If Union Pacific 4547 shows up … I’m not photographing it.

Although there has not been any concrete scheduling for the Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” as it passes through the East Coast (and, in consideration, my photographing it), I do have some clues and tidbits that may help me out.

There’s a rumor that the train has to go through Owego, New York at some point between June 10 and June 12, and since the train will be in Buffalo the day before, I have some idea as to when to travel to the Finger Lakes to photograph this steam locomotive at the most acceptable opportunity.

I also know that this train is drawing HUGE crowds throughout its transcontinental journey. Look at this arrival in Utah, for instance.

God freakin’ damn. I want to photograph this train so freakin’ much.

But there might be an issue regarding this train and my commitment to capturing it on film and/or digital.

I’m still up in the air regarding the train’s New York arrival. Between several commitments (including a trip to Hamilton College for a presentation on the 85th anniversary of WHCL-FM), I might get “scheduled out” of the New York State photo run, and might instead have to travel elsewhere for good shots of this monster.

Oh, and another thing. Big Boy is accompanied on this journey by several other patriotic-livery-painted locomotives. Joining 4014 is Union Pacific 1776, which is painted to look like this.

Wow.

And there’s also Union Pacific 1616, named the “Abraham Lincoln,” which is also part of this transcontinental trek. This train was painted in 2025 to honor the nation’s 16th president.

Ain’t she a beauty?

My understanding is that 1616 and 1776 will help 4014 as part of the America 250 celebration.

That’s fine. I’m okay with photographing these monsters as part of Big Boy’s journey.

However, there’s one Union Pacific commemorative locomotive that I will NOT photograph under any circumstances. And even in showing this rendering, I’m only using Union Pacific’s graphics and not my own.

It’s Union Pacific 4547.

Yep. I just threw up in my mouth.

Union Pacific decided to honor the Orange Goblin with a customized painted livery. Ugh.

Seriously?

Heck, I blogged two years ago about some model train manufacturer who custom-pressed a run of Donald Trump-themed O-gauge locomotives, and even then I felt queasy about sharing this info.

When they say, “Get on the Trump Train,” I don’t think this is what they meant.

But I think I can rest assured, at least for this Big Boy run it looks like the rolling wreck of Trump vanity will not be part of Big Boy’s journey to the East.

Maybe that train belongs on some golf course.

Where the only harm it can do is to get stuck in a sand trap.