Thousands gather to welcome Union Pacific’s “Big Boy”

Union Pacific's "Big Boy" No. 4014 made history on Friday, June 5, chugging into neighboring Marshall County for the first Indiana whistle-stop of its 2026 Coast-to-Coast tour. This historic tour is in celebration of America's 250th Anniversary. Thousands of people from across the nation flocked to the small town of Argos to welcome the world's largest operating steam locomotive to the Hoosier state. There were over 700 vehicles parked at the Marshall County Fairgrounds alone. Pond Street, West Street and S. Michigan Street were the three crossing areas in town to see the train pass by. The official service stop location was at the Ironwood Crossing from 2:30 to 3 p.m. Endless crowds of people were at each location with many taking photos, videos and drone shots. Cheers and waving greeted the train as it rolled by. With so many people at each crossing, safety was definitely a priority. Officers lined the railways to keep spectators off of the tracks and back at least 25 feet. This is not just for safety reasons, but railroad tracks and right-of-ways are private property. Drones are also to be kept at least 25 feet away from all railroad tracks. All of this is important to keep in mind as Big Boy makes its way back west in July. It is scheduled to make a stop in Knox on Thursday, July 16.