Rail enthusiasts around the country are gearing up for a once-in-a-lifetime event as Union Pacific’s legendary steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, embarks on the first coast-to-coast tour in its history as part of the nation’s Semiquincentennial celebration.
Built in 1941 as part of an iconic fleet of massive steam engines designed to haul heavy freight across rugged terrain, Big Boy No. 4014 is the world’s largest steam locomotive still in operation. After being retired in the early 1960s and later restored to running condition, the 4014 has become a symbol of early American railroading — and this year it will travel farther than ever before.
The tour officially kicks off on March 29, when the locomotive departs its home base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with a string of historical passenger cars from Union Pacific’s Heritage Fleet. The first leg of the journey will carry the steam giant westward to California before returning to Cheyenne on April 24. Across California and Utah, rail fans can see the locomotive up close during planned public display dates in Roseville (April 10–11) and Ogden (April 18–19).
Details for the eastern portion of the tour — including potential visits to locations in the Northeast and Midwest — are still being finalized and are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
Follow the Big Boy No. 4014 with the Big Boy Tracker.
Here in northeastern Pennsylvania, Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton remains one of the region’s premier rail heritage attractions. The park preserves an extensive collection of historic locomotives and rolling stock that tell the story of America’s steam era, including a Big Boy locomotive on static display. Union Pacific 4012, one of the remaining Big Boys, has been on exhibit at Steamtown after cosmetic restoration, though its size has required outdoor display space rather than the park’s roundhouse.
Steamtown’s connection to these iconic machines makes the 4014’s national tour especially meaningful to local fans who grew up watching steam engines roll through the region. The ongoing national tour gives rail aficionados a rare chance to see living steam heritage in motion and reflects the critical role railroads played in shaping America’s growth and unity over the past century.
The Union Pacific Big Boy tour is expected to draw crowds wherever it travels, celebrating not just an engineering marvel but also the enduring legacy of rail transportation in the United States.