Big Boy rumbles across North 12th Street. Salina Post photos
Union Pacific's Big Boy steam locomotive rolled into Salina Wednesday afternoon to the delight of more than 1,000 people gathered near the old depot.
The Big Boy steam locomotive No. 4014 is touring the Union Pacific (UP) system throughout 2019 to commemorate the transcontinental railroad’s 150th anniversary, according to the UP website.
"The Big Boy’s return to the rails is the product of more than two years of meticulous restoration work by the Union Pacific Steam Team. No. 4014 is the world's only operating Big Boy locomotive," the UP website noted.
Cellphones were busy as Big Boy rolled up to the old depot area.
The huge crowd included school children, parents and grandparents with children, retired railroad workers, veterans, and seemingly persons from all walks of life. One railroader looked around at the crowd and laughed as he told of his boss saying that only 10 people would show up to see Big Boy.
As the historic locomotive No. 4014 neared the North 12th Street railroad crossing, Big Boy blew its thunderous horn and shook the ground and anyone standing nearby.
Big Boy rolls past the old depot as it prepares to move to a side track for the night. Photo by Bryan Dennett for Salina Post
Among those gathered to see the locomotive was Steve Smith, who traveled with his wife and two grandchildren from Turon -- in Reno County -- to see Big Boy.
"I brought my little grandkids up here to see the locomotive. Their parents called and said they were out of school, so we brought them along," Smith said. "This is a really great thing."
Likewise, family played a part in why Salinan Nancy Boden showed up to see Big Boy.
"I'm kind of representing my dad. He was a railroader for 41 years, and he would be right here with me but he's looking down so that's why I'm here," Boden said.
William Fitzgerald speaks with a couple about railroad safety.
Railroader William Fitzgerald was manning the Operation Lifesaver booth near the old depot, handing out information and talking with young and old about railroad safety.
"We're here just to make sure that people are aware of the safeties around the railroad tracks. We want everyone to be safe," he said.
According to its website, Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) is a "non-profit organization and nationally-recognized leader of rail safety education. Since 1972, OLI remains committed to preventing collisions, injuries and fatalities on and around railroad tracks and highway-rail grade crossings, with the support of public education programs in states across the U.S."
The Big Boy crew is greeted by the crowd.
"When you come up to the railroad tracks, if you'll always look both ways and listen for the horn, that will help you out. We always say 'look, listen to live,'" Fitzgerald said.
"Our big push now is if you see tracks, think train. If you always do that, if you're thinking train, you're going to slow down and, hopefully, take more precautions," he said.
Map courtesy Union Pacific
According to the Union Pacific website, Big Boy was scheduled to overnight at Salina and will depart at 8 a.m. Thursday. It is spending the night on a side track that runs along the south side of the old depot. At 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, the crowd was still large and the traffic congested in the old depot area.
Big Boy's next destination is Ellsworth, where it is scheduled to stop from 9:30-10:15 a.m. at the Lincoln Avenue crossing. From there, it is scheduled to meander through western Kansas and eastern Colorado before concluding its trip Tuesday in Cheyenne, Wyo., where it started its journey on Sept. 27.
If you missed seeing Big Boy roll into Salina, check out this video from Eagle Media: