Often called the largest steam locomotive ever made, and certainly a contender for the Worlds Most Famous Locomotive, the Big Boy was forged under some of the most strenuous demands ever placed on a locomotive. The UP Railroad needed a locomotive that could be used to pull a 3,600-ton train over Sherman Hill and the 1.14% grade from Ogden to Wasatch, Utah without the need for helpers. When the design specifications were complete, it was decided on the use of a simple articulated, high speed, 132 ft. long locomotive sporting sixteen 68 diameter drive wheels. What they created was the longest and among the heaviest, most powerful steam locomotive legends in the world. And had not the worker at ALCO chalked Big Boy on the front of the smoke box of one of the 4-8-8-4s under construction, a name that immediately caught on, it is rumored that the name of the type would have been Wasatch, for the mountains they were built to conquer.
Quote from Worlds Greatest Steam Locomotives by Eugene L. Huddleston:
“There were 25 locomotives fabricated in two different groups. Class 1 were locomotives #4000-4019 and Class 2 was numbered 4020-4024. The first Big Boy #4000 was delivered to Omaha, NE on September 5, 1941. Union Pacific's commitment to the Big Boy required them to replace the lighter rail and straighten out many miles of track for clearance, as well as to resize elements of their service areas (such as turntable lengths, etc.) for the entire line these locos would run on.â€
The Big Boys demonstrated fantastic strength and speed as they faced these challenges throughout their storied careers. With the total mileage on the Big Boy fleet being approximately 1,000,000 miles for each locomotive, one must say that they earned their reputation.
In this release, BLI presents 12 exclusive models of the legendary Big Boy locomotives. Leading the lineup are the modern-day 4014 with updated generator and PTC details, the 4014 as seen during the historic Big Boy Tour, and the 4019 featuring its short-lived in-service experimental smoke deflectors. Additionally, we will offer four models in striking fantasy paint schemes, produced in highly limited quantities for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Each model has die cast locomotive and tender bodies for maximum weight and tractive effort. In addition to the Paragon4 versions, each model is available in our Stealth Series. These are No-Sound / DCC-Ready models that operate on DC out of the box, or a modeler can easily install their DCC decoder of choice. Out of the box, front and rear lights are directional, and other lights are always illuminated with track power. Additionally, some lighting may be missing depending on selected aftermarket decoder the modeler installs. See below for additional model features.
Industry-leading Model Features:
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Stealth Series - model is DCC-Ready out of the box. No sound.
- Out of the box, frotn and rear lights are directional. Other lights are illuminated with track power.
- Model comes with 8-ohm speaker already installed for easy installation of DCC/Sound decoder.
- Heavy Die Cast Boiler, Tender Body, and Chassis for Increased Tractive Effort
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Precision Drive Mechanism engineered for continuous heavy load towing and smooth slow speed operation
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5-Pole Can Motor with Skew Wound Armature
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Premium Caliber Painting with Authentic Paint Scheme
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Separately Controllable Headlight, Reverse Light, Cab Light, Front Numberboards, Front Marker Lights, Rear Marker Lights
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Factory-installed Engineer and Fireman Figures
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Optional Smoke Hood can be Installed if Desired
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Optional Operating Front Coupler Included in Box
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Prototypically Accurate Details for Each Road Number
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Two After-cooler variations - As-Delivered for the Class-1 and Wilson Aftercooler for the Class-2 models
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Three Accurately Modeled Tender Variations: 25-C-100 for the Class-1 models, 25-C-400 for the Class-2 models, and the appropriate Challenger #3985 tender for the #4014 Excursion Service models
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Many Separately Applied Details such as Handrails, Ladders, Piping, Cab Glass, Whistle, Brass Bell, Markers, Numberboards, Air Tanks, and Many Others
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Equipped with Rubber Traction Tires for Increased Pulling Power
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Recommended Minimum Radius: 18 inches
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Accurate Prototypical Sounds for the Union Pacific Big Boys
- Locomotive Weight: 2 lbs 15.5 oz
- Tender Weight: 15.5 oz
- Coupler to Coupler Length: 19 inches
- Wheelbase: 16.5 inches
** Specifications on this page are subject to change **
