor appreciated by a majority of those living in the 21st century. Thanks to UP for funding the steam project and thanks to Ed and crew for sharing it all with us. From a UP stockholder as a result of UP's Steam Project!!

Thank you Union Pacific for spending enormous amounts of money to restore these old locomotives, the shop, roundhouse, the people that it all takes to perform this task. History needs to be recorded and you folks are doing a excellent job of doing that and I can't wait to see you show off your hard work hopefully in the near future . Thank you all at Union Pacific Railroad.

I'm part of the steam club of Union Pacific, and I'm very happy I was sent an email about this video. I absolutely adore that the UP is restoring and preserving this steam locomotives and I desperately hope they continue to do so. Possibly adding more steam locomotives to their arsenal. I would also love if they did something like a cross country tour or something where they went up both and back again.

Imagine Stephenson looking at the big boy. He would flip out! Lol Can’t thank him enough for creating the locomotive. There is nothing prouder than being called railroader.

Thank you Ed Dickens and all the other men and women who brought back the 4014 and keep the 844 running, and I hope to see the 3985 up and running again in the near future! I just wish my grandfather was still here to see all of this

What’s shocks me is how many things, small things that go into a locomotive. They are so technical and just so unbelievable! They truly are living creatures!

My Dad was a car inspector for UP starting in the late 40's. I remember riding behind steam locomotive as a child. Tears come to my eyes every time I see anything about 844 or 1014. Thanks UP for keeping them rolling.

I think it's pretty safe to say that everyone loves trains and history and the sound of a locomotive chugging down the tracks, keep up the good work and restore a few more, keep history alive

Congratulations to Union Pacific for being PROUD of their past, and equally appreciative of those who did, and continue to do the work and maintainence that allows these locomotives to continue to run. I was at Medicine Bow, WY when they brought #4014 back to Cheyenne, and later that summer, I went thru the steam shop, and the roundhouse, where the disassembly of #4014 had begun and #844 was setting alongside, and #3985, which hopefully will again run again, was in the roundhouse. Again, thanks to Union Pacific and the people who make it possible.

I earned my Journeyman’s card as a Tool& die Maker in 1985 from my dad who started a machine shop after his 3rd retirement at 66 years young. He served his apprenticeship in the Juniata Shop in Altoona Pa with the Pennsylvania Rail Road. I’m now 66 myself and still designing and building all types of dies, jigs and fixtures as well as machinery. Great video.. people today have no idea what the big shops were like back then.. even that shop you are in is “tiny” compared to the big PRR Steam Shops. Old School is Good School..

This guy knows his stuff the passion he has. Very awesome tour.

Never thought about how much infrastructure was not only required to resurrect 4014 but to keep it operable as king of the rails. Someday hope to see this beast in person,

You can tell Ed loves these locomotives. He doesn't need a script, he need not play to the camera, there is no artifice to what he says, it's just him pouring out the affection for the work and the result. It's such a pleasure to see someone and something who's true value isn't in the $$$$ssss.

I would like to thank all the men and women who work on that big boy. I was in Pomona at the fairground one year walking around and I ended up by the the trains in the box cars on the back of the fair that year as I was walking around it I Saw the Wheel the drive wheel and I couldn't believe the size of it and I said oh my God this has to be the big boy no men and women who were with me cuz the big boys oh yeah this is it I got all excited walked around it to three times couldn't believe I could actually stand there and put my hands on that big boy then I had just moved away from the Pomona Valley when you all moved it and got it ready to go to Cheyenne once more let me say thanks to all the men and women involved in the repair and restoration of this beautiful Monument and I am forever grateful to have seen it and to have been able to put my hands up on it

Glad I found this. My father was a special agent in Cheyenne. I loved the time I was able to spend in this shop and throughout the whole depot and yards. It's the reason I got interested in big machinery.

my great grandfather worked here in the 40's and 50's! i loved hearing his stories when i was like... 4-5 back in 2010. he loved this place and worked on the UP until the mid 70's I believe. i've always wanted to see the Steam Shop but have never been to Wyoming. Thank you for sharing this!

It's s freaking shame UP STILL hasn't come out with a "Discover how the 4014 was built" that document 4014's journy from Calif. to Cheyenne, the inspection, the tearing down, the ordering of parts and building of parts, the reassembly to it's maidin voyage to Ogden on Blu-Ray! If it goes for $25, I would definately buy it!

