Union Pacific's Big Boy locomotive could visit Texas on 2026 coast-to-coast tour

Union Pacific announced that Big Boy No. 4014 is planned to make a coast-to-coast tour in 2026 to mark the nation's 250th anniversary, with a full schedule still pending; the restored steam locomotive last passed through Texas in October 2024 and is currently in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Union Pacific has announced that Big Boy No. 4014 is planned to travel on a coast-to-coast tour in 2026 to mark the United States' 250th anniversary. CEO Jim Vena announced the plan while noting a full tour schedule has not yet been released. No. 4014 is one of eight surviving Big Boy locomotives and is the only one still operating. The locomotive previously passed through Texas in October 2024 and is currently located in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Key details: - Union Pacific said the tour will mark the nation's 250th anniversary and a full schedule has not been released. - Big Boy No. 4014 is the only operational Big Boy and one of eight surviving examples. - The engine measures more than 130 feet and weighs about 1.2 million pounds; it was built in 1941 to haul heavy equipment during World War II. - No. 4014 was retired in 1961 after traveling more than one million miles and underwent a two-and-a-half-year restoration before returning to service in May 2019. - The locomotive passed through Houston on Oct. 6, 2024, and Fort Worth on Oct. 10–11, 2024, and is currently stopped in Cheyenne, Wyoming. - Union Pacific currently operates in 23 states and has filed a merger application with Norfolk Southern that would extend its route network to roughly 50,000 miles across 43 states. Summary: Union Pacific plans a coast-to-coast tour for Big Boy No. 4014 in 2026 that could include stops in Texas, but the full schedule and exact stops have not been released. Undetermined at this time.