The iconic Union Pacific No. 4141 Engine that carried former President George H.W. Bush on his last journey to Aggieland pulled into College Station on March 21, 2021, making its final trip on the rails. Cranes and a 12-axle trailer transported the engine to a dedicated location in front of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
In 2005, the train debuted during an exhibit at the presidential library after it was painted by Union Pacific Railroad to resemble Air Force One in an honorary gesture to Bush. Until the Great Recession, No. 4141 carried cargo across 23 states, but the financial crisis took the locomotive off the rails and into storage until Bush’s funeral in 2018. Between the service and its donation to Texas A&M University, the engine returned to commercial use before making its last ride on Nov. 9, 2019.
As a child, Bush’s frequent passage on trains translated to a lifelong passion for locomotives. While campaigning for president in 1988 and 1992, he also used trains for whistle-stop events.
No. 4141 will stay on public display in a pavilion to be unveiled by Bush’s 100th birthday in 2024, joined by a Marine One helicopter that he used during his presidency.
“The George and Barbara Bush Foundation is very excited that the 4141 Locomotive will be on permanent display at the Bush Presidential Library,” said Max Angerholzer, Bush Foundation CEO. “We are grateful to Chancellor Sharp, Texas A&M and Union Pacific for making it possible for 4141 to be available to the public for years to come.”
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