The Union Pacific “Big Boy” No. 4014 train is heading our way.
Union Pacific announced today that the massive train is starting the eastern leg of its journey.
It’s on a coast-to-coast tour in honor of America’s 250th anniversary.
The train left its home base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Monday morning.
There’s even a website where you can track the train’s progress.
The train is expected to be in Berks County on July 2, on its way to Pottstown and Philadelphia.
According to Union Pacific, only 25 “Big Boy” trains were commissioned for the railroad company, starting back in 1941. They measure 133 feet long and weigh 1.2 million pounds.
No. 4014 was retired in Dec. 1961 after traveling 1,031,205 miles, but Union Pacific reacquired it for a multiyear restoration that returned it to service in 2019. It is the only remaining active locomotive of its kind globally, the company says.