Big Boys on TV!

NBC television traveled to Cheyenne, Wyoming in the 1950s to tell the story of Union Pacific's Big Boys and of the transition from steam to diesel. The Union Pacific Historical Society discovered this marvelous film in UP's film archives. Pentrex is now proud to share it with you.

Ed Begley stars in this Lucky Strike Theater drama about an old-time steam engineer whose son has just returned home from the service. He hopes his son will follow in his footsteps at the railroad, but he meets with some interesting developments.

Thousands of viewers across America watched this live broadcast. The program was typical of the day; everything was done live. The actors and studio camerawork are fascinating to watch. They take you right into the heart of this railroader's life on the job and in the cab of his Big Boy.

We also incorporated some of the original footage shot on locations showing Union Pacific's Big Boys in action on Sherman Hill and in the Cheyenne Yards. This is all new material, not used in other Pentrex productions. Plus, we left in the old commercials that aired with the show. They will definitely make you smile! This is a video the whole family can enjoy.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Big
• boy
• pentrex
• tv
• union
• pacific
• nbc
• film
• footage
• old
• steam
• locomotive

[hootinouts]

You can't beat steam power. I think China still builds and uses steam locomotives

[hudson501]

I use to work for the Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad back in the 1980's and 90's (now I'm with the Soo Line). I met many C&NW locomotive engineers who use to run steam locomotives and not one of them missed running a steam engine versus a diesel. They were filthy to operate, cold in the winter, hot in the summer and a heck of a lot more work to get to your destination.

[ATSF1927]

I remember this problem, when the railroads went from steam to diesel it was a mess. The steam locomotives had a lot more power than the diesel locomotives.  I'm an old steam era railroader. I remember this show and great video.

[Tallshipdreamer]

@hootinouts They stopped building them in 1998, but the perfected them to burn cleaner and produce more Hp. but the tree huggers buried the idea they may come back, instead they are actually looking at Battery power. insane isn't it? where the gonna put all that lead when its used, in our paint?

[90Blakey]

@hootinouts ya but deseil and electric trains are replacing them rapidly

[Trainmaster189]

@hootinouts China discontinued steam operation a few years ago when they started the High Speed Rail project.

[LessThanZero0]

i love trains

[kjh495]

black ops lobby here ;dddd /watch?v=NQtYkMzuGtg

[breathholdchamp]

@nimrod4017 was that engine the one with driving wheels under the tender? I saw picks of one. The problem was steam was exhausted in a pipe in the tender for the back cylinders and didn't give proper draft to the firebox and boiler flues,also these tender wheels would slip when the weight was lower of water and coal. Geez those guys that lived back then were so lucky to see these living monsters on wheels!!!!!

[Broncort1]

...."Lucky Strike Theatre"....ahhh, the good old days when things like cigarettes weren't so despised and your doctor smoked while doing a check-up on you....seat belts weren't cool to use and chucking your empty beer bottle out the window on your way home from work was a normal thing to do.