The Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 is the world’s largest operating steam engine. The Big Boy is currently on a coast-to-coast tour as part of America’s 250th anniversary.
The Big Boy made one of its stops in Ripley, New York, only 30 minutes from where we live. So, we made the short trip to see this historic steam engine.
The town of Ripley and Chautauqua County did an amazing job of organizing this event. We drove to a small church just outside Ripley and boarded a shuttle into town for the event. There had to be more than 3,000 people there. We arrived early enough to be right up front for an amazing view of the Big Boy.
Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 History:
The Big Boy was built in 1941 by The American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, New York. It was designed for one purpose: moving enormous freight trains through the mountains of Utah and Wyoming. The Big Boy was created for the Union Pacific Railroad to handle heavy loads over steep grades.
The Boy was retired and on display in California as part of railroad history. In 2013, Union Pacicific reacquired the Big Boy and began to restore it, and in 2019, the Big Boy moved under its own power again…