Big Boy, barreling up-canyon past a group of excited onlookers just east of Taggert, in Weber Canyon. The Union Pacific's gigantic steam locomotive, "Big Boy", is almost 132 feet long (nearly half a football field), and weighs almost 1.2 MILLION pounds. That's not quite double the length of a regular steam locomotive. Built between 1941 and 1944, they were used to haul loads exceeding 4,000 tons through the Wasatch Mountains between Ogden and Wyoming.
The coal-burning behemoths remained in service until 1959, eventually replaced by diesel locomotives. Later, eight Big Boys were donated to museums. But there is only one in working condition, and it came through Ogden this weekend. I caught up with it as it paused for a few minutes in Brigham City, Utah, on its journey northward.
By the way, no foolish onlookers were injured, maimed, or killed while "getting their shots"... to the best of my knowledge.
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