This is the collaboration we’ve all been waiting for! Hats off to Union Pacific and Mr. Ed Dickens for hosting Jay. This is genius marketing across the board.
This is seriously the highlight of the year on Jay's channel. I think about the 1940's steam trains all the time, they are one of the most special Human creations. Considering that the Union Pacific #844 built in 1944, could go 110 mph with steam, in the 1940's! That's simply mind boggling. The engineering masterpieces of America (and the world) need to be preserved, and there's nothing more special than "Big Boy 4014."
No railfan seriously dreamed a Big Boy would ever be restored before UP announced they would do it. It was like a phoenix rising from the ashes, or a silent, mostly forgotten museum.
It is a bit sad that they could not restore it to run on coil as it was originally made, but if they did, the thing could be only started like every five years as every run of it would register as a volcano eruption.
4014 went over the Rio Grande in my hometown✨ Now if we can just persuade UP to bring back one of only two remaining GTELs @ 10,000hp and weighed 850,000 lbs!
I think they cant is a national treasure, its so iconic that is propbaly protected to if it goes out of business it will be send to a museom or something
This has got to be the best video of all time. Jay has done cars, trucks, farm tractors, and now the world’s largest operating steam locomotive. A beautiful machine.
I'm a retired machinist from las vegas nv and I worked on Big Boy in the 80's when only the president of Union Pacific would drive Big Boy, he didn't allow any one to touch it so I was honored to get in the grease pit to put in the grease bags in the boxes. At the time they wanted to turn Big Boy around so it could go back north. While running it around the Y it came of the rails and I was assigned to stand guard all night so no one and I mean no one would touch her. When a steam engine is at rest she seems to be alive by the way the steam is releasted it was a great thing to experience. I'm 83 and loved every minute working for the Union Pacific.
Geez, what a pleasure to hear a person asked very technical questions, and have answers instantly and competently. What a great episode of JLG! Thanks Jay and crew!
At 57:00, the computer breaks down, even though the train is running great. The modern "added" computers get a glitch. haha. Wow. And yes, the engineer and manager of the project, Ed Dickens, he is the smartest guy on Earth. WOW.
@@jjsrt8 Sure but when somebody says he's giving technical answers when he literally avoids technical answers it's just a bit stupid. I don't mind his answers, I find it a bit strange he seemed to avoid the max weight as if it was some kind of secret or something, but whatever. I'm just pointing out that this guys comment seems objectively wrong, at least so far anyway. I've yet to watch the rest so we'll see if he gets more technical.
absolutely, not to make this political but if americans realized how much the usa was built on trains, they'd have trans continental high speed rail in a few years
@@hoodio no. Freight and passenger service are two very different things. Rail freight is very efficient and profitable, but passenger service can't compete with cheap airline tickets over the long distances in North America. The only reasons we have any long-distance passenger service are tourism and nostalgia. A high-speed passenger networt would require obtaining new rights of way and building new tracks at great expense, and would still be much slower than taking a plane between states. It couldn't be profitable, which is why nobody has built it.
@@duanem.1567 The Boston to DC region is still has a big commuter line & would almost certainly get even more traffic if it was higher speed. Commuter trains are common all over the world too that also have lots of air traffic. There is no special magical reason why they wouldn't be successful here, esp on the East Coast & California.
I agree. That is as big as a suburb and are more complicated than a Rolex. If you fight what brought us up to this point, you are a child that did fu..ck all for yourself but spending Daddys money. Some things are great and some people are even greater. Jay, stop beating on Germans. Most Germans really love the USA.
@willemp6432 most Americans really love Germany, over 41 million of us have German ancestry, the two countries are cousins. It's not meant to be taken seriously, more playful ribbing. Leno has many German cars in his collection and adores them all as he does his American machinery
My Dad was a stoker on Pacific Class locomotives during WW2. He wanted a smart TV to watch Steam on RUclips but unfortunately passed before he got one. I hope someone else's Dad is enjoying this on his behalf. Thanks, Jay.
my grandpa served in nam before eventually working for lockheed working on everything from missiles to ejection seats and had a similar idea, now he watches this channel and other mechanical based shows ect. if anything id bet your father and my grand father would have been good friends bonding over machines and their inner workings. now he sits on the couch retired with his bluetooth head phones watching shows like this. God bless
@@mikemclaughlin1268 My dad would have been right there with your grandpa and his dad. My dad liked working on motors. He knew printing presses inside out, and he loved trains maybe more than all of them.
@@williambarry8015 He's a very knowledgeable and super passionate man. He's a great people person and Union Pacific would be half the company they are without him running the steam program.
Remember that Abraham Lincoln was, prior to being a politician, a railroad lawyer specializing in Eminent Domain land "procurement". He knew the game and no doubt the players who then backed him. With California and Nevada mines yielding unprecedented wealth connecting to it was a priority. The Civil War had been coming for over a decade so the "Northern Route" was chosen to secure that capital. To Lincoln's credit he also knew how the Transcontinental project could be gamed to create local monopolies. A standard trick was to have unique gauges forcing freight to play at each gauge change just for effectively right of passage. The train equivalent of a toll road if you will. Lincoln mandated a single gauge for all Federally funded tracking - eliminating that underhanded maneuver.
They have an honest personality. They talk to you when they want something or if something's wrong. They can be ornery, but when they are happy and cared for and running right, they will sing.
Ed is extremely knowledgeable. He speaks about the Big Boys extensively in videos about their history and the 4014’s restoration. I’ve never heard him make an inaccurate statement about the locomotive.
To think that this was something done by men without university degrees 80 years ago. It makes me feel really, really small in comparison. My grandfather was a car mechanic, but he worked in a shop where steam and diesel locomotives were also serviced, and he wrenched on them regularly. He could recite every single part of all them by heart, even if you waked him up in the dead of night after the New Year's Eve party. Ed is a treasure.
@@razvancalin6453 The designers of the Big Boy were degreed engineers. Otto Jabelmann was the UP’s Chief Mechanical Officer and has been called the father of the Big Boys. Jabelmann received his engineering education at Stanford and the University of Michigan. Alfred Bruce was the Designing Engineer of the American Locomotive Company. Bruce graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.
@@turdferguson4124 I was referring to the men operating them on the track, the mechanics, not to the designers. Of course the team of designers were highly qualified engineers, but it came down to regular folk that underwent rigorous apprenticeships to safely run and maintain these wonderful machines.
3 месяца назад+376
When she tours around the country people come by the hundreds if not thousands to see her...Rock Star Status
This is what the internet is for. Easily the best thing I've seen on RUclips in a while. I literally got chills when the fast freight overtook them. Nice.
My wife's grandfather worked on these engines in the 40's and 50's in Green River Wy. He saw a a picture of this one in my office. 'Dust' got in his eyes. He told us a few stories about those times. Thanks Jay, Ed and UP crew.
My Grandfather worked on these engines too- he worked in ALCO- Schenectady, where Big Boy, and then the Sherman tanks were produced. That 'dust' is hereditary, damn it!
I chased 4014 out of St Louis. It’s one thing to look at videos of her. It’s a completely new experience to see her move. The feel of the ground shaking as she passes, the volume of the whistle, the shear size of her; there’s just nothing like it. I cannot stress enough: if you can see 4014 in person, do it.
My dad and I caught up with it in Ironton and followed it to the Bluff. First time ever chasing a train. But what a phenomenal experience! Seeing the one in the Transportation Museum in Kirkwood and seeing it actually underway are two totally different experiences and I cannot wait to do it again.
I chased it twice once from cozad Nebraska to north platte for rail days in 2019 then in 2021 I did a 3 day chase from Prescott Arkansas to north Little Rock then from there to popular bluff Missouri then from there to St. Louis
My son and I stood on the footplate of the Big Boy back in 2000 in Pomona and at the time, we thought that we would never see it running. Congratulations to the restoration team in Union Pacific for a magnificent job and to Jay Leno for showcasing a legend of steam.
