Massive crowds swamp Big Boy Reunion at Steamtown

SCRANTON — Massive crowds Monday mobbed Steamtown Historic Site for the much-anticipated Big Boy Reunion featuring a visit by Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, with the park’s nonoperational Big Boy 4012.

Long lines formed early and wrapped around the intermodal transit center on Lackawanna Avenue and beyond to Cliff Street. Inside the Steamtown railyard, the lines went past the trolley museum and snaked through the Steamtown parking lot and eventually to the spot where the sibling locomotives built in 1941 sat together.

When people got their turn near the Big Boys, the visitors took selfies and posed for photos. Many lined the walkway bridge connecting The Marketpl

ace at Steamtown mall and the railyard. Some people stood atop the top deck of the mall parking garage for a birds-eye view.

Outside the park on Lackawanna Avenue, traffic was down one lane between Mifflin Avenue and Cliff Street, as crowds of people in line spilled out onto the road. Scranton police were out in force in the immediate area.

Huge crowds were expected.

As of Friday, 26,000 tickets were reserved for Monday alone, the opening day of the 4014’s two-week stop at Steamtown. Another 13,000 were reserved for Tuesday and the total tickets stood at 55,000 over the two-week run. Those figures almost certainly increased over the weekend that had Big Boy 4014 making a visual splash crossing the historic Tunkhannock Viaduct bridge in Nicholson, where a crowd estimated at 20,000 turned out. The locomotive also drew crowds along the way to Nesquehoning and Pittston for a special excursion, before it doubled back to Scranton on Sunday.

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Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operating steam...

Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, at left, is parked next to the nonoperational Big Boy 4012, at right, on Monday, June 15, 2026 at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Aidan Craven, 7, of Dalton, takes a selfie with Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, and which is parked next to Big Boy 4012 in background at right, on Monday, June 15, 2026 at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Caitlin Craven, at right, takes a photo of her son, Aidan Craven, 7, of Dalton, at left, with Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, and which is parked next to Big Boy 4012 in background at right, on Monday, June 15, 2026 at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Railfans on Monday, June 15, 2026 at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event featuring a visit by Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, at left, parked next to the nonoperational Big Boy 4012, in background, at right. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Crowds of people on Monday, June 15, 2026 at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event featuring a visit by Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, at left, parked next to the nonoperational Big Boy 4012, in background, at right. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

A sign on Monday, June 15, 2026 at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event featuring a visit by Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, with Steamtown’s nonoperational Big Boy 4012. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Kathy and Richard Ryder of Bennington, Vermont on Monday, June 15, 2026 ready to get in line outside of Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Nicholas Perraglia, 12, at right, and his dad, Nick, of Thiells, New York, on Monday June 15, 2026 in line for the Big Boy Reunion at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton of Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operational steam locomotive, (in the far background) with the park’s nonoperational BIg Boy 4012. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Pat and Charlotte Schmidt of Spencer, Massachusetts on Monday, June 15, 2026 in line at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event and wearing their Big Boy Reunion T-shirts they bought last week at Steamtown for the big occasion. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Pat Schmidt of Spencer, Massachusetts on Monday, June 15, 2026 wears a Big Boy T-shirt while in line at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Crowds of people in long lines Monday, June 15, 2026 at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Crowds of people in long lines Monday, June 15, 2026 on Lackawanna Avenue near Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Crowds of people in long lines Monday, June 15, 2026 near Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Crowds of people in long lines Monday, June 15, 2026 entering near National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

Crowds of people in long lines Monday, June 15, 2026 near Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton for the opening day of the “Big Boy Reunion” event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)

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