The World's Largest Steam Train Is Touring The US – Here's Where To See It This Summer

Train enthusiasts are in for a treat this summer with the hugely anticipated tour from Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 making its first-ever visit to the East Coast. The world's biggest operational steam train will be spending two weeks in Scranton, a must-see city in Pennsylvania, from June 17 through June 30 before continuing its coast-to-coast adventure in celebration of America's 250th anniversary. Of the 25 Big Boys built between 1941 and 1944 to haul heavy equipment through the American West, only eight remain. No. 4014 is the only one still in operation, having earned its retirement in 1961 after traveling an impressive 1,031,205 miles. Weighing 1.2 million pounds and measuring 133 feet long, the sight of this magnificent steam engine may well encourage you to do more of this underrated way to travel.

If you're lucky enough to make it to Scranton for the Big Boy Sibling Reunion, you'll see Big Boy 4014 displayed alongside Big Boy 4012. This is a rare chance to see two of these legendary locomotives together and is expected to be a hugely popular event, with timed reservations between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in place. Tickets are available on the recreation.gov website. The park is free to enter, but there's a $1 service charge when you book. Organisers are encouraging visitors to plan ahead and consider using public transport to avoid traffic jams and long queues. Having started its voyage on April 10 in downtown Sacramento, California, on the historic site where Central Pacific began construction on the first transcontinental railroad in the country, Big Boy 4014 will be visiting Philadelphia and Altoona, Pennsylvania; Fostorio, Ohio; and St. Louis, Missouri, before making his way back to its home base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. There will also be several whistle stops along the route which you can track on the Union Pacific website.

As the famous steam train trundles its way along the tracks, it continues to make history more than 65 years after it was retired. Once responsible for carrying servicemen and essential military equipment throughout the country, the Big Boys made an essential contribution to the war effort during World War II, and for some, seeing one in action is an exciting moment. "I love how many people showed up for this guy." said u/horker_stew on Reddit. "Saw him in Lakewood this morning and there were people all up and down the track and in the park where I was. Decided to drive out to Geneva to catch him again. Totally worth it."

One of the most exciting stops on the tour is in one of America's most underrated cities, Philadelphia. This is where Big Boy will be for the Fourth of July celebrations on its next big stop after Scranton, and where you can see it up close at the Navy Yard. If you want to see it in action, it will be passing through King of Prussia on both the way in and out of the city.  Before leaving the state, it will also be stopping off in Altoona, where it will be on public display for two days on July 9 and 10 at the Railroaders Memorial Museum. This is perhaps one of the most anticipated legs of the journey as the world's largest steam locomotive makes its way around the famous Horseshoe Curve, a National Historic Landmark in the Alleghany Mountains, proudly pulling its string of yellow trailers. Big Boy 4014 will continue west to Fostoria, Ohio, before making its final stop of the eastern tour in St. Louis, Missouri.