The 61 dislikes are essentially people with zero mechanical aptitude and therefore zero interest in this fascinating and informative video, which I feel was very well presented. I guess it's difficult to have interest in that which you don't understand. I actually feel a bit sorry for them as they don't know what they are missing. Great job guys, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Im just astonished that not only does the building still exist, but that it hasn't been repurposed and is still kitted out for steam engine repair. From the bottom of my heart I thank you guys and Union Pacific for keeping this history alive.

Great presentation Ed! Love the footage of the rebuild. Wow!!!!

For those of us who get news on when these Steam Locomotives are set to get rebuilt, we now get a further sense of understanding and patience based on what it takes to make that a reality, this video clearly gets to the point of that with absolute clarity, much respect to all members who put in their maximum effort to keep these Icons rolling.

I worked as a diesel and electric locomotive electrician for a few years as I went through college. Certainly these steam locomotives have some gigantic heavy parts. Great tour and thank-you and UP for keeping these beautiful pieces of railroad history alive.

UP deserves a lot of credit for making such an undertaking possible and, so do the numerous volunteers involved with this impressive labor of love to protect the National Heritage. Ontario, Canada. 2020/09/25.

Kudos to the gentleman that was leading this tour explaining all these things with a passionate guy

Interesting and intelligent. You did the Union Pacific steam program a favor by explaining how thoroughly you rebuild locomotives, and why.

Thank you for bringing 4014 out on the rails again, and for your commitment to keeping the steam program alive.

That is so cool how steam shop is using old and modern technology to carry out maintenance on the steam locomotives. It also boggles my mind how back then they could get parts for these locomotives to be accurate as possible with the technology and do it without error. Steam locomotives in general are just pieces of fine craftsmanship and I'm glad to see Union Pacific is taking care of these locomotives.

I am very impressed by the investment in time, equipment and money that the U.P. has made in the Steam Shop. This tells me that the railroad doesn't intend to let the steam program lapse as other railroads have. A steam locomotive is every bit a piece of precision machinery as any diesel-electric loco, ship or even a jet aircraft. It's good to see U.P. is taking that premise seriously. I hope one day we might see their 'Big Three' (844, 3985 and 4014) operating under steam together at least once. Well done U.P. ... well done!

Very well spoken with the love showing as he's describing the parts, processes, engineering, etc. Well done!

I'd pay several hundred dollars to walk that shop.

GOLD!!! Thanks Ed, UP Steam Team & UP !! Stay well.

Kudos to the Union Pacific for maintaining this steam program and investing all this $ into these beautiful locomotives so that we preserve our nation's railroad history. No other road does this like UP!

When he mentioned 4014's tender, I'd almost forgotten that all last year she used 3985's tender instead of her own.

A really interesting and informative presentation. I'm from the UK and we have nothing here like the Cheyenne steam shops, it just shows what can be achieved with the muscle of a big, committed, company behind you. Long may UP rule.

I hope 3985 gets it's turn again. Would be awesome to see all 3 operating.

Thank you for taking the time to do this informative video and the tour of the steam shop. I look forward to seeing these machines out on the rails again. And thank you Union Pacific for your support of the steam program.

Thank you, Mr. Dickens! Your knowledge is matched only by your obvious love & respect for the machinery. See you next time you come through Utah!

Great video! This brought me back to the day when I worked at Lockheed Burbank as a General Machinist. Perhaps different industry but the same manual machine tools used to cut metal and apply our skill. I think most people do not realize just how much engineering, machining and assembly go into making this large beast. Thanks for illustrating this. Truly, a lost industry and with that the talent that made America great!

Fantastic effort. Kudos to UP for paying for this historical gem.

This guy is a good teacher and speaker

Thanks Ed for the great video tour of the shop and your innovative procedures in re-creating unusual one of a kind components while holding precise tolerances. I visited 4014 when you were in Colton, CA last year and was shocked at how massive a locomotive it is. I spent 2 hours standing there admiring its complexity and beauty. During the drive home, after my visit, I smelled like a mixture of machine oil, fuel oil, and bearing grease! A delightful smell to me. My first career job was at 24 fresh out of college as a sales engineer for Union Pump Co. in 1966. I sold many direct acting steam pumps to refineries and also sold a bunch to Disney Corp. for boiler feedwater service on their stern wheeler and side wheeled tour boats when they were building Disney World near Orlando. Walt Disney insisted on live steam. He was a great lover of steam propulsion! It's great seeing you again on video and like all of us, I'm looking forward to when Big Boy is once again thundering down the rails.

Oh man.. seeing big boy run would make 2020 a hell of a lot better!!

I visited the shop last month during Depot Days. Incredibly impressive. Thanks to UPRR for investing in this to preserve a vital history.

