Union Pacific’s beloved Big Boy No. 4014 steam engine is scheduled to make a whistle-stop in Carroll tomorrow (Wednesday) on its “Heartland of America” tour. Union Pacific operated the massive 132-foot, 1.2-million-pound engine from 1941 to 1961. It was taken out of service for nearly 60 years before Union Pacific began restoring Big Boy in 2013. It returned to the tracks in 2019 as part of the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad’s construction. The Heartland of America Tour began Aug. 28 in Cheyenne, Wyo. and includes a path east to Illinois before turning south to the Gulf of Mexico and returning to Wyoming via Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. The engine is expected to roll into Carroll from the west around 12:30 p.m. and depart toward Boone at 1 p.m. Safety during the tour is a high priority for Union Pacific, and they remind spectators to remain at least 25 feet back from railroad tracks at all times. More information on the Big Boy’s 2024 Heartland of America tour is included below.
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