Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, is continuing its historic eastern leg across Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri as part of a 2026 coast-to-coast tour celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. The 1.2-million-pound, 133-foot-long locomotive departed Cheyenne, Wyoming, on May 25 and is now making whistle-stops and major display events across 10 states with more than 50 scheduled stops.
This journey marks the first time Big Boy has steamed east of the Mississippi River since its construction and delivery to Union Pacific in December 1941—an 85-year gap. The locomotive was built by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, New York, but spent its operational life in the western United States, hauling heavy freight across the Rocky Mountains.
In Ohio, Big Boy made stops in early June at Continental and Fostoria on June 6, then Lorain and Euclid on June 8. The tour returned to Ohio in mid-July with service stops at Struthers on July 12, Rocky River on July 13, and Continental again on July 15. In Indiana, the locomotive visited Argos on June 5 and Knox on July 16.
Missouri’s portion of the tour runs through late July, with the locomotive scheduled to pass through Pacific and Hermann on July 20, California and Kansas City on July 21, and Kansas City again on July 22, before continuing westward toward home.
The eastern leg operates across Norfolk Southern’s network, marking a historic collaboration between two major American railroads. Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena stated that the tour celebrates the company’s 164-year history and the nation’s story, while Norfolk Southern President and CEO Mark George emphasized that railroads helped build the nation by connecting people, communities, and commerce across generations.
The tour includes eight major public display events across the eastern route: Omaha, Nebraska; West Chicago, Illinois; Buffalo, New York; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Altoona, Pennsylvania; Fostoria, Ohio; and St. Louis, Missouri. Big Boy is accompanied by historical passenger cars from Union Pacific’s Heritage Fleet and two commemorative locomotives: the Abraham Lincoln locomotive (No. 1616) and the America250 locomotive (No. 1776), which features the emblem of the America250 Semiquincentennial Commission.
Rail fans can observe the locomotive at whistle-stops, which typically last 15 to 30 minutes. The Union Pacific Museum is selling tickets for a special ticketed excursion through the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania on June 14, where passengers can ride in vintage passenger cars pulled by Big Boy. The complete schedule and ticket information are available at upsteam.com.
The coast-to-coast tour concludes July 29 in Cheyenne, after traveling through a total of 14 states. The route through the Ohio Valley, Pennsylvania, and the Northeast reflects the historic role railroads played in shaping America’s economic heartland, connecting factories, ports, and population centers.
Sources
- Union Pacific — Official announcement of Big Boy’s 2026 coast-to-coast tour schedule, specifications, and eastern leg details
- Union Pacific Investor Relations — Press release detailing the historic collaboration with Norfolk Southern and complete state-by-state schedule
