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Historic Union Pacific 'Big Boy' Rolls Through Oklahoma for 150th Transcontinental Railroad Anniversary

One of the world’s largest steam engines traveled through Oklahoma on November 16 as part of a commemorative tour for the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad, local media reported.

The 600-ton Union Pacific Engine 4014, referred to as a “Big Boy,” was Union Pacific’s largest steam engine, according to local media. The engine was restored for the transcontinental railroad anniversary, celebrating the track finished in 1869 that connected the United States from east to west.

This video, filmed by Kara Rainer, shows a crowd of people watching the train roll into Gore, Oklahoma. Rainer said about 400 people gathered to watch the locomotive pass through.

The video also shows the train blowing its whistle as steam pours out and obscures visibility of the crowd. Rainer said she drove up to Oklahoma from Dallas, Texas, to watch the historic event.

“The coolest part was hearing that train whistle,” Rainer told Storyful. “It’s not a sound you hear anymore. And the rumble under your feet as it passed by, I won’t forget.”

Engine 4014 already passed through Texas and Arkansas before making several stops in Oklahoma. The steam engine was scheduled to travel through Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, and other states throughout November. Credit: Kara Rainer via Storyful