As a Brit US railroads are impressive. We pulled over to watch one of those long trains pass by out in the desert. The driver blew the horn and we waved, well impressed. I like how Americans are proud of what they achieved, in UK it's beaten out of us....
@@rdallas81 Yes, but America eventually surpassed Britain's technical achievements and went to the moon.. while Britain slowly collapsed after its defeat in WW2..
@@sandervanderkammen9230Britain was overtaken by larger powers but it’s certainly incorrect to say it collapsed. They fought the Germany, a larger country than their own, on their doorstep in a way Americans can’t imagine going back to 1812. And don’t forget so much German know how it took to get the moon.
@ednicholson7839 You seem unfamiliar with British wartime history, are you unaware of the Second Tizard Mission or the Anglo-American bailout loan agreement? Britain was forced to surrender its autonomy and overseas colonies, it suffered two complete financial collapses and the Bank of England failed in 1946. The UK became a US protectorate and territory in September 1940, and was a US possession from 1946 to 2006. Are you unfamiliar with the british term "special relationship" with America. 20,000 US military personnel still occupy the UK today..
@@sandervanderkammen9230 Think Britain had a lot of shares in US companies, many sold to finance the war effort. Would be no surprise that the US reveled in the predicament UK found itself in at start of the war. Way to break the Empire.
Jay is a national treasure, idk what we are going to do when he is gone. He will absolutely be missed and I’m glad I’m hear right now to be able to still see Jay and his automotive videos!
What an absolute treasure of a machine. I’m so grateful for those who not only restored and rebuilt this, but those who preserved all the blueprints to aid with the restoration. What a great episode.
In 1996 a 12,000 ton freight train was being pulled by three modern diesel locomotives up a hill in Wyoming. One of the locomotives broke down and the train stalled on the track, blocking it. An old steam locomotive was behind and offered to push the stalled train over the mountain. The dispatcher doubted it, and the engineer said “how do you think we used to get over these mountains”. The steam locomotive hooked up and pushed the freight over the mountains. Not the most efficient, but these old steam engines had POWEr!
There's a beautiful clip of UP 3985, 4014's weaker cousin, absolutely flying up a grade with a train of 143 double stacked container cars in the 80s. That high speed torque is unmatched
@@manfail7469 I don't know if I would use the term "weaker"; yes, not as much tractive effort as the Big Boy, but still powerful in her own right, and a magnificent machine.
Imagine seeing this driving down the street in your small midwestern town and telling your wife at dinner “I think I saw Jay Leno driving a giant steam engine today coming home from work.” She’d have you put on a 72hr psychiatric hold.
From France: This big boy was rebuilt by a Big Team. Congrats to all of you who participate into this restoration. Thumb Up for the engineers who conceived this crazy steam wild animal. It is so beautifull and relaxing seing this beast beating easily the new technology and coming from 1941!. Thanks to the video Jay, it was a pleasure to follow you in this steam trip.
You don't know how much I appreciate this episode, Jay! I'm Aussie. I grew up in a suburb called Cardiff, in Newcastle New South Wales. When I was a preschooler, my parents and my baby brother and I lived with my maternal grandparents. My grandfather was a boilermaker who worked at the Cardiff Railway Workshops. In 1937-38, he built the boiler for the steam locomotive 3801. During the build, there was an accident where he saved a young apprentice from being crushed by the boiler, and sustained a serious leg injury. He always had a limp afterwards. However, the 3801 became the iconic steam locomotive that for more than thirty years pulled the "Sydney to Newcastle Flyer" twice a day. When I was very young he would take me down to the nearby railway bridge to watch the steam trains go past, and while I was growing up I was always proud to see my grandfather's engine go past. Like what happened with "4014", the 3801 was restored to its original green and black livery, and still operates sometimes, especially during "Steamfest". My grandfather passed away in 1980, but the amazing machine he helped create still runs. These days I live in Cagayan de Oro City Mindanao Philippines, and unfortunately there are no trains. There are many other advantages, though. Again, thank you so much for this video!
@@MamaLassie I sure do. He was gone too soon. He was born in 1910, so he was 70 when he died. I'll be 68 in December this year. I've always enjoyed travelling by rail. Each day I was in high school, I travelled by train, and I saw the change from steam to diesel locomotives. For a long time now, that railway line has been electrified. I was back in Australia for nine months last year, and I made sure to ride the trains a few times. All the memories come flooding back.
4014 spent over 60 years at the RailGiants train museum in Pomona before Union Pacific began the restoration. Museum staff were sad to see their biggest attraction depart, but glad that it would be operating again. In October 2019, U.P. did a special fundraiser for RailGiants, with a pair of passenger excursions between West Colton and Barstow. Those tickets were not cheap, but riding behind Big Boy up Cajon Pass…PRICELESS!
My wife and I rode behind the double header 4014 and 844 on 12 May 2019 from Ogden UT to Evanston WY on the trains return to Cheyenne after the Golden Spike ceremony in Ogden. This was over the tracks that the Big Boy's were designed to run on and spent most of their life on. Double heading with 844 may never happen again. Tickets were not cheap either. We had coach seats in the dome car Challenger, They were $3000 each. Dome seats were $5000 but sold out in about an hour. I believe the RailGiants seats were considerably cheaper (coach seats in the $750 range). Price doesn't matter, the experience dose. Riding behind 4014 and double heading with 844 on 4014's native tracks on it's first excursion is indeed priceless. That trip will never happen again.
I visited Big Boy at Rail Giants for from the late 70"s up until it left, was sad when it did but was stoked to see it when it came back steaming thought the Cajon Pass for atop Hill 582!
This episode is 5 stars +. Just over an hour long and so well worth it. Mr. Leno who would have thought you could do any better than before. This episode is absolutely fantastic. ❤️👏👍💯🔥
This 53 year old kid is loving this. Thanks Jay. The folk who keep these running deserve a lot of credit. I am so happy I was able to take my dad to see the Norfolk & Western Class J 611 at Strasburg PA before he passed away. It was a wonderful experience for us both.
My condolences to you and your family for the loss of your father. As a lifelong railroad nut, though, I was very fortunate to have seen this locomotive (and the #844 mentioned by Ed) about five years ago, and also saw #611 at Strasburg that same year. I've visited the Strasburg Railroad numerous times (my maternal grandmother lived in Lancaster County), and credit it, as well as a certain blue tank engine, with instilling a deep passion for trains and railroads within me.
I'm glad UP decided to collaborate with Jay for this installment. Ed was gracious to work with Jay, who is always used to being the center of attention. That having been said, I have enjoyed countless editions of Jay Leno's Garage.
You got that right big boy is the locomotive that won World War II. He hauled the goods and when WWII was over he called freight over Sherman Hill until the Dash 9 put him out to pasture in the 50s. Irony is the same locomotives that put him out to pasture they brought him home. Now Big Boy is restored and he will continue to tell his stories of The Glory Days of the track. Everyone knows Big Boy this locomotive is a legend wherever he goes.
I smiled through this entire video. You got to do what all of us can only dream about. I’ve known about the “Big Boys” for probably 20 years and watching you experience all of it was such a joy. That’s why we all love Jay Leno!
This segment brought back a lot of memories. I'm 74 years old and I grew up right next to the train tracks in Virginia. No matter how many times the train went by, I always stopped and watched it. The steam engine was majestic in its looks and mesmerizing in its power. We had a train depot in our little town and the station master would hang the mail pouch on a pole by the tracks and when the train came by one of the guys on the train would reach out with a hooked pole and grab it. They also had side tracks where they would put camp cars for the men who worked on the railway bed. Among the camp cars was a cooking car staffed by a cook and his assistant. Man, could they cook. They made everything from scratch. I still remember eating cabbage and corn bread with them once. And this is not well known, but sometimes the steam engine would catch the dry grass beside the train tracks on fire. That's how they kept the grass back from the tracks. I guess I was about 9 years old when I saw my first diesel engine. However, they didn't command the same amount of attention that the steam engines did. I still miss seeing those majestic steam engines.
