Orange County got a look at an 80-year-old transportation legend Thursday as the Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 traveled through Vidor, Orangefield, West Orange, Orange, Little Cypress, and then across the Sabine River into Louisiana.
The steam engine with its tender is more than 132 feet long; so long that it was designed with an articulated carriage that would bend to curves. It weighs 604 tons and could carry a freight train that weighed 3,600 tons, according to Britannica Encyclopedia.
Retired in the 60’s, Union Pacific then acquired one of locomotives from a California museum. The company restored the engine to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad in 2019. Since then, the locomotive sometimes takes to the tracks to go across the country so people get a look at transportation.
The train began its tour in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and crossed through several states. It spent Tuesday night in Houston and spend Wednesday night in Beaumont before starting on its Thursday trip. The steam engine, now running on oil rather than coal, stopped at the Holly St. intersection in West Orange where there was a ribbon cutting.
John Kovatch a 1974 West Orange graduate is the Pilot Engineer on the Big Boy Steam Engine. He has been working in the industry since 1977 and has enjoyed being a part of such an historical trip.
An elderly gentleman who had his daughter bring him to see the train had tears in the corner of his eyes after it rolled by. He said he’s read about them, seen them on TV, but always wanted to see one in person.
Big Boy No. 4014 departed Cheyenne, Wyoming on Aug. 5, traveling through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, and back to Wyoming.
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