Union Pacific Big Boy Locomotive

Built for the union pacific railway from 1941 to 1945 the Union pacific's "Big Boys" were a class of steam locomotives based on the 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, that operated between the Wasatch mountains of Utah and Sherman hill in Wyoming. Their main purpose was to pull fast freight over the steep track grades of their routes and to reduce the amount of helper engines needed to pull each consist. They continued to run this route until their eventual retirement in 1959 when the last revenue run of a Big Boy was recorded. In all 25 Big Boys were built for the Union Pacific with their currently being 8 locomotives left in preservation, and as of right now Big Boy number 4014 is currently the only locomotive of its class still in operation after the union pacific restored it back into service back in 2019.

The Big Boys were always my favorite class of steam locomotive and when i got to see it in person back in October of 2019 i was inspired to build my own model of it out of Lego. This model consists of 2,966 pieces, and features working piston rods that strive to achieve the look and function of the original locomotive. This model also features details such as classification lights, coal load in the tender,cab detailing, and the ability to be motorized. The main frame of the locomotive is rigid and does not rotate and to help the locomotive run on Lego curves 2 of the wheels have flanges while the other 2 wheels on each set of main driving wheels are flangeless. the leading truck has 20 degrees of rotation in either direction while the trailing truck has over 40 degrees of rotation. The top section of the tender can be lifted to install a battery box while on the locomotive a 2 x 4 tile can be removed for easy passage of the power functions motor wire to the battery box. As an extra i have also made it so that removing 6 slope pieces off the boilers sides can allow for the installation of optional smoke deflectors for a unique look. Finally the entire model rests on a display track with black boarder similar to the one found on the orient express set for easy displaying.