A historic Union Pacific Railroad steam locomotive which periodically tours across the country is out on an eight-week trek, and it chugged into Salina Thursday night. To the delight of a crowd which gathered at the Union Pacific Depot at 400 N 13th Street, Big Boy No. 4014 arrived under a full moon.
Big Boy No. 4014 departed on the “Heartland of America Tour” on Wednesday, Aug. 28 from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and is traveling across nine additional states including:
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- Texas
The Big Boy left Kansas City Thursday morning headed west to Salina. It arrived at around 7:45.
The public is welcome to come view the Big Boy Friday at the depot from 9am till 1:00 pm. An event for Union Pacific employees is scheduled for Friday afternoon.
The locomotive then will leave Salina on Saturday at 9:00 in the morning, headed to Hays. It will make a stop in Wilson at around 11:00 as it heads to Hays.
The Big Boy returned to the rails in 2019. It was the product of more than two years of meticulous restoration work by the Union Pacific Steam Team. No. 4014 is the world’s only operating Big Boy locomotive. It made a stop in Salina in 2019, and again in 2021.
The latest tour began Wednesday, August 28th and will conclude Wednesday, October 23rd. The eight-week-tour begins and ends at the Big Boy’s home depot in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
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