Ogden in Weber County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Union Pacific Super Turbine Locomotive #26
Photographed by Jeremy Snow, June 21, 2025
1. Union Pacific Super Turbine Locomotive #26 Marker
The World's Most Powerful Locomotive
Locomotive #26 is among the largest locomotives ever built. It's strong enough to pull 735 fully loaded freight cars. That's a train seven miles long!
Locomotive #26 uses a turbine engine, like a jet airplane. The turbine engine powers electric generators that turn the wheels. Locomotives like this are called "BIG BLOWS" because they make a deafening noise like a jet airplane flying by.
Locomotive #26 traveled over 1 million miles (1,609,344 km) hauling heavy freight between Council Bluffs, Iowa and Ogden, Utah. It is one of two surviving "BIG BLOWS" on public display. The other one is at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois.
Fun Facts
Built: 1961
Weight: 849,248 pounds (425 tons, 385,213 kg)
Length: 179 feet (55 meters), including the fuel tender
Engine: 8500-horsepower gas turbine
Fuel capacity: 24,384 gallons of diesel (92,276 ltr)
Top speed: 65 miles per hour (105 kmph)
Retired: February 28, 1970
The tender for the turbine is a retrofitted steam locomotive tender filled with Bunker C oil.
Bunker C oils are called residual fuel oils (RFO) or heavy fuel oils. Used frequently in the past.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1961.
Location.
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Wasatch Front and in Greater Salt Lake. It is also in the American Mountain West and in Colorado Plateau. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: South Pacific Diesel Locomotive SD-45 #7457 (a few steps from this marker); Rio Grande #5371 (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Pacific Steam Locomotive #833 (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Pacific DDA40X locomotive #6916 (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Pacific Caboose #25766 (within shouting distance of this marker); U.S. Army Locomotive #1216 44-ton Switch Engine (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Pacific Railway Post Office Car (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Pacific Wrecking Derrick #X-250 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ogden.
Photographed by Jeremy Snow, June 21, 2025
2. Union Pacific Super Turbine Locomotive #26 Marker
Photographed by Jeremy Snow, June 21, 2025
3. Union Pacific Super Turbine Locomotive #26 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 7, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 7, 2025, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. This page has been viewed 217 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 7, 2025, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
