[By JoAnn R. Walter]
The World’s largest operating steam locomotive, the Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, will be thundering through our neighborhood on Friday, June 12.
The train will stop in Owego for about 30 minutes, with an anticipated arrival time around 10:40 a.m. The exact location where the Big Boy will stop will be announced at a later date.
Senior Manager of Corporate Communications at Union Pacific, Mike Jaixen, replied via email, “We’re still finalizing the details of the eastern leg of the Big Boy’s Coast-to-Coast Tour, and our only stop in New York that we have announced (so far) is in Buffalo. More information, including a detailed schedule, will be released at a later time.”
The Owego Pennysaver has subscribed to Union Pacific’s announcements, so we will update you as soon as we receive the schedule. An anticipated stop, however, is at the old train station on S. Depot Street.
Get ready for a roaring sound like no other, as it will be an exciting moment as Big Boy stops in Owego to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary!
The Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014’s “250 Years of American Independence and Innovation” tour will be making a stop in Owego on Friday, June 12. Stay tuned for more details. (Photo courtesy of Union Pacific)
According to the Union Pacific website, of the eight remaining Big Boy’s still in existence today, the No. 4014 is the only one still in operation.
The massive locomotives were originally built to haul heavy equipment in support of the World War II effort, and they are 133 feet long and weigh 1.2 million pounds.
Union Pacific cites that no other railroad in the country has retained its historical equipment and honored its past as it has. The preservation of its steam fleet, they note, speaks to the high value that Union Pacific places on its heritage and role in American history.
The No. 4014 was retired in 1961 after traveling an astounding 1,031,205 miles, and it was reacquired and relocated to its home base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for restoration.
The World’s largest operating steam locomotive, the Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, will be stopping in Owego on Friday, June 12, in celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary. The train will stop in Owego for about 30 minutes, with an anticipated arrival time around 10:40 a.m. The exact location where the Big Boy will stop will be announced at a later date. (Photo courtesy of Union Pacific)
Big Boy returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad’s completion, following a multi-year restoration period. Since then, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive has made countless trips across Union Pacific’s network.
On March 29, the Big Boy No. 4014 started its first leg of the “250 Years of American Independence and Innovation” tour, with scheduled stops in California, Nevada, and Utah. It will return to its home base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on April 24.
May 25 will start the eastern leg of the coast-to-coast tour, with stops in Nebraska and Illinois, and then closer to home in Buffalo and Owego, N.Y., as well as Scranton, Pa. Big Boy’s final eastern destination is Philadelphia for the July 4 holiday. After July 4, Big Boy continues on to Altoona, Pa., with two additional stops in Missouri, before returning to Cheyenne on July 29.
Stay tuned for updated information about Big Boy’s scheduled stop in Owego!
Anyone interested in learning more is invited to join Union Pacific’s Steam Club at upsteam.com, or browse the Union Pacific website at up.com.
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