‘Big Boy’ steam train to roll through Eastern Iowa

BELLE PLAINE, Iowa (KCRG) – Big Boy is coming to town.

For those not in the know, that’s the world’s largest steam train.

Big Boy Number No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in 1941. It was retired in 1961 and returned to service in 2019. It made a trip through Iowa that year, and now it’s rolling through once again.

A Marion man and train enthusiast watched the train’s journey five years ago. He said he plans to witness the wonder all over again.

“The engineer saw us, blew the the whistle, which is—makes your heart beat like crazy,” said Mark Weiser of the last time he saw the train.

“It is a bygone era. Even though I’m old, steam engines were gone by the time I was born in ‘48. There were just a few around. You don’t see much of them today, so it’s unique. It’s historical.”

Wesier is far from the only person who has this fascination.

Stephen Beck, City Administrator for Belle Plaine, said there were around 1,000 people watching Big Boy when it paid a visit in 2019.

City officials expect a similar crowd this time around.

“We’re going to try to over prepare,” he said. “We have some extra law enforcement. The railroad has special agents and security detail that follow the train.”

Beck said he hoped, with Big Boy fans coming to town, nearby businesses would get a boost. He didn’t have any specific projections about what he hoped the financial impact would be. Overall, he said he just wanted people to enjoy the train while being safe.

“Remember the safety precautions that the railroad has put out to stay at least 25 feet away from the tracks.”

Weiser said he was planning to keep those safety precautions in mind while getting to see a piece of history go by.

“If you can share it or experience it, it’s going to be something you’re not going to forget,” said Wesier.

Big Boy travels from Boone to Cedar Rapids on Sept. 5. In the middle of that trip, the train will stop in Belle Plaine around 12:15 p.m. Big Boy will leave Cedar Rapids at 9:00 a.m. Friday.

You can see Big Boy’s full schedule here.

Copyright 2024 KCRG. All rights reserved.