GREELEY, Colo. — Colorado has two opportunities to catch the world’s largest operating steam locomotive over the next week as part of its limited fall travel schedule.
Union Pacific Railroad’s Big Boy No. 4014 returns to the state this fall after a trip earlier this year in July. The train measures approximately 132 feet long and weighs 1.2 million pounds.
The behemoth locomotive is one of 25 that were built for Union Pacific during World War II. Eight were maintained, but Big Boy No. 4014 is the only one still operational.
You can see it for yourself on Tuesday, September 30, when Big Boy No. 4014 will depart Cheyenne, Wyoming at approximately 11 a.m. and make it to Greeley, Colorado around 12:45 p.m.
Then around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1, it will travel from Eaton, Colorado back to Cheyenne. The locomotive will turn in Speer, Wyoming, returning to Cheyenne around 5 p.m.
Anyone who wants to see the gargantuan train in person, take pictures or video, is asked to stand 25 feet back from the railroad, Union Pacific advised. While it’s tempting to get a closer look, the railroad said fans should never take a photo or video on the train tracks or climb on the equipment.
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Photos: Big Boy No. 4014’s July 2025 Colorado stop
After this trip between Wyoming and Colorado, train enthusiasts can look forward to 2026 when Big Boy No. 4014 is expected to make a “monumental journey” to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, Union Pacific said.
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A Colorado man reportedly called police on himself, claiming that a friend had bugged his phone and eyeglasses, leading to a series of bizarre events that resulted in the discovery of cocaine and marijuana in his possession.
According to court documents, Austin A. Stambene, 33, of Colorado Springs, is facing multiple criminal charges following the incident, including cocaine possession, marijuana possession and driving under the influence of drugs.
The situation took place on January 4 when Stambene placed a call to the Laramie County Sheriff’s office from the intersection of Aztec Drive and Christensen Road in Cheyenne, Wyoming, according to an evidentiary affidavit filed. Claiming to be under threat, Stambene informed authorities that someone had been “bugging” his vehicle.
Upon arrival at the scene, Deputy Jason Grover found Stambene sitting in the driver’s seat of a 2002 Lexus ES with Colorado plates, the engine still running.
Stambene explained to Grover that he believed a friend from Colorado Springs was harassing him, specifically mentioning interference with his phone, wallet, clothing and eyeglasses. Stambene then informed Grover that he had taken measures to address the alleged bugging, including getting new glasses, discarding his wallet and debugging his cellphone.
During the interaction, Grover noticed signs of nervousness in Stambene, whose pupils were reportedly…
The iconic Yellow Pages, a staple in homes and businesses for decades, owes its existence to a happy accident. In the late 19th century, when phone directories were a novel concept, these business listings were simply a part of the regular phone book printed on standard white paper.
However, a paper shortage at a Cheyenne, Wyoming-based printer led to an improvisational moment that would mark the beginning of a global phenomenon.
The Birth of an Icon
During a routine printing run, the publisher ran out of white paper. In a bid to continue production without delay, the printer resorted to using yellow paper as an alternative. This unexpected choice not only solved the immediate problem but also led to an unforeseen advantage.
The Yellow Pages stood out distinctly from the rest of the phone book, making it easier for users to flip directly to the business listings.
The Rise of the Yellow Pages
The yellow hue offered more than just visual differentiation. Users found that the softer, warmer yellow was easier on the eyes compared to the starkness of white pages. This enhanced readability significantly improved the user experience, encouraging more frequent use of the business listings.
The immediate popularity was not lost on the publishers. Recognizing the potential, they quickly branded this section of the phone book as the “Yellow Pages.” This branding was a stroke of marketing genius. It not only gave them an identity separate from the white pages of personal listings but also made it a household name.
The success of the Yellow Pages quickly caught on, and publishers around the world adopted the yellow hue for their business directories. The distinct color became synonymous with business listings. The brand grew to represent reliability and comprehensiveness, turning into the go-to source for finding businesses and services.
The Yellow Pages Today
With the advent of the internet and digital technology, the Yellow Pages faced a significant shift. The bulky physical directories began to seem outdated in the face of online search engines and digital directories. However, the brand adapted, transitioning its vast database of business listings to online platforms. This digital transformation allowed them to maintain relevance in the modern age.
