GRANITE CITY - Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson said he is excited for Union Pacific Railroad’s Big Boy No. 4014 steam locomotive to pass through Granite City on Saturday, July 18, 2026, as the historic engine travels back to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
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The locomotive, the only operational survivor of the 25 Big Boy steam locomotives built in the 1940s, is expected to pass through Granite City shortly after 1 p.m., according to information provided about the trip. The train is scheduled to leave Girard at 12:30 p.m., though officials said it could run up to an hour behind schedule.
“The last time Big Boy came through, people lined up for hours on Nameoki Road to Mitchell to downtown Granite City," he said. "It is an exciting time, and everyone should plan to see it. It is something good for young kids to see. We are thankful it is coming through our city."
Union Pacific said 25 Big Boy locomotives were commissioned and built by the American Locomotive Company between 1941 and 1944. Only eight survive, and No. 4014 is the only one currently in operation.
The locomotives are the largest steam locomotives in the world. The Big Boy locomotives can trace part of their history to Granite City. According to the provided information, their frames were manufactured in Granite City at the former General Steel Commonwealth plant.
Union Pacific said the locomotives were designed to haul heavy freight over the Wasatch Mountains. Each engine weighs 1.2 million pounds and measures 133 feet long.
Twenty of the locomotives were delivered in 1941, with five more delivered in 1944. They produced 6,200 horsepower and could pull 3,600-ton trains at speeds of up to 80 mph, according to the provided information.
After diesel-electric locomotives were introduced, the Big Boys were reassigned to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to haul freight over Sherman Hill. The last commercial run by a Big Boy took place in 1959, and all were retired by 1962.
Union Pacific reacquired No. 4014 in 2013 from the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California, and moved it to Cheyenne for restoration. The locomotive was converted from coal to oil, updated with modern safety features and returned to active service in May 2019 to mark the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad.
Mayor Parkinson and officials urged patience if the locomotive does not arrive exactly on schedule, saying anything can affect a train’s timing.
