Union Pacific has begun restoration process by reaquiring a Big Boy (4-8-8-4), #4014 that has been in Pomona Ca since 1961

Photo by Chris Stark who drove his 1941 Cadillac down to the Pomona fairgrounds (Wally Park Museum/Grand National Roadster Show/LA Roadster show location)  to take this photo of his car with a Big Boy locomotive.... a rare opportunity. Both were made in 1941

They have to move the locomotive about 5,000 feet to join a live Metrolink track, and that will necessitate a few back-and-forth movements to get it aligned with the live track. As of today it has been moved about 1,500 feet. The wheels and bearings have already been inspected, so the first thing UP will do is move it to the Colton yard and put it over a pit to examine everything in detail.

No. 4014 will be restored to operating condition by Union Pacific’s Cheyenne, Wyo.-based Heritage Fleet Operations within the next five years. 4014 will join UP’s two other famous steam locomotives—4-6-6-4 Challenger 3985 and 4-8-4 Northern 844—in excursion service when her restoration is completed. She will become the world’s largest operational steam locomotive.

In July 2013, UP announced that it had reached an agreement with the Southern California Chapter of the Railway &  Locomotive Historical Society in Pomona, Calif., to transfer ownership of 4014 back to UP. The railroad will relocate 4014 to Cheyenne, where the Heritage Fleet Operations team will begin restoration, including a fuel conversion to No. 5 oil

Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific by the American Locomotive Company (Alco) between 1941 and 1944

The Big Boys were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds (engine and tender) in working order.
4014’s 14-wheel tender can hold 24,000 gallons of water and 28 tons (56,000 pounds) of coal.

UP donated eight Big Boys for public display to several U.S. cities—Pomona; St. Louis, Mo. (No. 4006, Museum of Transportation); Dallas, Tex. (No. 4018, Museum of the American Railroad); Omaha, Neb. (No. 4023, Kenefick Park); Denver, Colo. (No. 4005, Forney Transportation Museum); Scranton, Pa. (No. 4012, Steamtown National Historic Site); Green Bay, Wis. (No. 4017, National Railroad Museum); and Cheyenne (No. 4004, Holliday Park) http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/mechanical/locomotives/up-a-return-to-steam-for-big-boy-4014.html?channel=

Related product you might see: