CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Union Pacific will soon launch its 10-state Big Boy Steam No. 4014 Heartland of America Tour, which will see the steam engine chug its way across the Midwest and South. Big Boy will depart Cheyenne at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28.
Big Boy No. 4014 is one of 25 engines built for Union Pacific in the 1940s to conquer the steep grades of Utah’s Wasatch Mountain Range during World War II. Only eight survive, and Big Boy is the only one still in operation.
To show off the legendary locomotive, Union Pacific is moving Big Boy 4014 through nine additional states: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. Big Boy will have major display days in the following cities: Rochelle, Illinois; Houston, Texas; and Fort Worth, Texas.
The eight-week tour will conclude in late October. To view the steam engine’s full travel dates and times, click here.
The public can follow along with Big Boy’s adventure on its X account, @UP_Steam. Fans can share their photos on Facebook, Instagram or X using the hashtags #BigBoyHeartland and #UP4014.
All attendees must remain 25 feet back from the tracks when taking a picture or viewing the locomotive, in accordance with Union Pacific’s safety protocols. Never take a picture or video standing on the track or the ballast and never climb on the locomotive or equipment.
