Ogden • In a town steeped in railroad history, they know to show up when a piece of that history rolls into the station.

Several hundred people were waiting at Ogden’s Union Station at noon Saturday for the arrival of Union Pacific’s Steam Locomotive No. 844 — one of the two steam engines the railroad still runs.

People flocked to have pictures taken in front of the massive black locomotive, plugged their ears at the noise of the compression of air, and lined up to climb the platform to take a look inside the pipe-filled cab where the engineer and fireman operate the engine.

Steam-train enthusiast Joshua Kight, 20, of Brigham City, brought his dad, Donald, to take a look.

"I grew up on it," Kight said of his love of locomotives. "It’s the beauty of simple engineering, that also can be complicated. … I love the complexity, that you can take water and combine it and compress it with fire, and make power."

No. 844 arrived in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, coming through Utah on its way back to its home base in Cheyenne, Wyo., after a monthlong tour of the southwest to mark next year’s statehood centennial events in New Mexico and Arizona. (No. 844 is available for public viewing at Ogden’s Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday before departing Monday at 8 a.m. for Wyoming.)

No. 844 began service in 1944, the last steam locomotive built for U.P. It pulled passenger cars until diesel engines took over that job in 1957. It was used for hauling freight in Nebraska for a couple of years, and was destined for the scrapyard — along with most steam locomotives — before U.P. officials preserved the locomotive for special service in 1960.

Now the steam locomotive is reserved for special events. The locomotive serves as a "goodwill ambassador" for the company, said Dan Harbeke, director of public affairs for Union Pacific.

The three members of the passenger-car crew — conductor Jim Coker, brakeman Kevin Coker (Jim’s brother) and stationmaster Jim Leonard — dress in classic railway uniforms and look like a casting call for "The Polar Express." In a nod to that holiday story, Jim Coker carries a sleigh bell in a small red cloth satchel, a gift from his grandchildren, who added an engraved tag with the words, "We Believe, Papa."

Jim Coker is the third of four generations of railroad workers — and he also carries the pocket watch his grandfather and father owned when they were on the rails.

Up front, far from the passengers, engineer Ed Dickens and fireman Ted Schulte operated the complex network of valves and levers to control the engine’s mighty steam power.

"There’s nothing on it that’s automatic," Dickens said on the platform in Salt Lake City before the train embarked. "You have to do everything that it needs to do to make it run."

The crowds waiting in Ogden were matched by observers who waved at and took photos of No. 844 — which pulled six support cars, two passenger cars and a diesel locomotive (to assist in braking) — along the route from Salt Lake City to Ogden. A few dozen train lovers were also at the Salt Lake City Amtrak station Saturday to see No. 844 off.