Special Union Pacific Locomotive Coming to Owatonna

2019 marked the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad. A special ceremony was held in May in Utah when two locomotives met nose-to-nose just as it happened in 1869.

The 150th anniversary celebration continues throughout the summer with the 'Great Race Across the Midwest'. A total of 25 Big Boy locomotives were built exclusively for Union Pacific. As of today, just one remains and that is No. 4014, which was one of the locomotives that took part in the ceremony in Utah last month. It took over 2 years of work to get No. 4014 ready for the rails again.

No. 4014 will leave Cheyenne, Wyoming on July 8 and begin a trek that will take it through Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa.

The way the schedule looks now is that it will arrive in Albert Lea at the Old Depot on Wednesday, July 17 around 9:15am and depart 15 minutes later. It will then arrive in Owatonna at the Glendale Street crossing around 10:45am and depart at 11:30am and continue on towards Northfield. It will stop at the 2nd Street Crossing around 12:45pm and Leave at 1pm. It will arrive next in St. Paul and be on display there on July 18.

Some key points to remember include the fact that railroad tracks are private property and trains overhang the track by at least three feet. You're advised to stand back at least 25 feet.