By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
Hundreds of people are gathering in Hays for a rare opportunity to see one of the most famous locomotives in America.
Union Pacific's “Big Boy” No. 4014 made a stop at E. Ninth and Milner streets as part of its coast-to-coast tour celebrating America's 250th anniversary.
The locomotive arrived Friday afternoon and will remain in Hays through Sunday morning, allowing visitors to get an up-close look at the world's largest operating steam locomotive.
The Hays stop brought together railroad enthusiasts, families and visitors who traveled to see the massive locomotive in person. Many took photos, watched the steam engine operate, and experienced a piece of railroad history that dates back more than 80 years.
Big Boy No. 4014 was built in 1941 by the American Locomotive Company for Union Pacific. The locomotive was one of 25 Big Boys constructed during World War II to help move heavy freight over the steep grades of the Wasatch Mountains between Utah and Wyoming.
The locomotive weighs more than 1.2 million pounds and stretches about 133 feet long. After being retired in 1961, No. 4014 spent more than 50 years on display in California before Union Pacific restored the engine and returned it to service in 2019.
Since returning to the rails, Big Boy No. 4014 has traveled across the country, drawing large crowds and giving communities a chance to see a working steam locomotive that helped shape America's transportation history.
The Hays stop was one of more than 50 stops during Union Pacific's 2026 tour, which continues across the country as part of the railroad's celebration of America's 250th anniversary.
Families from all over, including South Carolina, Arkansas and Oklahoma, all came out to see "Big Boy" No. 4014.