The world’s largest steam locomotive will make stops in Tuscola and Villa Grove next month.
The Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014, as part of its cross-country travels, will depart Villa Grove at 9 a.m. on Sept. 10 after an overnight stop in the town. It will then stop in Tuscola at approximately 10 a.m.
What makes Big Boy No. 4014 so special? Out of the 25 Big Boys that were built in the early 1940s, only eight have survived and just one is still operational. In May 2019, Big Boy No. 4014 returned to service after a 58-year retirement and three-year restoration period. The 25 Big Boys played a key role in hauling freight, particularly across the mountainous West, during the World War II period of the early ’40s.
The Big Boy gets its name honestly. It is a whopping 132 feet in length and weighs around 1.2 million pounds, earning its distinction as the world’s largest steam locomotive.
You can find Big Boy No. 4014’s full schedule here. Learn more about its history here. Fans are reminded to safely stay 25 feet back from the locomotive and never take a picture or video when standing on the track or the ballast.