Utah Vacation: Chasing Big Boy

The plan for the day was to chase the Big Boy. The Big Boy started its trip from Ogden, Utah back to Cheyenne, Wyoming this morning. We left the condo at 7:30 and headed for Morgan. We could have gone clear to Ogden, but that would have required an exceptionally early start.

Morgan is a very small town, located along Interstate 84. We arrived early and drove up and down the streets along the tracks to find the ideal spot. We parked near an open field and Andrew started getting the drone ready to fly. In the meantime, Susan and I walked to the nearby 7-Eleven and bought some snacks and drinks.

Around 8:55 we spotted a light and smoke in the distance. Andrew got the drone in the air and started shooting video, while I captured a video on my phone. This was our first experience seeing the Big Boy trainset, which included Big Boy steam #4014, the Living Legend steam #844, a modern ET44AH diesel #2650, and about a dozen passenger cars. As the train slowed into town, we celebrated its arrival, and even more, its existence. I’m still amazed that Union Pacific spent the time and money to rebuild this amazing piece of history.

Waiting for Big Boy above Morgan

After the train stopped, Andrew landed the drone and we hurried on to our next viewing spot. It was clear that a lot of people had the same plan as us, and we didn’t want to get stuck behind the crowd.

Our next stop was the Weber River Float Parking lot, which is at the West end of Henefer Valley. Once again, we were early and had some time to find and plan our shots. The location was right beside the Weber River and was very lush and green.

After a short wait, we saw the train approaching and again, Andrew got the drone in the air. This time, the train did not stop, so we had to quickly pack up the car and get back on the road.

Waiting for Big Boy above Weber River

Back on the road, we caught up to and passed the train, which was now parked in Echo. We continued East up Echo Canyon on Interstate 80. This route was new to us, so we didn’t know where to stop for our next viewing. We ended up driving about 24 miles before finally finding an interesting spot that didn’t seem too crowded. We stopped in Castle Rock, which includes a ghost town and a field full of junk cars. The best part about it was the line of sight along the tracks, including a short tunnel and several cuts and fills.

While we waited, a guy from Florida pulled up and parked near us. We had seen his vehicle earlier in Morgan. He jumped out of his Forerunner with his camera and large lens, jumped the fence, and ran up the hill. I couldn’t believe it. Regardless of the rarity of the event, I would never consider jumping a fence and crossing private property to get a shot.

Andrew flew the drone once to get a lay of the land, then returned to swap batteries. Somehow, while on the ground, the train appeared and was cruising quite quickly down the hill. Luckily, Andrew was able to get airborne in time to catch it passing behind the nearby hill.

Big Boy heading East from Castle Rock

A view looking West above Castle Rock

Below is a video that I captured on my phone.

Below are videos that Andrew created from his drone footage of the day.

Click below to see more photos.