For the first time in more than 80 years, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive returned to its home state.
Union Pacific's "Big Boy" No. 4014 rolled through New York as part of a transcontinental journey to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
Commissioned in 1941, the original fleet of 25 Big Boys was built in Schenectady to haul heavy equipment over the Rocky Mountains during World War II. Today, No. 4014 is the only one still in operation.
The historic homecoming drew more than 10,000 people to the local train station in the town of Owego.
Among the crowd was 15-year-old Isaac Whetzel, whose passion for the rails radiated.
“Let's imagine that a normal train is your local baseball team. This is like getting tickets to the major league. This is like a dream come true,” Whetzel said.
He traveled all the way from Boston, and eagerly dragged his family to the station at 6 a.m. to secure his precious spot.
“This is a once in a century opportunity,” Whetzel exclaimed, “I feel like I'm living in the best dream ever.”
The behemoth stretches 133 feet long and weighs 1.2 million pounds.
No. 4014 was originally retired in 1961, after traveling over one million miles. In 2013, Union Pacific reacquired it from a museum in Southern California and restored it for six years in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
While seven other Big Boys still exist, they sit inoperable in museums across the country, making the appearance exceptionally rare.
“It's something that people will remember for the rest of their lives,” Ed Dickens Jr. said. He's head of the Union Pacific Heritage Operations.
The crew started their cross-country tour in Sacramento at mile-marker-zero of the original First Transcontinental Railway. From New York, they'll continue towards the nation’s original capital in Philadelphia for the Fourth of July.
There’s still opportunity to see the Big Boy No. 4014 for Central New Yorkers, but it would take some driving. Check Union Pacific’s website for the train’s schedule.
Union Pacific urges all spectators to stand at least 25 feet back from the rails to ensure everyone can enjoy the spectacle safely.
