Union Pacific 4014 Crossing the Tunkhannock Viaduct on the way south from Binghamton NY

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Sun Jun 14, 2026, 11:50 AM - Edit history (1)

Railfanner 4014 has been following 4014 on its entire East Coast swing.
https://youtube.com/@Railfanner4014

The train goes to Philadelphia before turning back.
https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule

Big Boy 4014 & Reading 2102, The Race of a Lifetime (Coast to Coast Tour)

Railfanner 4014
716 Likes
5,310 Views
Jun 14 2026
Chasing Big Boy 4014 Eastbound.
This is Day 20 of chasing Big Boy 4014 (World's Largest Steam Locomotive) on its Eastern part of the Coast-to-Coast Tour!

What a surprise, Reading 2102 decided to join us today. They both raced up a few grades. It was super loud!!

We will be following UP 4014 for the entire tour. Expect more content coming your way, videos will be published as soon as possible.

June 12th, 2026
Binghamton, New York - Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania
...more

Railfanner 4014
27.9K subscribers

[Ocelot II]

1. Cool!

[Sneederbunk]

2. Why are the diesels there?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. Two reasons:

A) Carrier insistence, in case 4014 breaks down. It's older than you-know-who.

B) The passenger cars' heating and air conditioning systems run on electricity. A team's last passenger trains to rely on steam heating and steam-powered air conditioning were 81 and 82, the Silver Star. That practice stopped in 1981. The diesels can provide head end power for these operations. 4014 cannot.

[Sneederbunk]

6. Tnx much.

[House of Roberts]

4. To travel on commercial rail, the lead engine must have an active PTC system.

Positive Train Control prevents train-to-train collisions or derailments caused by excessive speed. When a steam engine moves on public railroads, they usually have an 'escort' to provide the service.
I learned about this when the Norfolk and Western 611 was returned from the Strasburg, Pennsylvania rail museum to its home in Roanoke, Virginia several years ago.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. (Slaps forehead) Yeah, that too.

Hasn't 4014 been so equipped? I'm sure I can dig up some in-cab video.

Even back in the '90s, UP locomotives had a transponder positioned above the rails right behind the pilot. It was there to pick up signal indications, even though it could not interact as PTC does.

I hope Hiawatha Pete shows up, as he is well versed in these things.

611 is running in Virginia this month. It's making a trip through Charlottesville.

Thanks, and good afternoon.

[3Hotdogs]

7. I'm hoping to take my grandsons on July 2. Can you give me any tips on finding a viewing site?