A small crowd gathered to watch a piece of American engineering history roll through Bloomington Friday afternoon.
The Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 is the world's largest operating steam locomotive. It's 133 feet long, approximately the length of three school buses end-to-end, and is hauling a set of cars with "America 250" displayed on the sides behind it.
The classic train whistle was deafening, but still drew delight from the crowd. Kids covered their ears, but kept looking at the towering engine as it rumbled in place.
The train backed into a rail yard to rest temporarily overnight Friday, before it continues its journey toward St. Louis Saturday morning.
Some who stood with their cameras at the ready had been following the train all day as it traveled from South Holland, Ill., to rest in Bloomington Friday night. Others had been trailing it for even longer.
Jason Fields is from Chattanooga, Tenn. He and a friend have followed the train since Fort Wayne, Indiana. Fields was filming it for YouTube channel Dynamo Productions.
"I've loved trains ever since I was an itty, bitty boy. My first word at nine-months-old was 'woo woo,'" Fields said, an attempt at the "choo choo" sound of a train.
"I've seen not only the rail fans, the enthusiasts come out, but the locals. It's been fantastic. This is something that is drawing people together in 2026," he continued.
Laura Golaszewski was one of the locals who came to the railyard. She shared Fields' sentiment about unity, saying it made her well with pride.
"It was honestly a little emotional," she said. "You know, it's 250 years of America and it's a really challenging time in our country. And this made me feel more pride than any of the other 250 things I've seen."
The Big Boy is in the middle of the east-to-west leg of its cross-country trip to celebrate the United State's 250th Anniversary. Its final stop is July 29 in Cheyenne, Wyo., where the train is stored longterm.
