MUHLENBERG TOWNSHIP, Pa.- Plans are in place for the Union Pacific Big Boy’s big stops in Berks County.
The world’s biggest operating steam locomotive will be here later this week as it heads to Philly to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
“This is for most people probably a once in a lifetime experience,” says Muhlenberg Township Police Chief Randall Hoover. “You will probably never see this train again.”
“I’ve met people from California that have been chasing this thing since it left Wyoming and are chasing it all the way across the country,” says Matt Johnson, Vice President of Govt. & Community Affairs for Reading & Northern Railroad.
“I’ve met people from Europe, I’ve met people from almost every state, just to come take a look at this thing.”
Thursday, the Union Pacific “Big Boy” will stop at the Reading and Northern Railroad headquarters for about 15 minutes, from 11:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., then on to Industrial Drive in Tilden Township near Hamburg for another fifteen-minute stop.
After that, a photo op in Leesport for five minutes at the southernmost crossing on Main Street.
“Most people are sort of camped out ahead of time to anticipate it and then see it coming,” says Tyler Glass, Executive VP of Operations for Reading & Northern Railroad.
Reading Outer Station in Muhlenberg will be the final stop in the county and first responders are ready.
“We are going to be closing Bellevue Ave. between Rt. 61 and the Fairgrounds Drive entrance off of Bellevue,” says Hoover. “It’ll be manned by fire police, we’ll allow business traffic in between those two places.”
Local authorities and railroad police will form a command station, and PennDOT posted warning signs alerting to heavy congestion and parking restrictions.
“For this event they will not allow any parking from the public on their property,” says Hoover. “We’ve made arrangements with the Fairgrounds Square Mall to be able to park vehicles there.”