The eastern leg of the tour starts May 25 from Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Big Boy officially launched its 2026 coast-to-coast tour on April 10 from downtown Sacramento near historic Milepost 0 – the site where Central Pacific began construction on the nation’s first transcontinental railroad in 1863.
The route through the Ohio Valley, Pennsylvania and the Northeast reflects the historic role railroads played in shaping America’s economic heartland, connecting factories, ports and population centers and fueling the nation’s growth across generations. For nearly 200 years, Norfolk Southern and its predecessor railroads have served these corridors, helping move the people and goods that built the modern United States.
The eight major public display events are:
May 30 – Omaha, Nebraska (home of Union Pacific’s headquarters)June 3 – West Chicago, IllinoisJune 10 – Buffalo, New YorkJune 15-16 – Scranton, PennsylvaniaJuly 4-5 – Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaJuly 9-10 – Altoona, PennsylvaniaJuly 14 – Fostoria, OhioJuly 19 – St. Louis, Missouri
Big Boy will be accompanied on the trip by several historical passenger cars from Union Pacific’s Heritage Fleet, along with two commemorative locomotives:
No. 1616 Abraham Lincoln locomotive, which commemorates the country’s 16th president and Union Pacific’s founder,No. 1776 – America250, which features the emblem of the America250 Semiquincentennial Commission, the national nonpartisan organization established by Congress to lead the nation’s 250th anniversary.
On the eastern leg of the trip, Big Boy will be accompanied by Norfolk Southern commemorative locomotives as well as a historical passenger car from Norfolk Southern’s Heritage Fleet. The coast‑to‑coast tour highlights the histories of Union Pacific in the West and Norfolk Southern and its predecessors in the East, reflecting the shared legacy of American railroads serving as the backbone of the country’s economic growth. In the coming weeks, Norfolk Southern will unveil its commemorative U.S. 250 series.
In addition to the public display days, rail fans can see this historic machine in action at whistle-stops, generally 15- to 30- minutes long. The time and location for each stop – and instructions for ticketed events – can be found at UPsteam.com.
Nebraska
May 25 – KimballMay 26 – OgallalaMay 28 – Gothenburg, Overton, Kearney, Grand IslandMay 29 – Columbus
Iowa
May 31 – Denison, CarrollJune 1 – Tama, Belle PlaineJune 2 – Grand Mound
Illinois
June 2 – Sterling, RochelleJuly 18 – Springfield, Girard
Indiana
June 5 – ArgosJuly 16 – Knox
Ohio
June 6 – Continental, FostoriaJune 8 – Lorain, EuclidJuly 12 – StruthersJuly 13 – Rocky RiverJuly 15 – Continental
New York
June 9 – RipleyJune 11 – Silver Springs, Hornell, Letchworth State Park (park admission required)June 12 – Owego
Pennsylvania
June 9 – North EastJune 13 – NicholsonJune 17-30 – Scranton, Steamtown National Historic Site, locomotive maintenance (park admission required)July 2 – Reading, PottstownJuly 7 – LebanonJuly 8 – Lewistown, AltoonaJuly 11 – Cresson, Leetsdale, Historic Horseshoe Curve; ticketed event.
Missouri
July 20 – Pacific, HermannJuly 21 – California, Kansas CityJuly 22 – Kansas City
Kansas
July 23 – Topeka, SalinaJuly 24 – Wilson, HaysJuly 25 – HaysJuly 26 – Grainfield
Colorado
July 27 – Kit Carson, StrasburgJuly 29 – Greeley
Wyoming
July 29 – Home in Cheyenne
As part of the tour, the Union Pacific Museum will be selling tickets to ride in vintage passenger cars pulled by Big Boy through the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania on June 14. Interested riders can purchase tickets at UPtrainTix.org.
The tour ends July 29 in Cheyenne, after traveling through a total of 14 states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wyoming.
Anyone interested in learning more is invited to join Union Pacific’s Steam Club at upsteam.com.