World’s Largest Steam Locomotive Coming Back to Texarkana

All aboard Texarkana! Union Pacific's "Big Boy" the World's Largest Steam Locomotive is coming back to Texarkana this year in August.

The Big Boy is known as No. 4014 made a whistle-stop in Texarkana in November of 2019  and a large crowd of fans gathered to take photos and view this massive historical train up close and personal for their 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad’s completion.

Weighing in at 1.2 million pounds this fully restored train will be visiting 10 states including Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana to help celebrate railroad heritage and the communities that Union Pacific serves. After a final stop in Denver, No. 4014 will return to Cheyenne, Wyoming where its multi-year restoration took place.

Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014, the world’s largest steam locomotive launches “The Big Boy 2021 Tour” on August 5, nationwide. Some locations will allow Experience the Union Pacific Rail Car, a multi-media walk-through exhibition providing a glimpse at the past while telling the story of modern-day railroading, which will accompany the Big Boy on its tour this year, according to a press release. Unfortunately, the Texarkana stop will be for Viewing Only, fans can safely view the Big Boy. In some cases, the Big Boy will be displayed behind a fence or other perimeter.

Here's a shortened list of where No.4104 will make a stop in Texarkana and near here.

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

The Story

Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific, the first of which was delivered in 1941 to handle the steep terrain between Cheyenne and Ogden. Of the eight still in existence, No. 4014 is the world’s only operating Big Boy. The other seven can be found on display in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Denver, Colorado; Frisco, Texas; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska; Scranton, Pennsylvania; and St. Louis, Missouri. During World War II Union Pacific was known for having some of the most powerful and largest locomotives, one of them was the "Big Boy."

Like many of you, I have always been fascinated by trains and can remember as a small boy my father would take me and my brother to Union Station downtown just to watch the trains roll in and leave. Probably, one of my favorite memories to this date.

Don't miss this opportunity with your child to see this train because they will remember it for a lifetime.

Check out our very own Jim Weaver's video footage of the train arriving in Texarkana.