Last of the Giants: Big Boy (Union Pacific Railroad)

The original footage in this documentary is public domain. All editing and upscaling is property of TwoRailfans. Last of the Giants is a documentary made by Union Pacific Railroad about Big Boy, a steam locomotive of massive scale. The documentary was produced in 1959 and recalls the time leading up to the production of the Big Boy and the fact that it was during a transition away from steam locomotives. Overall between 1941 and 1945, 25 Big Boy engines were produced. A Big Boy was 132 ft long and weighed in at over 1.2 million pounds! Because of the length, they were articulated (hinged) to give greater maneuverability on the curves. Big Boy used a 4-8-8-4 wheel configuration. Eight Big Boy locomotives survive today, and No. 4014 was restored and returned to service in 2019. The background picture on our YouTube profile is of Big Boy and was taking in Fort Worth, TX in 2021. The avatar picture is in front of Big Boy at the Museum of the American Railroad in 2022. #railfans