May 30, 2026 - The world's largest operating steam locomotive, built in the early 1940s, will soon be rolling through Ohio on its way to Philadelphia to help celebrate America's 250th birthday.

Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014 is currently on a coast?to?coast tour to mark America's 250th anniversary, including first?time visits to Ohio and several other states, according to USA TODAY.

Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014 

Most Ohio stops are brief, lasting about 15 to 30 minutes. Here's where and when Big Boy will stop as it passes through the Buckeye State.

When is Big Boy stopping in Ohio? Dates and schedule

Big Boy’s tour includes multiple stops across Ohio starting in June, according to its schedule via Union Pacific. Some stops listed are not open to the public. Here's where to find it (all times Eastern).

June 6

Continental: Arrives 11:45 a.m., departs 12:15 p.m. ET

Fostoria (Iron Triangle Railpark): Arrives 2:15 p.m., departs 2:30 p.m.

June 8

Lorain: Arrives 11:15 a.m., departs 11:30 a.m.

Euclid: Arrives 2:30 p.m., departs 3:00 p.m.

July 12

Struthers: Arrives 11:30 a.m., departs 12:00 p.m.

July 13

Rocky River: Arrives 1:00 p.m., departs 1:30 p.m.

July 14 (extended stop)

Fostoria (Automotive Distribution Center): On display 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July 15

Continental: Arrives 11:30 a.m., departs 12:00 p.m.

Union Pacific urges spectators to stay at least 25 feet from the tracks and follow safety guidelines.

Watching the train at most Ohio stops is free, though a few special events require tickets. Parking at surrounding parking facilities may include a fee.

Union Pacific's official schedule says admission to most display days and "whistle stops" is free, with no tickets required during posted viewing hours. In some cases, the Big Boy will be behind a fence or other perimeter, so viewers may not be able to get close. 

What is 'Big Boy?' More on the historic train 

Big Boy No. 4014 is the world's largest operating steam locomotive. Of the eight remaining Big Boys in existence today, No. 4014 is the only one still in operation, according to Union Pacific. 

Originally built in the 1940s to haul heavy loads across the Rocky Mountains during World War II, Big Boy (No. 4014) is the last operating locomotive of its kind.

President Abraham Lincoln created the Union Pacific railroad amidst the Civil War, using the tracks to help tie the then-new state of California to the rest of the Union. Big Boy is part of a class of heavy engines built to haul military material between the coasts during World War II. Keeping the train formally known as 4014 running has been a labor of love for Ed Dickens, a locomotive engineer and Union Pacific's senior manager of steam operations, and his crew.

Now fueled by oil instead of coal, the locomotive travels with a support crew and a special railcar carrying tools for on-the-road repairs. Officials expect more than 1 million people to see the train during its 2026 tour, which has already drawn crowds from multiple states. 

'Big Boy' goes on tour 

Union Pacific's "Big Boy" is pulling a small train of cars as it heads east of the Mississippi, a rare journey to the eastern United States for the locomotive born to haul heavy materials across the Continental Divide between Wyoming and Utah. Preceded by the sound of its iconic steam whistle, the 133-foot-long locomotive will make multiple public stops during its trip, timed for July Fourth semiquincentennial ceremonies.

"A steam locomotive is an amazing machine from a bygone era," Dickens said. "You don't have to be a rail fan for it to capture your imagination."

The train is making stops or appearances in Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and upstate New York, before turning south to Philadelphia.

Making the trip back west, it will run through Pennsylvania and Ohio before stopping in St. Louis and Kansas City before returning to Cheyenne in late July. Union Pacific recommends checking the Big Boy website for specific dates and times, and using the "steam tracker" to follow the train's historic journey. 

Big Boy has already traveled west to California via Utah and Nevada this year as part of the 250th celebrations. Union Pacific officials say they expect more than a million people will have viewed the train in person by the time it gets back to the Cheyenne yards. People viewing the train's May 25 departure from Cheyenne came from as far away as New Jersey, along with enthusiasts from North Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska.

Union Pacific bought 21 of the Big Boy locomotives, with the first delivered in 1941. Unlike modern locomotives that use diesel engines to power electric motors, the Big Boy class was originally fueled with burning coal, which heated water to make the steam that moved the pistons connected to the wheels. Today, the last remaining Big Boy has been converted to burn fuel oil, although the railroad also uses waste engine oil from its traditional locomotives.

The train covered more than 1 million miles during its working life, and was retired in 1961. Union Pacific bought it back from a museum, and Dickens and his crew spent several years restoring it, in many cases hand-crafting replacement parts that were no longer available. Today, because the train is a one-of-a-kind, it hauls along a special car filled with machine tools, including a drill press and lathe, so workers can make any necessary repairs along the way. It's also hauling a dorm car for the crew to sleep in.

Dickens asked that people who come to see the train during its eastern journey stay at least 25 feet back for safety. If you get any closer, the immense heat coming from the steam boiler serves as a potent reminder of just how powerful the locomotive is.

"When (people) come, they're going to hear that whistle, and chances are they're going to hear that whistle long before they see it. You'll feel the ground rumbling, feel the heat ... emanating off this giant machine. This locomotive, it does not disappoint," he said. "It runs like a Swiss watch."