“Big Boy” Steam Locomotive Returns to Portola April 8
The historic locomotive’s stop offers public viewing, rides, and tours as part of a national showcase.
The Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” steam locomotive.
PORTOLA — The Feather River Rail Society announced that will be on display at Portola’s Western Pacific Railroad Museum on April 8.
Union Pacific said in a press release that No. 4014 is the world’s largest operating steam locomotive. Twenty-five Big Boy locomotives were built for Union Pacific in the 1940s to haul freight over Utah’s Wasatch Range; although several were preserved after being removed from active service, No. 4014 is the only one still operating. The stop in Portola will be part of a coast-to-coast tour to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, the railroad said. The Big Boy’s previous visit to Portola in July 2024 attracted a large crowd.
A crowd gathers to see “Big Boy” 4014 during a stop in 2024.
The locomotive will depart Cheyenne, Wyoming, on March 29 and is expected to arrive in Portola late in the afternoon or early evening on April 7. It will be on display at the museum from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM on April 8. Tickets to view No. 4014 can be purchased online (https://wplives.org/news_items/2026_Union_Pacific_Big_Boy_4014.html) or at the museum, and include caboose and motorcar rides, as well as tours of historic equipment.
The locomotive will depart Portola in the morning of April 9, passing through Blairsden en route to Roseville, where it will be on display for two days before returning east via Colfax and Truckee. More information on the tour schedule is available on Union Pacific’s website (https://www.up.com/press-releases/heritage-steam/big-boy-2026-western-leg-260224).