Despite the decline in the usage of physical directories, the legacy endures. The term “Yellow Pages” is still used colloquially to refer to business directories, even in the digital realm. The brand’s transition to online platforms ensures that it continues to serve its fundamental purpose – connecting consumers with businesses.
A Testament to Adaptability
The story of the Yellow Pages is a testament to adaptability and the power of branding. What began as a makeshift solution to a paper shortage evolved into a globally recognized brand, one that has skillfully navigated the challenges of a digital world. It stands as a reminder that sometimes, the most enduring innovations come from unexpected places and circumstances.
It may no longer be the physical directory that once graced every household, but its spirit lives on in the digital directories we use today. Its journey from yellow paper to digital screens is a fascinating chronicle of innovation, branding, and adaptation in the ever-changing landscape of technology and business.
Kalamazoo, Mich. is among the most underrated “Third City Markets” in America, according to a recent … [+] whitepaper examining tertiary cities from Graceada Partners .
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The confluence of rising rents, historic inflation rates and the availability of remote work has opened new opportunity in so-called “Third City Markets” (TCMs) in the U.S. These tertiary markets provide robust potential for workers seeking lower costs of living and better quality of life.
By extension, they offer opportunity as well to real estate investors.
Those are the findings of a recent whitepaper from Graceada Partners highlighting 20 undervalued tertiary markets, from Kalamazoo, Mich. and Bloomington, Ind. westward to McMinnville, Ore. The list is topped by Cheyenne, Wy., Rapid City, S.D. and Redding, Calif. The cities on the list make the grade based on livability, affordability and proximity to major urban hubs, as well as being home to between 100,000 and 200,000 people.
Graceada Partners identified the most undervalued TCMs by analyzing data from the U.S. Census, as well as AARP livability statistics and metrics from CoStar. The aggregation of these benchmarks allowed the firm to select and rank the Top 20 TCMs from a field of 65 target markets broadly fitting the company’s TCM definition.
Affordability rules
Among the highlights of the whitepaper is the identification of two primary trends fueling the investment worthiness of TCMs. They are an increasing lack of affordability in the multifamily markets within secondary cities (think markets like Austin, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; and Sacramento, Calif.), as well as industrial expansion in TCMs. Investors interested in TCMs see them as havens for workers with lower incomes leaving larger cities burdened by ever-larger housing costs.
That makes TCMs fertile soil for investors seeking to strategically diversify their real estate investments, a Graceada Partners official asserted in a prepared statement.
Growing interest in industrial development in TCMs is part of the “Amazon warehouse halo effect,” according to the whitepaper. Secondary markets have grown increasingly institutionalized, resulting in tertiary markets – particularly the 20 TCMs identified in the paper – being poised to witness outsized expansion.
The surge in remote work is a significant factor in the rise of tertiary markets. But a longer-standing force in this move is the seemingly unceasing hike in housing costs.
For instance, the whitepaper points to the contrast between big-city Seattle and much smaller Yakima, Wash., one of the Top 20 undervalued TCMs it identifies.
Citing figures from RentCafe, Graceada notes that average Seattle rent has reached $2,334, more than $1,000 a month above national averages, and about twice average rent in Yakima.
Comparative affordability, when combined with high quality of life, elevates other markets to the list. LaCrosse, Wisc., which placed in the Top 10 TCMs on Graceada Partners’ list, didn’t have the lowest rents or home prices, but did notch a 64 on AARP Livability Index, higher than every other of the Top 20 TCMs.
Spillover effect
Recall that one of the qualifications defining TCMs is proximity to primary urban markets. Residents of high-ranking TCMs are able to reach a major hub within a few hours’ drive or a short plane ride, the Graceada whitepaper authors report.
Proximity has fueled the growth of nearby secondary cities, as when San Franciscans began resettling in more affordable Sacramento.
The same spillover effect is likely to benefit cities like Redding, Calif., just 162 miles from the California state capital and 217 miles from the City by The Bay. The fact that Redding could be “next in line” to accept residents leaving higher-cost markets helped lift it to the No. 3 spot on Graceada’s list.
The report concludes investors may want to focus attention on tertiary markets that wouldn’t have been on their radar screens a few years ago. The regions where the paper’s authors see the greatest potential: The Heartland, Cactus Belt, and Western Interior, all poised to benefit more than, say, the Deep South or New England.
