Big Boy 4014
Unless you live under a rock in Berks or Lebanon counties, you have heard and seen the hype about the Big Boy. But for my friends who live in other parts of the nation, let me tell you about that hype and why we were all so excited.
Big Boy 4014 in Lebanon, PA
In 1940 Union Pacific designed a new steam engine weighing 1.2 million pounds. The purpose was for the train to be able to navigate the mountains of Utah and Wyoming while hauling freight. The wheelbase was unique, a 4-8-8-4 pattern to accommodate the larger fire box. Even the whistle was different, a Hancock, long-bell, three chime “steamboat” whistle. The American Locomotive Company built 25 of these beasts. They remained in revenue service until 1962.
Today only eight exist and after an extensive renovation process, 4014 is the only one that is operational. It has received a conversion from coal to oil. It still runs on steam but the source of the energy that produces the steam is no longer coal. The fire box grates were replaced by a fire pan and an oil burner.
4014 has had limited tours over the past few years, mostly in the Midwest. But to celebrate America’s 250 Anniversary, a coast-to-coast tour was announced by Union Pacific. Big Boy 4014 left Cheyenne, Wyoming and headed to California in March, heading back to Cheyenne. The train then again left the station, east coast bound, in May.
The destination was set for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for July 4th to celebrate the nation’s 250 anniversary with stops in Illinois, Indiana, and New York. After spending the 4th through the 6th in Philadelphia, the Big Boy was ready to make its return to Cheyenne with multiple stops along the path.
Big Boy Schedule in Pennsylvania, July 2026
On July 7th it was set to come back through Berks County again, head into Lebanon County and make a whistle stop in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, about 15 minutes from where we are staying. We knew we did not want to enter the melee of the city which was preparing for an influx of upwards of 30,000 people. So, we found a spot east of the city at a railroad crossing.
Some time in the late morning I clocked out of work and we headed to our destination. We found parking in an abandoned lot and a spot for us to wait it out along the tracks, out of harms way. There was a small corner near the crossing with some macadam, rocks, weeds and a downed tree. It was not an overpopulated spot when we arrived, but we did arrive 90 minutes before the anticipated drive by. If you have not been here for all of the hype, you would not understand the crowds that are gathering! We brought our chairs, but I honestly don’t think I sat once. You know how I love to chat and meet people. Let me tell you Julie’s story!
Julie had seen the Big Boy 4014 previously at a different location with her daughter but today she had traveled with her son from their home in Baltimore, Maryland. They had even spent the night in a hotel just across the highway. Why, you ask? History!
Julie’s grandfather was raised in Denver, Colorado in a time when you went to work as soon as you were able to help support the family. This left her grandfather, a pre-teen, shoveling coal at the train depot for the steam engines that came through. Her grandfather kept a list, a “tick list” he called it, of all of the trains he had worked on. It turns out this gentleman had shoveled coal on every one of the 25 Big Boy engines. Growing up, her father was also a train enthusiast, and their vacations were spent chasing trains.
Her children never had the pleasure of meeting her grandfather, but a part of his legacy was about to chug down the tracks and she was there to witness it, along with her son.
Part of their family tradition was placing a penny on the tracks before the train passes so that it becomes a souvenir. She was telling me about this and I quickly found my change purse. I only had 4 pennies – I have 8 grandkids. Well, one for each family and one for us, I concluded. A lovely Mennonite lady who had left her employer just up the street to witness the train, offered me more pennies! She disappeared and came back with close to 10 pennies.
Unfortunately, shortly before the arrival of the train, a police presence also arrived. The safety team and the police were quite vocal about us staying 25 feet back and, after much discussion, we decided a trip to jail wasn’t worth the souvenir. So, no souvenir pennies for us.
But what a beautiful legacy for Julie and her family, generations of train enthusiasts, reaching back into history and passing on the love of locomotives!
My dad was a few towns over in Berks County and let me know when it had passed, arrival was imminent. From the distance we heard the whistle blow. The Big Boy was almost on us. All in all, it was less than a minute and a half and it was gone. But it was large and loud and beautiful. It had multiple cars, beautiful passenger cars without passengers and appeared to only be transporting a limited staff. After it passed we all cheered, packed up our chairs and returned to our lives.
I would like to encourage you, whether it is a historical train, a day at the beach, an airshow or a softball game, show up. Step away from your day to day and be present. Witness history or make some memories of your own. But just slow down. Stop and smell the roses! Life is too short to be speeding through it like a locomotive!
I love you dearly. I am praying for you. ♥ Before you go, Check out TC’s video of the Big Boy Adventure and actually view the passing train! (second video courtesy of my dad ♥)
Waiting for Big Boy, Lebanon, PA July 7, 2026