Welcome to Cowtown, Big Boy. The world’s largest operational steam engine is temporarily on display in Fort Worth as part of the Big Boy Heartland of America Tour.
Originally built in 1941, Big Boy No. 4014 was one of 25 Union Pacific Big Boys that usually operated between Ogden, UT and Cheyenne, WY. Because it’s so long, the frame is “hinged” to allow it to navigate curves.
Here are some quick stats about Big Boy:
- Engine and tender length: 133 feet
- Engine and tender weight: 1.2 million pounds (that’s the equivalent of ~1,200 average Texas Longhorns)
- Height: 17 feet
- Top speed: 65 mph
- Steam pressure: 300 psi
- Fuel capacity: 6,100 gallons
- Water capacity: 25,000 gallons
After traveling 1,031,205 miles, the locomotive was retired at the end of 1961. In 2013, Union Pacific undertook a 2.5-year restoration project to bring Big Boy back to life.
As part of the restoration, engineers Ed Dickens and Austin Barker replaced the standard MB-style stoker with a custom oil-burning apparatus.
We headed downtown near T&P Station to see the massive train and meet Dickens, who has been a Union Pacific engineer and mechanic for 20 years and knows just about everything there is to know about Big Boy.
Bring your cameras to snap a photo, get a signature, and swap train memories with Dickens until 3 p.m. today + from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow.
Check this guide for getting there and where to park + read up on Fort Worth’s railroad history.
