“Big Boy 4014” at Cheyenne’s annual Depot Days

Depot Days, an annual event celebrating “America’s Railroad Capital” Cheyenne, WY, takes place this weekend – May 17 and 18, 2014; and this year’s celebration is bigger than ever. Following a transcontinental trek from California, Union Pacific’s newly-acquired “Big Boy” steam engine has finally arrived Cheyenne, just in time for this weekend’s family-friendly event.

This year’s Depot Days provide the rare opportunity to view Big Boy 4014, a massive and historic steam engine, before it undergoes a five-year restoration process in order to once again become operational. There are only a handful of Big Boys on display in the country, and this weekend Big Boy 4014 will join Old Number 4004, one of the world’s largest steam locomotive on display year-round Cheyenne’s Holliday Park.

There’s no better way for those with a renewed interest in train travel to explore the railroad culture of the West than with a weekend getaway to Depot Days in Cheyenne.

• Union Pacific Round House Open House: The highlight of the annual Depot Days event is the exclusive open house of the Union Pacific Round House and Heritage Fleet Steam Shop. Here, visitors get up-close, once-a-year access to these historically-significant structures that allow for the maintenance and storage of steam locomotives.
• Cheyenne Depot Museum: The breathtaking lobby features model train displays and vendors, as well as the juried Rail Art and Sale. The Cheyenne Depot Museum is open-year round.
• Sherman Hill Model Railroad Show: The Sherman Hill Model Railroad Club’s annual show is perfect for serious collectors and families alike, featuring vendors, artists, train models and more.
• Cheyenne Steamers: Depot Days is the grand opening of the Wasatch Railroad Contractors’ train tracks and a miniature railway featuring a coal burning steam engine at Cheyenne Ice and Events Center. This display will continue throughout the summer.
• Amtrak Exhibit Train: Led by a diesel-electric locomotive featuring an historic Amtrak paint scheme, the Exhibit Train includes three display cars (former baggage cars) that have been renovated and transformed into exhibit space.