August 21, 2021
Big Boy No. 4014, the famed Union Pacific steam locomotive that has been drawing crowds by the thousands during a 10-state tour this summer, will make 10 whistle-stops across central Missouri on Aug. 30-31.
This mighty steam locomotive, which was built to transport supplies during World War II over steep mountain grades, will end its visit to Missouri on Sept. 1 with a second stop at the Kansas City Union Station.
On Monday, Aug.30, Big Boy will make four whistle-stops in eastern Missouri before traveling to Jefferson City. It will spend the night in Jefferson City, departing the next day at 8 a.m.
On Tuesday, Aug. 31, Big Boy will make six whistle-stops in western Missouri in California, Sedalia and Warrensburg before reaching the metro.
Stops are planned for:
• 2:45 p.m. – Pleasant Hill, Depot, 100 Wyoming St.
• 4 p.m. – Lee’s Summit, Amtrak Depot, 217 SW Main St.
• 5:10 p.m. – Independence, Amtrak Depot, 600 S. Grand Ave.
Big Boy will then travel to Kansas City, Missouri, arriving at about 6:15 p.m. at the Kansas City Union Station at 30 W. Pershing Rd. It will spend the night in Kansas City, with viewing all day on Sept. 1.
This is the second time on this tour that Big Boy has spent the day on view to the public. It also spent a day at the Kansas City Union Station on Aug. 10 during the first half of Big Boy’s 2021 tour.
This is the first time Big Boy has gone on tour since its post-restoration debut in 2019 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad’s completion. Big Boy left its home base at the Union Pacific Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on Aug. 5. It will return home on Sept. 7, after making more than 90 whistle-stops in communities located along its route, along with five major public display events in Fort Worth and Houston, Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, St. Louis, Missouri and Denver, Colorado.
Train enthusiasts of all ages and by the tens of thousands have gotten a chance to hear, smell and see the train as it passes through their town. Depending on the schedule, Big Boy’s whistle-stops last about 30- to 45-minutes long, giving participants time to see or talk to the steam team, as well as take a “selfie” with the world’s largest steam locomotive.
Big Boy is one of 25 of its kind built for Union Pacific. It is the only one still operating today.
Fans can share their photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and use the #BigBoy2021 hash tag for a chance to win a Big Boy T-shirt. Fifty winners will be selected throughout the tour. Union Pacific reminds all participants to be safe and stay 25 feet back from the tracks when taking a picture. (Big Boy is so big that putting a little distance between you and this mighty locomotive makes for a better photo.)
Big Boy No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December of 1941. This powerful machine was built to cross the Wasatch Mountain Range east of Ogden, Utah. It was retired in 1961 after traveling a little over a million miles, reacquired by Union Pacific in 2013 and restored to service in 2019.
A complete schedule of Big Boy’s 2021 multi-city tour, along with a map tracking its journey, can be found at http://upsteam.com. The public can also follow along with Big Boy’s adventure on Twitter at http://twitter.com/UP_Steam #BigBoy2021.
