Trains always have fascinated me since my dad and granddad worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad in Texas.
My favorite railroad flag is the Union Pacific, the nation’s largest railroad in terms of traffic, revenue, and track miles.
Union Pacific also has the nation’s largest roster of operating steam locomotives, led by Big Boy #4014 (due back on the rails in just a couple of months after sitting for 52 years at the RailGiants Museum in Los Angeles and the last 6 years undergoing restoration in Wyoming), Challenger #3985, and Northern #844. Once Big Boy is back on the tracks, it will become the world largest operating steam locomotive, taking that title away from Challenger #3985.
In four months, on May 10, I expect to see all three of these beauties in one location, at Promontory Point, Utah. That’s the date of the the 150th anniversary celebration of the completion of the first transcontinental railroad.
Here are some Photographic Art creations of the three locomotives for my new Double R Creations enterprise.
Union Pacific Big Boy #4014
132 feet long
Union Pacific Challenger #3985
122 feet long
Union Pacific Northern #844
114 feet long
Russel Ray Photos 