Union Pacific\u2019s Big Boy No. 4014, the world\u2019s largest operational steam locomotive, departed the Conway rail yard in Beaver County at 9 a.m. Sunday for its final trip across western Pennsylvania before crossing into Ohio as part of its nationwide tour celebrating America\u2019s 250th anniversary.<\/p>\n
The 133-foot-long, 1.2-million-pound locomotive passed through Edinburg in Lawrence County shortly after 11 a.m., before crossing the Pennsylvania-Ohio state line for its public stop in downtown Struthers, Ohio, at about 11:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
Although Big Boy did not make a scheduled stop in Lawrence County, it crossed five public roadways, including Route 551 in Edinburg, where hundreds of spectators gathered along the Norfolk Southern rail line.<\/p>\n
According to Union Pacific\u2019s live tracker, Big Boy left Conway traveling about 6 mph.<\/p>\n
By the time it reached the New Castle and Edinburg areas, the locomotive had accelerated to about 20 mph.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was surprised how many people were in our village. It was a bit of an amazement to me,\u201d lifelong Edinburg resident Linda Nofsker said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could tell the locals are bored because the one big excitement was a train going by, which was the biggest thing in 250 years,\u201d she added with a laugh.<\/p>\n
Nofsker said she had never seen such a large turnout in the village, even for the volunteer fire department\u2019s Fourth of July fireworks.<\/p>\n
Edinburg resident Lloyd Jones Sr., whose property sits at the end of Clay Street along the Norfolk Southern rail line, mowed his lawn days before spectators began gathering to watch the locomotive pass.<\/p>\n
Jones said freight trains typically travel the line about once an hour.<\/p>\n
As the crowd grew, he stomped down weeds along the edge of the railroad right of way to create more space for spectators.<\/p>\n