I remember that 1956 our family moved from Waco, Texas, to Flint, Michigan. My Dad worked for Buick and was transferred there. That was the first time I rode on a train. I was on the side of the tracks with Mom holding my hand while we were waiting for the Santa Fe to arrive at the station. I saw that yellow and red monster locomotive rumbling in and was petrified. I don't remember much more except being told not to flush the toilet until you got off. This is a fantastic, tech-filled video. And one of the best that Jay's production company has put out. Considering all of the great videos that have come from them.
Thank you Jay for this change of pace. As a boy I used to gawk at this engine at the LA County fairgrounds. At college age used to take the City of Los Angeles from LA Union Station to Chicago, spending most of the trip in the dome car watching the train racing through the midwest, and hanging out with other college bound students. This fostered a lifelong love of trains. So thank you for your part in keeping the steam age alive.
As a kid who grew up playing with cast metal Lionel trains (now 60yrs old) it was so special to share that experience with you Jay. Thank you for airing this. Simply brilliant!
Big Boy was a huge part of the greatest generation…It was also a huge part of us winning WW-2…It was really the movement of all the equipment and people during the war…plus bringing all those folks home to their families 👍🏻🤩🤔🧐🥰☝🏻🥹😀
Loved this episode. I was on a motorcycle trip across the country and ran into big boy in Iowa. I chased it for a while. Riding parallel to that beast on my Harley across the corn fields of Iowa was one of those great moments I will always remember.
I saw her on her maiden trip after the major rebuild. She didn’t disappoint. Steam engines seem alive to me. Thank you UP keeping these beautiful steam engines alive.
the should never stop running this engine. its an antique and a beauty. putting it on a pedestal or a museum would be an insult to this marble of engineering.
That's why Ed restored it. Also Big Boy's brother #3985 will be restored they are not going to mount him. #5511 will also be restored. #6936 the locomotive that replaced both of the steam locomotives have been restored and RRHMA is using it on trains.
Jay, you are the luckiest man alive. One of my sons and I saw the Big Boy up close in St Louis a few years ago. Holy cow wow. It is ginormous. You and I are close in age, 75 and I could relate to a lot of your memories. Thanks alot for taking us along on a trip of a lifetime. Bob
Jay, I’m so glad you were afforded the opportunity to take a ride on the Big Boy and given the “Grand Tour”! Thanks to Ed and UP for doing this. What a wonderful experience to see Jay take part in. ❤
I walked through this thing as a a kid and adult at the L.A. fairgrounds where it sat for 40 years or so. I happened to climb aboard during the tear down for travel to WY. It was awesome. I bought a hat to support the task. So cool to see it up and running. What a beautiful machine, and awesome history. Thank you Jay. Be safe!
I was a Boiler Tech in the US Navy from 75 to 80, mainly worked on the Automatic Combustion Control systems. I found this to be very interesting, thanks Jay!
@@seadog686Yeah, it'd be cool to see him crawl around the boilers and engines of one of the Iowa class battleships. Too bad they are all permanently docked.
Jay Leno is a national treasure. Alot of collectors know alot about the specific item they collect. Jay knows everything about everything. He literally has 100's of vehicles, planes, motorcycles and he knows super rare details and remembers things about them that most don't. He is so awesome and is truly someone to look up to. Thank you Jay! Love the 4014 have watched hours of videos, maybe one day I will be able to see it in person.
I'm a 78 year old senior who was brought up in Toronto Canada. In the early 1950's my mother used to take me to a bridge on Spadina Ave and we could see the railroad yard back to Union Station. Diesels were just starting to make their appearance. But most of the engines were still steam. I don't know what kind they were, but can still remember how impressed we were by them. And I'm still impressed by some I still see in displays all over Canada and USA. They are a big part of our history and have yet to see a diesel engine that can beat the beauty of a steam engine.
Deepest gratitude to you Jay, Ed Dickens, and the Union Pacific Railroad for your collaborative foresight to feature such an incredible feat of engineering.
That smile at the very end where Jay is looking at the engine is priceless. His eyes lit up, just like a youngin. I love it!! Awesome Jay. So glad you got to see it.
Over the last few months I have watched a few you tubes of Big Boy. Glad to see this get real exposure by Jay. This is American heritage that must be known and preserved.
Just had to add a note here that I am surprised they didn't mention it this video. The main reason for building the "Big Boy" engine was to facilitate getting the trains, especially the war trains, up and over the long, steep grades of the Wasatch Front mountains going out of Ogden, Utah. It required the huge amount of horsepower the Big Boy could muster.
As a massive car enthusiast , I just saw the Santa Fe 3751 steam engine running for the first time seeing steam engine alive , and there is NOTHING like a steam train. So glad Jay did this video !!
Seeing the 4014 on video does it no Justice on just how impressive this thing is you really have to see it in person and feel the power of it when it goes by!
I had an opportunity in Ames, IA to see this locomotive and train in person. You said it buck, IMPRESSIVE! Standing close to the engine when the whistle blows, the air it moves makes your lungs tremble! It's loud but the air vibrations let you feel the whistle instead of making you deaf (although too much too often will steal your hearing). So yes, impressive is the word. When 4014 speaks you feel it! lol
This was so cool. I’ve always loved trains. Thanks Jay Leno !!! I loved watching this Episode. Thank you for makin it happen. I wish I could see it in person. I’m gonna have to try. I’ve been on a coal steam locomotive in Chama, NM. I’d really enjoy seeing the BigBoy though. Happy new year Jay !!!!
My grandfather, Edward Alvin Brumley, worked on the Illinois Central RR for 50 years, from 1905 to 1955, as an Engineer and Conductor. All steam engines. My father, William W. Brumley, was a fireman briefly after WWII. I’ve been to Council Bluffs Iowa many times and I’m surprised you did not mention the Big Boy 4023 that is on display as you come across the bridge into Omaha Nebraska. Excellent Video!
Big Boy (which I learned is a female) was in North Texas this past week. What an honor to see her and all the people that came to witness her grandeur. People literally camped out to catch a glimpse, and I'm glad I got to see her up close at the T&P Station. I hope she gets to make the journey again one day!
That was amazing. I followed Ed Dickinson through the restoration process. His ability to go through in detail of parts being restored from engineneering drawings to the remanufacting processes was very educational. With his guidance and team of Union Pacifics experts they did the impossible. Resurrecting the largest steam locomotive on the planet. Thank you Union Pacific. I thank Jay Leno and his camera crew and editors for a great interview. Jay and Ed comparing steam cars to steam locomotives operating mechanics. That was Interesting. Thank you for sharing . Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
The roundhouse where they rebuilt this train is here in my hometown Cheyenne WY. It's so cool to see it out on the tracks when it leaves in the summer! My mom pulled my kids out of school to see it arrive for its restoration. It was a big deal! Jay should do a 2nd video at the roundhouse here in Cheyenne. It's the only one in the country with the abilities to restore it.
I still remember watching the video of the 4014's horn come alive the first time since 1959 last time it was in service. I still go back and watch the video once in awhile.
I have two things to say; 1) How do you get a job like this guy has? 2) I think Jay has made it his life's mission to do everything on every gear head's bucket list. That's one of the reasons we love him.