Thanks Ed for the awesome video of the steam shop. I loved all the tech info. It helps jog this old fellow's memories of when we restored the 819 back in the early 80's. Also I am blown away by the improvements etc that you & the crew have done in the Steam Shop since I was there back in 94 before the 3985's Calif trip. You & the Steam Crew Members are truly Blessed . Thanks again.

This is so fascinating even if I don’t understand the half of it. I love the mixture of the old machines working alongside the new. This video has made it clear what a labor of love it truly is to restore and care for steam locomotives and why so many were just scraped for new diesel trains back in the day. This video has given me a new understanding of why steam locomotive workers were so attached to the trains they built. Only they had the intimate knowledge of each and every part, from the largest to the smallest. The locomotives still carry the character of those who care for them to this day. It’s also so great seeing the Big Boy in its slumber, being so well cared for until it can get back out on the rails. I can’t wait to see it in person. Thank you for taking the time to give us a tour of where the magic happens. Please keep up this very important work you do. ❤️ 🚂

Thank you for sharing the passion, honor, and pride in working on these magnificent machines. I look forward to seeing Big Boy in person.

There is a beauty to machined parts and a symphony when they work together with all of the other components that make, up the locomotive. Thanks Ed for the presentation.

Thank you Mr. Dickinson for this tour. You have a perfectly moderated voice for speaking on this video. I love the Big Boy 4014. First 16 yrs of my life not even half a block from the track and depot, loved then trains 1950 thru 1965 when we moved.

What a great video!!!The man who spoke was absolutely very knowledgeable and the presentation was fabulous and put in layman's language that all people could understand. 15 stars

I’m gonna say it. Ed and his team bring new meaning to the word “ Genius “. The people that originally designed these steam beasts did so without modern equipment. They will go down in history as geniuses as well.

REALLY appreciate UPs attention to detail, _and_ the new modernizing machining techniques that make the steam legacy viable and _prescient_ in the 21st century! Looking forward to a national tour via 4014 hopefully some day soon!

seing this locomotive in person when it stopped in my town was a sight ill remember for years to come..Thank you Union Pacific for restoring her..

My Grandfather instilled a love of steam locomotives in me as he worked as a hostler on the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad. Thank you very much for posting this

As a former machinist, the shear size of the components you work on is impressive.

Hope to see this in person some day.

I'm still amazed that they ORIGINALLY built that beauty with NO COMPUTERS. Just good old human brain power.

You guys absolutely made my year with 4014 down in College Station. I used to live in Fort Collins and was afraid I wouldn't get a chance to see the Big Boy in real life. I still remember playing with my grandpa on his "O" layout that sported a Big Boy, with functional "steam". Every times we'd go see him, into the basement I'd go. I can still feel that big whistle in my chest, and hear those purges opening and closing out by Bush Library.

Thank you for this tour. Glad to see 4014 is doing well, and I hope it is the same for 844 and the other residents.

A huge shout out to the steam shop folks! I got to visit when I was, probably 6 or 7 years old, getting to see Challenger the day before a run, that was the day that solidified my love not just for trains in general or steam trains, but for machining and metalworking too. You guys are genuinely the best, and thank you for the virtual tour!

When I first heard that Ed and the team we’re going to restore a Big Boy to operating condition, my first thought was, ‘Good luck with that’. When I visited the UP Steam Shop at Cheyenne Depot Days in May 2018 and saw the extraordinary quality of the work being performed on 4014, I started to think that this was really happening. A Big Boy was really going to operate again. Although I haven’t had the opportunity to get back to Cheyenne since then (it’s a long way from Australia and I’m not in great health), seeing the mountains of high quality video footage of 4014 operating has warmed the cockles of my heart. Ed, you’ve made this old guy’s childhood dream come true. I just hope I get the chance to see 4014 operating up close and personal before I leave this mortal coil.

Thank you UP for bringing Big Boy 4014 back to the rails for the public to enjoy. And this documentary type video is appreciated. Looking forward to 4014 being on tour again

My next trip to the USA includes seeing the 'Big Boy' under steam and buying tickets to ride it as well. This is seeing some of the finest engineering of the last century living and breathing.

I love the little touches, the little protective socks for the cut threads, that is really neat. it's those subtle touches that really makes a restoration come out as well as as they do

Great video!! A monumental job performed expertly by the Cheyenne shop workers...thank you for your time and effort to bring back the beauty of a steam locomotive!!! And thank you UP for your dollar and time commitment to get this job done!!!

Just amazed at the heavy work that it takes to keep these machines up, thank you for the work you do. Love the 4014!

I work in a old train repair yard. Our building is the last one standing. We build huge 53ft trailers. The history of the building alone.... i also love the Big Boy!

