A June 15, 2025 article in the Scranton Times-Tribune , Massive crowds swamp Big Boy Reunion at Steamtown:


It's unfortunate that Ross Rowland didn't live to see this!

Hi
Yes Chris I fully agree with you Ross Rowland would have been very impressed seeing the Two locomotives together,, Pat.

This is true, that Ross would have marveled at seeing how many people got tickets to see the two locomotives toegther.

That being said, he would have also made an effort to get some engine seat time with the Big Boy to get his hand on the throttle while it operates in Pennsylvania and then cried loudly to anyone who would care if it didn't happen.

Outside of UP, I'm sure the other class ones absolutely won't take note, but the crowds I've seen and seen photos of are way more than I'd have thought they'd be. It's really quite impressive. Good on UP for pulling it all together.

It does really show that steam locomotives can still draw a crowd and be a great PR tool even in 2026. Now I'm sure UP's PR team reached out to various news networks etc to give them a headsup, but that's their job.

Funny part is NS really seems to care less. I saw a youtube video of Ed talking about how the original plan was to take it down south on the way back via Charlotte/ NCTM/Atlanta. I'm sure it was NS who pulled back on that not UP.

I'd think similarly massive crowds would have been at those locations. But clearly NS doesn't care/doesn't want to deal with it.

With 765, 611, 4501 all running trips while 4014's tour is happening, it would have been very easy for NS to to say "Hey let's get 611 to NCTM or Roanoke or Atlanta for a display day", even without public trips it would have drawn a crowd. Same goes for some 250th trip with 3751 on BNSF. But alas BNSF, CSX, NS could give a F_

Can you imagine the crowds if NS brought 4501, 611 to NCTM while 4014 was there. Even if no trips were run, having those three sitting together would have been a massive draw.

I think it really highlights how the other C1's want nothing to do with any of it, even more so than how UP sees it as a tool.

Why, so he could complain loudly to anyone in earshot that Steamtown needs to be privatized? No thank you.

I dunno. NS is hosting Big Boy on Horseshoe Curve and brought the UP train in across part of the Water Level Route. The meet you propose at Spencer would be nice but the display at Steamtown are pretty good trade offs.

I think the route across part of the Water Level Route, including the excursion on Reading and Northern, visit to Steamtown, and the trip over Horseshoe Curve are good trade offs. It is not as if NS showed no support for the venture.

Wesley

That's because NS is a very badly flailing company right now.

Back in 2024, NS paid CPKC $25 million to get a CPKC "Precision Scheduled Railroading" (PSR) expert out of his contract at CPKC and bring him to NS.

Now, just two years later, NS's network has melted down, the unions are saying that the railroad doesn't even have enough crews to keep its trains moving, and the PSR expert is leaving the company.

Here are some articles about what PSR did to NS:

March 20, 2024: PKCR.com - CPKC announces departure of Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer

January 8, 2026: Railway Age - 2026 Railroader of the Year: Norfolk Southern’s John Orr

Jan 9, 2026: NorfolkSouthern.com - Railway Age: John Orr is 2026 Railroader of the Year

June 1, 2026: Trains.com - Norfolk Southern names Barr as chief operating officer

June 8, 2026: Railway Age - A June 1 Resignation, a New COO, and the Harder Question Norfolk Southern Will Have to Answer (Updated)

June 9, 2026: Trains.com - Norfolk Southern begins to reverse network slowdown

June 10, 2026: Atlanta Journal Constitution: Norfolk Southern doesn’t have the crews to keep trains moving, union says

Here comes the bricks and flaming torches:

Imagine if 4014 and 1218 had paired up under steam?

I know, I speak heresy, but I also know some of you have thought it!

Except didn't it run on the former Nickel Plate instead?

I wasn't there, but my understanding is that it left Chicago using the former NYC main thru Elkhart and then it used the former Nickel Plate to get to Buffalo.

Former NKP from Chicago to Buffalo. Did not use the NYC out of Chicago.

My error Re: Water Level Route.
Regardless, the route east from Chicago was on NS trackage, and is evidence of NS support for the Big Boy trip east.

Wesley

The 250th Semiquincentennial makes a "good excuse" for Union Pacific to bring their biggest marketing tool to the nation, but in reality this nothing but a press tour for UP to make a case to the public to support the merger/acquisition of Norfolk Southern. I saw one of the postcards that was being handed out at Steamtown and the reverse side had essentially Union Pacific merger propoganda on it.

As follows:

"Union Pacific is building in President Lincoln's vision for a unified transcontinental railroad. The Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern combination will transform the U.S. supply chain, enhance American competitiveness and energize virtually every sector of the economy.

Encourage members of Congress to support the merger. Scan the QR code to complete a digital letter and get all the facts at AmericasGreatConnection.com"