When I was in the 3rd grade our class rode the last passenger train on the NYC down Eastern IL and it was steam-powered. It cost a dime to go 15 miles to the next station. At our little town, the station master had to telegraph a message prior to the train reaching his station that there were passengers waiting to board. Our class had several poor kids who were upset that their parents could not give them a dime. They got a dime from the teacher prior to paying for their ticket. We had 2 overhead bridges that were about 2 blocks apart. We used to sit on our bikes at the station bridge and get blasted by the smoke and ashes then ride like hell to make it to the other bridge so we would get blasted again. It was a great treat when the engineer would start blowing the whistle (not a horn) for the crossing ahead. Even today in my advanced age I see videos of steam engines and remember the smell of the coal-fired engines we enjoyed and the soot spots we got. Our town station went away not long after because no passenger trains and freight was picked up or dropped off at the larger towns 15 miles north and 15 miles south that had tracks of rail lines that crossed. Today, the rails through my hometown are gone.
Yes, the passenger trains used to run from Bethlehem, PA (my hometown yrs ago) to Philly, and I did get to make that trip once before it was discontinued. Unfortunately I was actually too young to consciously remember. I do think my unconscious memory recorded it and gave me my love of trains ❤.
Just amazing. I would love to be able to send my father to see this locamotive, he remembers riding steam engines on the UK network and got the opportunity to drive a steam train on his 60th birthday. What a beast!
Fun fact: steam locomotives have a constant torque but can verify their horsepower. So if it can get started then it can pull the train. Whereas the diesel locomotives have a constant horsepower but the torque varies. Diesel may not be able to pull a train they can get started. This is why one Big Boy can pull the same amount as 3 diesel locomotives and still go 80mph.
My Grandfather worked on these beasts.. He would take me into the round house in Laramie where they work on these engines. It always amazed me how big these babies were. I was so happy to see them restore this grand old lady to her magnificent status. It brought back lots of childhood memories.
Ed is a great historian and caretaker for this spectacular piece of machinery, Jay was very lucky to have been able to partake in this ride along, and thanks for taking us with you😀🇺🇸🇺🇸
What an extraordinary beast of a machine. It manages to be huge and exquisite at the same time. And to be shown round the Ed, who is THE guy, what a treat. And Jay, literally the best guy in the world to present this. An absolute audio and visual treat that I will re watch many times. Thank you Jay and team for this beautiful production.
From a bygone era. Union Pacific's commitment to restoring the Big Boy is incredible. The knowledge that Ed has speaks to that commitment and passing on the skills to continue operation is another part of that. I loved episode and I thoroughly enjoyed, ranks as one of my favorites. Thank you, Jay, for taking us along on this adventure.
Mr Leno. In Portland, Every holiday season, the 4449 and 700 have been brought out and ran along a stretch of track on the east side of the Willamette River. One year I was on a bicycle ride and used the bike path along the tracks. Both the 4449 and 700 were parked on the track end to end. Whenever these locomotives are used, the volunteers and crowd are almost giddy with joy. But i noticed that the crowd spirit was little down. A volunteer walked up and pointed out that The track had failed, and the drivers on one of the locomotives, was on the ground. Portland loves it's historic steam locomotives and museum. Mr Leno, come and see these things. They are half a Big Boy.
This is the collaboration we’ve all been waiting for! Hats off to Union Pacific and Mr. Ed Dickens for hosting Jay. This is genius marketing across the board.
This is seriously the highlight of the year on Jay's channel. I think about the 1940's steam trains all the time, they are one of the most special Human creations. Considering that the Union Pacific #844 built in 1944, could go 110 mph with steam, in the 1940's! That's simply mind boggling. The engineering masterpieces of America (and the world) need to be preserved, and there's nothing more special than "Big Boy 4014."
There was a delay in block production, so they couldn't host Jay Leno until now!!!!
I dont know when the timelines got crossed or what multiverse I ended up in but im all for this
Now that's some horsepower
@@hellocollegejason198 The Big Boy does not put out 7000 HP. That is a PR stunt fabricated by Ed.
Everytime I think you've run out of steam Jay you go and prove me wrong.
At 74 Jay sure can climb big boys ladder like nothing. Jay is such a treasure ❤ Never stop Jay ❤
This time literally considering it's a steam train 😂
Love Jay and his enthusiasm, but his age is beggining to show.
I see what ya did there😂
Isn't that h o w Howe Jay Leno got burned at one time??
This is my new favourite episode of Jay Lenos Garage.
Same, of all time
Jay makes a lot of good shows. Keeps getting better!
Weirdly YES. My fav for all recently recorded vid
Doug demuro F1. Was just knocked down #2
I would be find if he just showed trains now
This is the only one I watched 😂 I am not into autos, but love trains!
Thank you union Pacific for not destroying the big boy
он невероятно огромный, 99% паровозов меньше этого
No railfan seriously dreamed a Big Boy would ever be restored before UP announced they would do it. It was like a phoenix rising from the ashes, or a silent, mostly forgotten museum.
It is a bit sad that they could not restore it to run on coil as it was originally made, but if they did, the thing could be only started like every five years as every run of it would register as a volcano eruption.
4014 went over the Rio Grande in my hometown✨
Now if we can just persuade UP to bring back one of only two remaining GTELs @ 10,000hp and weighed 850,000 lbs!
I think they cant is a national treasure, its so iconic that is propbaly protected to if it goes out of business it will be send to a museom or something
Can you imagine being in middle of nowhere Missouri, and Big Boy pulls up next to you with Jay Leno in the cab?
...well, is it in the middle of nowhere or in Missouri ???😅😅
@@OrbitalBipbohb You're being redundent.
I was scrolling down to comment this lol Talk about the LAST thing you'd expect on an afternoon stroll.
Would think I was dreaming
@@OrbitalBipbohbwhy not both
This has got to be the best video of all time. Jay has done cars, trucks, farm tractors, and now the world’s largest operating steam locomotive. A beautiful machine.
Jay is a very cluey guy and a great interviewer. Terrific video.
Jay is making trains "cool" again ...
@@burlingtonbill1 Trains were ALWAYS cool. Ain't no "again" about it!
So cool! Cheers to Jay and UP both for making this happen. :)
Hello Hyce
Yo i like ur pfp Hyce
Hyce for the win!
When's the Hyce, Ed, and Jay meet up at the Colorado Museum 😂
I knew you'd be here. Just waiting for your shot at it!
I'm a retired machinist from las vegas nv and I worked on Big Boy in the 80's when only the president of Union Pacific would drive Big Boy, he didn't allow any one to touch it so I was honored to get in the grease pit to put in the grease bags in the boxes. At the time they wanted to turn Big Boy around so it could go back north. While running it around the Y it came of the rails and I was assigned to stand guard all night so no one and I mean no one would touch her. When a steam engine is at rest she seems to be alive by the way the steam is releasted it was a great thing to experience. I'm 83 and loved every minute working for the Union Pacific.
It is A metal dream.
Geez, what a pleasure to hear a person asked very technical questions, and have answers instantly and competently. What a great episode of JLG! Thanks Jay and crew!
Not only is he so technical, he also gets in and helps with his crew, hence his dirty/oil/greasy vest. Absolutely a marvelous person.
At 57:00, the computer breaks down, even though the train is running great. The modern "added" computers get a glitch. haha. Wow. And yes, the engineer and manager of the project, Ed Dickens, he is the smartest guy on Earth. WOW.
10 minutes in and he has only avoided technical questions, he didn't want to say what weight it could tow, he didn't want to say what torque it has.
Its all relative to load and pressure speed @oBCHANo
@@jjsrt8 Sure but when somebody says he's giving technical answers when he literally avoids technical answers it's just a bit stupid. I don't mind his answers, I find it a bit strange he seemed to avoid the max weight as if it was some kind of secret or something, but whatever. I'm just pointing out that this guys comment seems objectively wrong, at least so far anyway. I've yet to watch the rest so we'll see if he gets more technical.
Jay is a true American patriot, he is a real ambassador for the stuff that made America great.
absolutely, not to make this political but if americans realized how much the usa was built on trains, they'd have trans continental high speed rail in a few years
You losers and your misplaced tribalism. Everything is patriot to you losers.