Beautiful machine shop beautiful place. Good on you UP.

Ed, you exhibit the Pride in your work and Love in what you do. You are right about the intimacy of knowledge that comes from rebuilding something from scratch. That is how someone learns and gains knowledge that will never be forgotten. Thank You for sharing your time and giving everyone the gift of your Love for Steam Locomotives.

The capabilities of the steam shop are impressive and it is also good to know that UP value the engineering skills and training of staff to keep this sort of work and steam program going. Ed puts it all very eloquently, he's a real asset to steam preservation!

Great video! It put a smile on my face and a nostalgic tear in my eye. The craftsmanship and professional pride, both then AND now is obvious. Thank you.

I dont know anything about mechanical stuff, but I do know this Ed guy is worth every dollar.

Outstanding Tour! As a Machinist and Toolmaker, I've now seen The Shop were Dreams are made Real! Wow, Thanks for all Your Efforts! Got to see Big Boy 4014 on His Grand Tour of 2019, in Merrillan, WI. Absolutely Breathtaking!

Very enjoyable. The moderator is knowledgeable and you knows he is a hands on person

Glad I watched. It took a minute but this man was the main engineer when 4014 went through last year. Stopped in Kit Carson, with a following of more people than lived in town.

Great tour . The engineering and craftsmanship is incredible. Glad to see U P committed to this program.

Seeing the 4014 get steamed up for the first time in so long is a dream of mine. When a Steam Loco gets it’s firing, it’s like breathing life into a sleeping giant (which it is). PLEASE LIVE STREAM IT, UNION PACIFIC!

Nice job Ed. You are a treasure. Thanks Ed and U.P for preserving these steam locomotives. I had the chance to see Ed and the Big Boy in Altoona wisconsin. i had tears in my eyes. Im a huge steam fan. I have 21 locomotives on my ho scale layout. Most are steam. Yes i have a Big Boy #4001 on the layout too. God bless Ed and the union pacific Railroad.

Thanks so much for this......much appreciated. Please note though, there are those of us who have no use for facebook and other social media. Please, when you can, keep the emailed info coming. Best wishes to all involved!

Great overview! Wish I could visit in person. Hopefully some time soon. Glad to see that work is ongoing (never ending) and that no hands are sitting idle.

Thank you for the great video, and thank you UP for not only keeping steam locos alive, but in top condition!

Hats off to the UP for all of the work involved in keeping history like this alive, I've only seen one Big Boy, 4012 in Steamtown NP in Scranton PA,sad to say but when I saw her she was in poor shape, such a nice show !!

Thank you Ed! I get chocked up just looking at Big Boy! My Dad worked for the WP during WWII and I got to ride in a lot of steam engines. Hopefully you bring these impressive machines to Eugene or Portland, OR one day so I can get up close with them and hear them again!👍✌️😊🙏🏼🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂

My son and I got to meet Ed just a few days ago at Parsons, KS. The whole crew and U.P. employees were awesome. I guess that Big Boy rubbed off on them. Now to travel to Cheyenne when they have open tours! Thanks Dean for the pins! I'll wear them with pride!

GREAT video. The host did an awesome job of covering so much information in an easy to understand way. . . Kudos to all the volunteers who lovingly worked on the project and to Union Pacific for sponsoring such a big restoration and for it's commitment to preserving history.

Great video. A shop manager that know his craft and how to keep his staff happy. Having experience as a Navy Machinist Mate operating a 1200 LB main prolusion on a destroyer I know how dangerous steam systems can be. The quality of the work being done and the quality of the shop are amazing. Quality Video.

Nice video and I am always astounded that these were designed by hundreds of people all sitting at desks and drafting tables using brain power and pencils to create something like this from scratch. No Computers, No Cad Design and originally no CNC equipment. Amazing. PS my father was a Draftsman at Sandia National Labs before Cad.

I'm so impressed with various trades knowledge and professional knowledge that are involved with designing and rebuilding a steam locomotive. Ed, you are well versed in so much of what it takes to make this happen. Hats off!

How unbelievably complex. Thanks to UP for supporting this program.

Great shop tour , keep up the good work on the steamers . Great to see them running and working again. Most people don't know what it is like to see one running or ride in the cab going down the track . There were built to run 100 plus years with good care and rebuilding. Great PR for the Railroad .

A large steam work of art !!! Thanks for this great video. !!!

UPRR retired conductor here. Thank you Ed and team.

Thank you for taking the time to make this every interesting and educational video. It goes a better understanding of the effort put into bringing the Big Boy back to llife and the craftsmanship and dedication that went into it.