Union Pacific’s Big Boy tour for spring has been postponed

UP has postponed its spring Big Boy 4014 tour.

We only cover steam and heritage activities when something truly special is happening, which is pretty rare. However . . .

We reported on Tuesday that Union Pacific would be operating its Big Boy steam locomotive on a western tour scheduled to begin in late June. Therefore, we feel obligated to report that UP has postponed this tour, with a new date yet to be determined. Citing operational and supply chain congestion, UP decided to postpone the tour. Here is today’s Union Pacific press release:

“Union Pacific today announced plans to postpone the Big Boy No. 4014’s West Coast Steam Tour to focus its efforts on easing supply chain congestion. The tour had been scheduled to depart Cheyenne, Wyoming, June 26.

“’We know many rail enthusiasts make travel plans and communities prepare to act as host, which is why we made this decision now,’ said Scott Moore, senior vice president – Corporate Relations and chief administrative officer. ‘We have a duty to continue our efforts to reduce supply chain congestion and provide customers the service they deserve; given the impact of a steam tour on our operations that focus must be our priority.’

“Union Pacific will communicate updated plans for a steam tour once service performance levels return to normal. For information regarding the Big Boy and future tour information, join the Union Pacific Steam Club at http://up.com/SteamClub.”

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