Legendary Steam Locomotive ‘Big Boy’ Coming to Arkansas + Texas

Have you heard Union Pacific's World's Largest Steam Locomotive "Big Boy" 4014 embarks on a fall tour that includes stops in Arkansas and Texas?

Choo Choo Baby

The historic legendary steam locomotive Big Boy No. 4014 is already on its first leg of a summer tour but Union Pacific officials have announced a fall tour.

The “Heartland of America Tour” will start Aug. 29 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and include nine additional states: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. The eight-week tour concludes in late October.

Big Boy plans to stop in several cities this fall, including in Texas on Oct. 6, in Houston, and on Oct. 10-11, in Fort Worth. More tour dates and whistle stops will be announced soon.

We don't know if Texarkana is on the schedule, I believe the last time the train stopped in Texarkana was in 2019. In 2021, Big Boy didn't stop but it did roll through town.

If a whistle-stop is scheduled in a city the public can enjoy displays for the public and Union Pacific employees, according to a press release.

About Big Boy

Big Boy is considered the world's largest operating steam locomotive, approximately 25 were built during WWII but only 8 survived. At this time No. 4014 is the only one still in operation. The locomotives were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds.

After its tour across America Big Boy heads back to its resting place in Cheyenne. Wyoming. There are 7 on display for the public to view in St. Louis, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Big Boy is currently on its 2024 Westward Bound Tour.

You can see the current schedule and the latest news on the tour at upsteam.com. Track its journey here

The Story of Big Boy

Here's some video footage shot by Jim Weaver of the train arriving in Texarkana a few years ago. Big Boy, Big Boy, what you gonna do when it comes for you!