100% we need more Jay Leno's
@@hoodio no. Freight and passenger service are two very different things. Rail freight is very efficient and profitable, but passenger service can't compete with cheap airline tickets over the long distances in North America. The only reasons we have any long-distance passenger service are tourism and nostalgia. A high-speed passenger networt would require obtaining new rights of way and building new tracks at great expense, and would still be much slower than taking a plane between states. It couldn't be profitable, which is why nobody has built it.
@@duanem.1567 The Boston to DC region is still has a big commuter line & would almost certainly get even more traffic if it was higher speed. Commuter trains are common all over the world too that also have lots of air traffic. There is no special magical reason why they wouldn't be successful here, esp on the East Coast & California.
That machine is absolutely gorgeous.
I agree. That is as big as a suburb and are more complicated than a Rolex. If you fight what brought us up to this point, you are a child that did fu..ck all for yourself but spending Daddys money. Some things are great and some people are even greater. Jay, stop beating on Germans. Most Germans really love the USA.
@willemp6432 most Americans really love Germany, over 41 million of us have German ancestry, the two countries are cousins. It's not meant to be taken seriously, more playful ribbing. Leno has many German cars in his collection and adores them all as he does his American machinery
Yes, it was as "efficient" as today's diesel powerd locomotives in US 😊
My Dad was a stoker on Pacific Class locomotives during WW2. He wanted a smart TV to watch Steam on RUclips but unfortunately passed before he got one. I hope someone else's Dad is enjoying this on his behalf. Thanks, Jay.
my grandpa served in nam before eventually working for lockheed working on everything from missiles to ejection seats and had a similar idea, now he watches this channel and other mechanical based shows ect. if anything id bet your father and my grand father would have been good friends bonding over machines and their inner workings. now he sits on the couch retired with his bluetooth head phones watching shows like this. God bless
@@mikemclaughlin1268 My dad would have been right there with your grandpa and his dad. My dad liked working on motors. He knew printing presses inside out, and he loved trains maybe more than all of them.
Ed Dickens is such a treasure.
Seeing these two together really is the collaboration of a lifetime. Vive la Steam!
@@williambarry8015 He's a very knowledgeable and super passionate man. He's a great people person and Union Pacific would be half the company they are without him running the steam program.
Vive
@@equaliser2265 Whoops. Fixed. Thanks for catching that!
He's my Dad. I am so proud of him
@@charlottedickens5312 That's so awesome. You have every reason to be! He has the job everyone wants... * 50!
Remember that Abraham Lincoln was, prior to being a politician, a railroad lawyer specializing in Eminent Domain land "procurement". He knew the game and no doubt the players who then backed him. With California and Nevada mines yielding unprecedented wealth connecting to it was a priority. The Civil War had been coming for over a decade so the "Northern Route" was chosen to secure that capital. To Lincoln's credit he also knew how the Transcontinental project could be gamed to create local monopolies. A standard trick was to have unique gauges forcing freight to play at each gauge change just for effectively right of passage. The train equivalent of a toll road if you will. Lincoln mandated a single gauge for all Federally funded tracking - eliminating that underhanded maneuver.
Gov't interference...not always so bad, is it?
The story is so awesome. I wonder if they could use this train to make a historical TV show like a miniseries or something
I think the Federal requirement for the standard gauge only applied to the original transcontinental line completed in 1869. But I may be wrong
Eminem’s domain?!?!?! 😮 insane how far he’s come as a rapper
@@satisfyyersoul "The land is ready, deed's weak, plans are steady. There's room to build a dam or levee, pier or jetty."
As a retired UP locomotive Machinist, all I can say is OUTSTANDING--Simply OUTSTANDING! Thanks Jay & Ed!
You can tell it’s a labor of love for Ed.
As a carpenter I agree.
Jay has a soft-spot for steam-powered machinery. I can totally understand why, looking at that incredible machine.
Yeah he has a lot of steam cars too
What a beautiful machine
They have an honest personality. They talk to you when they want something or if something's wrong. They can be ornery, but when they are happy and cared for and running right, they will sing.
We all know this will become Jays BIGGEST video on his Garage channel. He's found the ultimate Big Boys Toy
Big toy, Big video. 😁
Not even close, sadly
ed is irreplaceable. he knows every inch of that machine. most impressive that he remembers where every part is and its designation and its function.
Ed is extremely knowledgeable. He speaks about the Big Boys extensively in videos about their history and the 4014’s restoration. I’ve never heard him make an inaccurate statement about the locomotive.
To think that this was something done by men without university degrees 80 years ago. It makes me feel really, really small in comparison. My grandfather was a car mechanic, but he worked in a shop where steam and diesel locomotives were also serviced, and he wrenched on them regularly. He could recite every single part of all them by heart, even if you waked him up in the dead of night after the New Year's Eve party. Ed is a treasure.
@@razvancalin6453 The designers of the Big Boy were degreed engineers. Otto Jabelmann was the UP’s Chief Mechanical Officer and has been called the father of the Big Boys. Jabelmann received his engineering education at Stanford and the University of Michigan. Alfred Bruce was the Designing Engineer of the American Locomotive Company. Bruce graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.
The guy has a superb on camera presence. Impeccable and totally credible.
@@turdferguson4124 I was referring to the men operating them on the track, the mechanics, not to the designers. Of course the team of designers were highly qualified engineers, but it came down to regular folk that underwent rigorous apprenticeships to safely run and maintain these wonderful machines.
When she tours around the country people come by the hundreds if not thousands to see her...Rock Star Status
It went by my house, but I didn't get to see until we drove to the next town. But it was an awesome experience
Truth.
I've seen Big Boy several times . And it never fails to impress me just how big and powerful it is.
She's amazing, saw her when she came thru Mo. the 1st time
Saw it in Brinkley AR last weekend. A tiny town but people came out by the thousands to see Big Boy.
THANK YOU UNION PACIFIC FOR KEEPING HISTORY ALIVE!!!!!
This is what the internet is for. Easily the best thing I've seen on RUclips in a while. I literally got chills when the fast freight overtook them. Nice.
My wife's grandfather worked on these engines in the 40's and 50's in Green River Wy. He saw a a picture of this one in my office. 'Dust' got in his eyes. He told us a few stories about those times. Thanks Jay, Ed and UP crew.
My Grandfather worked on these engines too- he worked in ALCO- Schenectady, where Big Boy, and then the Sherman tanks were produced. That 'dust' is hereditary, damn it!
I blame allergies, not dust...
Great stuff!! Can’t imagine the gold mine of stories! Dust and allergies get you every time 😂. Really meant something to them.
I chased 4014 out of St Louis. It’s one thing to look at videos of her. It’s a completely new experience to see her move. The feel of the ground shaking as she passes, the volume of the whistle, the shear size of her; there’s just nothing like it.
I cannot stress enough: if you can see 4014 in person, do it.
My dad and I caught up with it in Ironton and followed it to the Bluff. First time ever chasing a train. But what a phenomenal experience! Seeing the one in the Transportation Museum in Kirkwood and seeing it actually underway are two totally different experiences and I cannot wait to do it again.
Seeing Big Boy 4014 in person is on my bucket list! I'm retired now and my wife retires in April of 2025 - and we are going to make that happen!
You are absolutely correct. Video does 4014 no justice.
I saw 4014 up close when it stopped in the San Antonio a few years ago. When it was traveling around the country.
I chased it twice once from cozad Nebraska to north platte for rail days in 2019 then in 2021 I did a 3 day chase from Prescott Arkansas to north Little Rock then from there to popular bluff Missouri then from there to St. Louis
My son and I stood on the footplate of the Big Boy back in 2000 in Pomona and at the time, we thought that we would never see it running. Congratulations to the restoration team in Union Pacific for a magnificent job and to Jay Leno for showcasing a legend of steam.
What i love about Jay is he never tries to one up his guests with his knowledge and he asks insightful questions with genuine curiosity. God bless him
Amen for that!
