Big Boy No. 4014, the famed Union Pacific steam locomotive built in the 1940s to conquer mountains while carrying equipment in support of World War II, is embarking on a 10-state tour. Big Boy will be on public display Aug. 18 in Beaumont and then make a short whistle-stop in Orange on Aug. 19.
Train enthusiasts of all ages will get a chance to talk to the steam crew, tour the “Experience the Union Pacific” rail car – a railroad museum on wheels – and take a selfie with the world’s largest steam locomotive, one of 25 of its kind built and the only one still in operation.
This is the first time Big Boy has gone on tour since its post-restoration debut in 2019 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad’s completion. It is returning in 2021 with a tour that includes whistle-stops in more than 90 communities and one-day public display events in five major cities: Fort Worth and Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; St. Louis, Missouri; and Denver, Colorado.
Big Boy arrive in Beaumont at about 3:15 p.m., where it will spend the night near Hollywood Street and Interstate 10 Frontage Road. It departs the next morning at 8 a.m., and is scheduled for a whistle stop at Holy Lane Crossing in Orange at 9:30 a.m.
Big Boy No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December of 1941. This powerful machine was built to cross the Wasatch Mountain Range east of Ogden, Utah. It was retired in 1961 after traveling a little over 1 million miles, reacquired by Union Pacific in 2013 and restored to service in 2019.
A complete schedule of Big Boy’s 2021 multi-city tour, along with a map tracking its journey, can be found at http://upsteam.com. The public can also follow along with Big Boy’s adventure on Twitter at http://twitter.com/UP_Steam, #BigBoy2021.
Fans can share their photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and use the #BigBoy2021 hash tag for a chance to win a Big Boy T-shirt. Fifty winners will be selected throughout the tour. Union Pacific reminds all participants to be safe and stay 25 feet back from the tracks when taking a picture.
