During a cross country tour, the world's largest steam locomotive will make a stop in Eastern Iowa. In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's completion, the Big Boy No. 4014 locomotive is travelling through six states from Chicago to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Union Pacific spokeswoman Kristen South says that as it stands today, this locomotive is one of a kind.
"There were 25 locomotives of this kind originally built for Union Pacific in the 1940's, and of those 25 originally built, only eight still exist today and only one is operational."
The Big Boy is articulated, or hinged, which allows its massive frame to be able to go around curves. It weighs 1.2 million pounds and is 133 feet long.
"It's really hard to describe how big this is until you see it in person. It's something that certainly makes an impression and is a unique thing to witness."
The Big Boy will stop in Clinton at 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday at 1400 Beaver Channel Parkway and will stay there until 1:30. Next it will stop in Wheatland at the Toronto Street Crossing at 2:45, then spend the night in Cedar Rapids.
In case of delays, the locomotive can be tracked on upsteam.com.