Agree. Total respect towards each other's knowledge but still eager to learn more. This is what makes them outstanding. (From South Africa.)
As a Brit US railroads are impressive. We pulled over to watch one of those long trains pass by out in the desert. The driver blew the horn and we waved, well impressed. I like how Americans are proud of what they achieved, in UK it's beaten out of us....
Nice comment.
But remember, the Brits were the first.
Too many people to list who made epic advances for human kind.
@@rdallas81 Yes, but America eventually surpassed Britain's technical achievements and went to the moon.. while Britain slowly collapsed after its defeat in WW2..
@@sandervanderkammen9230Britain was overtaken by larger powers but it’s certainly incorrect to say it collapsed. They fought the Germany, a larger country than their own, on their doorstep in a way Americans can’t imagine going back to 1812. And don’t forget so much German know how it took to get the moon.
@ednicholson7839 You seem unfamiliar with British wartime history, are you unaware of the Second Tizard Mission or the Anglo-American bailout loan agreement?
Britain was forced to surrender its autonomy and overseas colonies, it suffered two complete financial collapses and the Bank of England failed in 1946.
The UK became a US protectorate and territory in September 1940, and was a US possession from 1946 to 2006.
Are you unfamiliar with the british term "special relationship" with America.
20,000 US military personnel still occupy the UK today..
@@sandervanderkammen9230 Think Britain had a lot of shares in US companies, many sold to finance the war effort. Would be no surprise that the US reveled in the predicament UK found itself in at start of the war. Way to break the Empire.
Jay is a national treasure, idk what we are going to do when he is gone. He will absolutely be missed and I’m glad I’m hear right now to be able to still see Jay and his automotive videos!
Man life will go on with or without anybody
What an absolute treasure of a machine. I’m so grateful for those who not only restored and rebuilt this, but those who preserved all the blueprints to aid with the restoration.
What a great episode.
The most mind-blowing part to me is Jay asking questions related to and comparing / contrasting his steamers. Just unreal.
He been around the engine block……😂
In 1996 a 12,000 ton freight train was being pulled by three modern diesel locomotives up a hill in Wyoming. One of the locomotives broke down and the train stalled on the track, blocking it. An old steam locomotive was behind and offered to push the stalled train over the mountain. The dispatcher doubted it, and the engineer said “how do you think we used to get over these mountains”. The steam locomotive hooked up and pushed the freight over the mountains. Not the most efficient, but these old steam engines had POWEr!
That was UP 844. . .
And 4014 did it a few years ago in Nebraska.
@@centamangila1217 Absolutely.
There's a beautiful clip of UP 3985, 4014's weaker cousin, absolutely flying up a grade with a train of 143 double stacked container cars in the 80s. That high speed torque is unmatched
@@manfail7469 I don't know if I would use the term "weaker"; yes, not as much tractive effort as the Big Boy, but still powerful in her own right, and a magnificent machine.
Imagine seeing this driving down the street in your small midwestern town and telling your wife at dinner “I think I saw Jay Leno driving a giant steam engine today coming home from work.”
She’d have you put on a 72hr psychiatric hold.
If so, she clearly doesn't know Jay Leno.
For someone who has seen this channel before that is a totally normal everyday thing.
From France: This big boy was rebuilt by a Big Team. Congrats to all of you who participate into this restoration. Thumb Up for the engineers who conceived this crazy steam wild animal. It is so beautifull and relaxing seing this beast beating easily the new technology and coming from 1941!. Thanks to the video Jay, it was a pleasure to follow you in this steam trip.
Men and women dedicated to keeping a major part of history alive. Bravo!
Yeah the company doesn’t see it that way.
I had the opportunity to see this monster up close and personal a few weeks ago in Rochelle, IL. Absolutely blown away.
Same here, what an impressive sight. The line of cars was so long I had to walk from the main road to get there but I wouldn’t miss it no matter what.
Same last weekend in Brinkley AR.
You don't know how much I appreciate this episode, Jay! I'm Aussie. I grew up in a suburb called Cardiff, in Newcastle New South Wales. When I was a preschooler, my parents and my baby brother and I lived with my maternal grandparents. My grandfather was a boilermaker who worked at the Cardiff Railway Workshops. In 1937-38, he built the boiler for the steam locomotive 3801. During the build, there was an accident where he saved a young apprentice from being crushed by the boiler, and sustained a serious leg injury. He always had a limp afterwards. However, the 3801 became the iconic steam locomotive that for more than thirty years pulled the "Sydney to Newcastle Flyer" twice a day. When I was very young he would take me down to the nearby railway bridge to watch the steam trains go past, and while I was growing up I was always proud to see my grandfather's engine go past. Like what happened with "4014", the 3801 was restored to its original green and black livery, and still operates sometimes, especially during "Steamfest". My grandfather passed away in 1980, but the amazing machine he helped create still runs. These days I live in Cagayan de Oro City Mindanao Philippines, and unfortunately there are no trains. There are many other advantages, though. Again, thank you so much for this video!
What a remarkable story, wonderful you cherish his memory.
@@MamaLassie I sure do. He was gone too soon. He was born in 1910, so he was 70 when he died. I'll be 68 in December this year. I've always enjoyed travelling by rail. Each day I was in high school, I travelled by train, and I saw the change from steam to diesel locomotives. For a long time now, that railway line has been electrified. I was back in Australia for nine months last year, and I made sure to ride the trains a few times. All the memories come flooding back.
Still a fair few trains worked on in Cardiff
@@trowl42 That's true. However not as many as in the halcyon days of steam. I loved those steam locomotives.
The people that designed and built this massive locomotive must have been very proud of their accomplishment.
To see a Big Boy in person up close and personal is on my bucket list
Saw it last weekend myself!
You'll never forget it
I saw it in Omaha Nebraska right before this episode was filmed in early September as Council Bluffs is right next to Omaha!
Same here. Steamtown is about an hour from me and I can see the one on static but I want the running one.
Its headed towards Ft Worth Tx, hopefully I'll be there to see it.
4014 spent over 60 years at the RailGiants train museum in Pomona before Union Pacific began the restoration. Museum staff were sad to see their biggest attraction depart, but glad that it would be operating again.
In October 2019, U.P. did a special fundraiser for RailGiants, with a pair of passenger excursions between West Colton and Barstow. Those tickets were not cheap, but riding behind Big Boy up Cajon Pass…PRICELESS!
They should steam it on down here because I would love to see it at Pomona station
My wife and I rode behind the double header 4014 and 844 on 12 May 2019 from Ogden UT to Evanston WY on the trains return to Cheyenne after the Golden Spike ceremony in Ogden. This was over the tracks that the Big Boy's were designed to run on and spent most of their life on. Double heading with 844 may never happen again. Tickets were not cheap either. We had coach seats in the dome car Challenger, They were $3000 each. Dome seats were $5000 but sold out in about an hour. I believe the RailGiants seats were considerably cheaper (coach seats in the $750 range). Price doesn't matter, the experience dose. Riding behind 4014 and double heading with 844 on 4014's native tracks on it's first excursion is indeed priceless. That trip will never happen again.
I visited Big Boy at Rail Giants for from the late 70"s up until it left, was sad when it did but was stoked to see it when it came back steaming thought the Cajon Pass for atop Hill 582!
How do you know the schedule of Big Boy ?
@@alexbuck7500Jjust google UP steam schedule. UP has a web page dedicated to that.
This episode is 5 stars +. Just over an hour long and so well worth it. Mr. Leno who would have thought you could do any better than before. This episode is absolutely fantastic. ❤️👏👍💯🔥
Once again, Jay Leno shows himself to be a TRUE AMERICAN TREASURE.
The wealth of knowledge Ed has on this thing is just incredible. I could listen to him talk about this train forever. Jay really knows his stuff too.
This 53 year old kid is loving this. Thanks Jay. The folk who keep these running deserve a lot of credit. I am so happy I was able to take my dad to see the Norfolk & Western Class J 611 at Strasburg PA before he passed away. It was a wonderful experience for us both.
The J is mighty impressive.
A speedster!
The 73 year old is as well!
My condolences to you and your family for the loss of your father. As a lifelong railroad nut, though, I was very fortunate to have seen this locomotive (and the #844 mentioned by Ed) about five years ago, and also saw #611 at Strasburg that same year. I've visited the Strasburg Railroad numerous times (my maternal grandmother lived in Lancaster County), and credit it, as well as a certain blue tank engine, with instilling a deep passion for trains and railroads within me.
I'm glad UP decided to collaborate with Jay for this installment. Ed was gracious to work with Jay, who is always used to being the center of attention. That having been said, I have enjoyed countless editions of Jay Leno's Garage.
One of the greatest over engineered and ALL American powerhouses of industrial freedom.
And to think, it was all done with pencil, paper and a slide rule.
You got that right big boy is the locomotive that won World War II. He hauled the goods and when WWII was over he called freight over Sherman Hill until the Dash 9 put him out to pasture in the 50s. Irony is the same locomotives that put him out to pasture they brought him home. Now Big Boy is restored and he will continue to tell his stories of The Glory Days of the track. Everyone knows Big Boy this locomotive is a legend wherever he goes.
@@geomodelrailroader Not the Dash 9, which wasn't built until 1995. Would have been EMD F-units, most likely...
I smiled through this entire video. You got to do what all of us can only dream about. I’ve known about the “Big Boys” for probably 20 years and watching you experience all of it was such a joy. That’s why we all love Jay Leno!
This segment brought back a lot of memories. I'm 74 years old and I grew up right next to the train tracks in Virginia. No matter how many times the train went by, I always stopped and watched it. The steam engine was majestic in its looks and mesmerizing in its power. We had a train depot in our little town and the station master would hang the mail pouch on a pole by the tracks and when the train came by one of the guys on the train would reach out with a hooked pole and grab it. They also had side tracks where they would put camp cars for the men who worked on the railway bed. Among the camp cars was a cooking car staffed by a cook and his assistant. Man, could they cook. They made everything from scratch. I still remember eating cabbage and corn bread with them once. And this is not well known, but sometimes the steam engine would catch the dry grass beside the train tracks on fire. That's how they kept the grass back from the tracks. I guess I was about 9 years old when I saw my first diesel engine. However, they didn't command the same amount of attention that the steam engines did. I still miss seeing those majestic steam engines.
This episode just absolutely brought me to tears. Extremely well done. Thank you Jay and Union Pacific for making this vidio posible.
There is a certain majesty to seeing her in steam. Hope she runs for many generations to come.
I remember that 1956 our family moved from Waco, Texas, to Flint, Michigan. My Dad worked for Buick and was transferred there. That was the first time I rode on a train. I was on the side of the tracks with Mom holding my hand while we were waiting for the Santa Fe to arrive at the station. I saw that yellow and red monster locomotive rumbling in and was petrified. I don't remember much more except being told not to flush the toilet until you got off. This is a fantastic, tech-filled video. And one of the best that Jay's production company has put out. Considering all of the great videos that have come from them.
Not one but two of the most notorious cities in American history.
Thank you Jay for this change of pace. As a boy I used to gawk at this engine at the LA County fairgrounds. At college age used to take the City of Los Angeles from LA Union Station to Chicago, spending most of the trip in the dome car watching the train racing through the midwest, and hanging out with other college bound students. This fostered a lifelong love of trains. So thank you for your part in keeping the steam age alive.
What an impressive machine, this is one of the best Big boy videos on the Internet.
Thank you to all the individuals who keep this locomotive preserved. It's truly a valued piece of engineering history.
I have watched hundreds of Jay's Garage. This one has gotta be in my top 5. Thanks so much for sharing this experience with us, Jay! So awesome!
As a kid who grew up playing with cast metal Lionel trains (now 60yrs old) it was so special to share that experience with you Jay. Thank you for airing this. Simply brilliant!
Big Boy was a huge part of the greatest generation…It was also a huge part of us winning WW-2…It was really the movement of all the equipment and people during the war…plus bringing all those folks home to their families 👍🏻🤩🤔🧐🥰☝🏻🥹😀
Loved this episode. I was on a motorcycle trip across the country and ran into big boy in Iowa. I chased it for a while. Riding parallel to that beast on my Harley across the corn fields of Iowa was one of those great moments I will always remember.
I saw her on her maiden trip after the major rebuild. She didn’t disappoint. Steam engines seem alive to me. Thank you UP keeping these beautiful steam engines alive.
That whistle sound is out of this world!
Love Jay's constant genuine enthusiasm. Brilliant, thanks.
the should never stop running this engine. its an antique and a beauty. putting it on a pedestal or a museum would be an insult to this marble of engineering.
That's why Ed restored it. Also Big Boy's brother #3985 will be restored they are not going to mount him. #5511 will also be restored. #6936 the locomotive that replaced both of the steam locomotives have been restored and RRHMA is using it on trains.
Jay, you are the luckiest man alive. One of my sons and I saw the Big Boy up close in St Louis a few years ago. Holy cow wow. It is ginormous. You and I are close in age, 75 and I could relate to a lot of your memories.
Thanks alot for taking us along on a trip of a lifetime.
Bob
The tone of the whistle absolutely matches this behemoth! She beautiful!!!
Jay, I’m so glad you were afforded the opportunity to take a ride on the Big Boy and given the “Grand Tour”! Thanks to Ed and UP for doing this. What a wonderful experience to see Jay take part in. ❤
every little boy dreams of big trains, and Jay got to play with a real one! awesome video!
I walked through this thing as a a kid and adult at the L.A. fairgrounds where it sat for 40 years or so. I happened to climb aboard during the tear down for travel to WY. It was awesome. I bought a hat to support the task. So cool to see it up and running. What a beautiful machine, and awesome history. Thank you Jay. Be safe!
I was a Boiler Tech in the US Navy from 75 to 80, mainly worked on the Automatic Combustion Control systems. I found this to be very interesting, thanks Jay!
I wonder what Jay's take would be if he took a tour of fireroom/engine room on a Navy ship?
@@seadog686Yeah, it'd be cool to see him crawl around the boilers and engines of one of the Iowa class battleships. Too bad they are all permanently docked.
@nathanielmoore87 They might not be running, but everything is still there.
Jay Leno is a national treasure. Alot of collectors know alot about the specific item they collect. Jay knows everything about everything. He literally has 100's of vehicles, planes, motorcycles and he knows super rare details and remembers things about them that most don't. He is so awesome and is truly someone to look up to. Thank you Jay! Love the 4014 have watched hours of videos, maybe one day I will be able to see it in person.
I'm a 78 year old senior who was brought up in Toronto Canada. In the early 1950's my mother used to take me to a bridge on Spadina Ave and we could see the railroad yard back to Union Station. Diesels were just starting to make their appearance. But most of the engines were still steam. I don't know what kind they were, but can still remember how impressed we were by them. And I'm still impressed by some I still see in displays all over Canada and USA. They are a big part of our history and have yet to see a diesel engine that can beat the beauty of a steam engine.
Deepest gratitude to you Jay, Ed Dickens, and the Union Pacific Railroad for your collaborative foresight to feature such an incredible feat of engineering.
Thank you Jay, Ed and all the people that made this happen.
That smile at the very end where Jay is looking at the engine is priceless. His eyes lit up, just like a youngin. I love it!! Awesome Jay. So glad you got to see it.
Over the last few months I have watched a few you tubes of Big Boy. Glad to see this get real exposure by Jay. This is American heritage that must be known and preserved.
Just had to add a note here that I am surprised they didn't mention it this video. The main reason for building the "Big Boy" engine was to facilitate getting the trains, especially the war trains, up and over the long, steep grades of the Wasatch Front mountains going out of Ogden, Utah. It required the huge amount of horsepower the Big Boy could muster.
@@robertgeorge3037 Yes, specifically "Sherman Hill."
Wow. Look at the size of that train 🚆. Jay loved blowing that train whistle. Woo woo.
As a massive car enthusiast , I just saw the Santa Fe 3751 steam engine running for the first time seeing steam engine alive , and there is NOTHING like a steam train. So glad Jay did this video !!
Seeing the 4014 on video does it no Justice on just how impressive this thing is you really have to see it in person and feel the power of it when it goes by!
I had an opportunity in Ames, IA to see this locomotive and train in person. You said it buck, IMPRESSIVE! Standing close to the engine when the whistle blows, the air it moves makes your lungs tremble! It's loud but the air vibrations let you feel the whistle instead of making you deaf (although too much too often will steal your hearing). So yes, impressive is the word. When 4014 speaks you feel it! lol
Thank you Jay and all the people that work on our railroads.
This was so cool. I’ve always loved trains. Thanks Jay Leno !!! I loved watching this Episode. Thank you for makin it happen. I wish I could see it in person. I’m gonna have to try. I’ve been on a coal steam locomotive in Chama, NM. I’d really enjoy seeing the BigBoy though. Happy new year Jay !!!!
Thank you Jay and the guys for always giving me something to ignore my coworkers with during my lunch break on mondays!
Dam sucks you work mondays
Had to take a LONG lunch today LOL
Nothing beats the raw majestic power of a steam locomotive. What a treat of a video!
My grandfather, Edward Alvin Brumley, worked on the Illinois Central RR for 50 years, from 1905 to 1955, as an Engineer and Conductor. All steam engines.
My father, William W. Brumley, was a fireman briefly after WWII.
I’ve been to Council Bluffs Iowa many times and I’m surprised you did not mention the Big Boy 4023 that is on display as you come across the bridge into Omaha Nebraska.
Excellent Video!
Big Boy (which I learned is a female) was in North Texas this past week. What an honor to see her and all the people that came to witness her grandeur. People literally camped out to catch a glimpse, and I'm glad I got to see her up close at the T&P Station. I hope she gets to make the journey again one day!
This is incredible. The sound of that whistle is just music to the ears. Thanks Jay! May the big boy hustle for years and years to come.
That was amazing. I followed Ed Dickinson through the restoration process. His ability to go through in detail of parts being restored from engineneering drawings to the remanufacting processes was very educational. With his guidance and team of Union Pacifics experts they did the impossible. Resurrecting the largest steam locomotive on the planet. Thank you Union Pacific.
I thank Jay Leno and his camera crew and editors for a great interview. Jay and Ed comparing steam cars to steam locomotives operating mechanics. That was Interesting. Thank you for sharing . Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
The roundhouse where they rebuilt this train is here in my hometown Cheyenne WY. It's so cool to see it out on the tracks when it leaves in the summer! My mom pulled my kids out of school to see it arrive for its restoration. It was a big deal! Jay should do a 2nd video at the roundhouse here in Cheyenne. It's the only one in the country with the abilities to restore it.
I still remember watching the video of the 4014's horn come alive the first time since 1959 last time it was in service. I still go back and watch the video once in awhile.
@@johanna8946 TOTALLY AGREE. It could be titled "Jay Leno Visits UP's Garage."
I have two things to say;
1) How do you get a job like this guy has?
2) I think Jay has made it his life's mission to do everything on every gear head's bucket list. That's one of the reasons we love him.
Know the right people
@@TheCamaro5 True...
Start working at the railroads, have a mechanical degree, and have a lot of luck
Absolutely astonishing , Jay is mesmerizing and that big mechanic is better than a movie star.
When I was in the 3rd grade our class rode the last passenger train on the NYC down Eastern IL and it was steam-powered. It cost a dime to go 15 miles to the next station. At our little town, the station master had to telegraph a message prior to the train reaching his station that there were passengers waiting to board. Our class had several poor kids who were upset that their parents could not give them a dime. They got a dime from the teacher prior to paying for their ticket.
We had 2 overhead bridges that were about 2 blocks apart. We used to sit on our bikes at the station bridge and get blasted by the smoke and ashes then ride like hell to make it to the other bridge so we would get blasted again. It was a great treat when the engineer would start blowing the whistle (not a horn) for the crossing ahead. Even today in my advanced age I see videos of steam engines and remember the smell of the coal-fired engines we enjoyed and the soot spots we got.
Our town station went away not long after because no passenger trains and freight was picked up or dropped off at the larger towns 15 miles north and 15 miles south that had tracks of rail lines that crossed. Today, the rails through my hometown are gone.
Great story!
Yes, the passenger trains used to run from Bethlehem, PA (my hometown yrs ago) to Philly, and I did get to make that trip once before it was discontinued. Unfortunately I was actually too young to consciously remember. I do think my unconscious memory recorded it and gave me my love of trains ❤.
This is the most I've seen Jay fired up about anything that came through his garage. Hes just like a kid again, I love it.
As a long-time UP stock holder, this was / is FANTASTIC OUTSTANDING video. THANKS
Just amazing. I would love to be able to send my father to see this locamotive, he remembers riding steam engines on the UK network and got the opportunity to drive a steam train on his 60th birthday. What a beast!
Fun fact: steam locomotives have a constant torque but can verify their horsepower. So if it can get started then it can pull the train. Whereas the diesel locomotives have a constant horsepower but the torque varies. Diesel may not be able to pull a train they can get started. This is why one Big Boy can pull the same amount as 3 diesel locomotives and still go 80mph.
I love JLG episodes about different machines. Thanks Jay!
My Grandfather worked on these beasts.. He would take me into the round house in Laramie where they work on these engines. It always amazed me how big these babies were. I was so happy to see them restore this grand old lady to her magnificent status. It brought back lots of childhood memories.
Ed is a great historian and caretaker for this spectacular piece of machinery, Jay was very lucky to have been able to partake in this ride along, and thanks for taking us with you😀🇺🇸🇺🇸
The look on Jay's face when Big Boy pulled away said it all.... Two legends.....Jay & Big Boy
This video honestly made me tear up a bit watching Jay get to experience this lifelong dream. Thanks for everything. Truly wonderful in every way.
So amazing. Worth every minute. The Big Boy is one incredible piece of equipment. Defines an era.
What an extraordinary beast of a machine. It manages to be huge and exquisite at the same time. And to be shown round the Ed, who is THE guy, what a treat. And Jay, literally the best guy in the world to present this. An absolute audio and visual treat that I will re watch many times.
Thank you Jay and team for this beautiful production.
Ed living his best life. So much passion being a part of that beast and beauty and training the next generation
Ed has the best job ever
From a bygone era. Union Pacific's commitment to restoring the Big Boy is incredible. The knowledge that Ed has speaks to that commitment and passing on the skills to continue operation is another part of that. I loved episode and I thoroughly enjoyed, ranks as one of my favorites. Thank you, Jay, for taking us along on this adventure.
Mr Leno. In Portland, Every holiday season, the 4449 and 700 have been brought out and ran along a stretch of track on the east side of the Willamette River. One year I was on a bicycle ride and used the bike path along the tracks. Both the 4449 and 700 were parked on the track end to end. Whenever these locomotives are used, the volunteers and crowd are almost giddy with joy. But i noticed that the crowd spirit was little down. A volunteer walked up and pointed out that
The track had failed, and the drivers on one of the locomotives, was on the ground. Portland loves it's historic
steam locomotives and museum.
Mr Leno, come and see these things.
They are half a Big Boy.
Gotta hand it to UP. They didn't cheap out. Beautiful project. Really generates GoodWill, esp. among the Little Kids (and the Big Kids, like me).