Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MENTONE – Big Boy No. 4014 made its way back west through Kosciusko County Thursday and there were people waiting to watch it outside of the Mentone Fire Department.
Union Pacific's famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, journeyed to the East Coast this summer for the first time as part of a historic coast-to-coast tour to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. The tour included a Fourth of July celebration in Philadelphia, major display events in eight cities and more than 50 whistle-stops in 10 states, including stops for the first time in Indiana, Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania, according to Union Pacific’s website.
Mentone Fire Chief Mike Yazel said, “It’s the last of that largest steam engine still running in the world, I believe.” He said Big Boy No. 4014 had never been east of the Mississippi River until this year “and this is his return trip back to the west. Those locomotives were developed to push coal trains over the mountains, is what they were used for.”
Big Boy No. 4014 went through Mentone on its way east in June. Yazel said there were about 2,000 people to see the train go through Mentone.
“It was a little intense for us,” he said.
He said he thought the draw was because people who are into steam trains want to come out and see events like this.
As far as Thursday, Yazel said they had no idea what to expect.
“I’d figure it’d be smaller than the last time around. It looks like it’s going to be because our parking lot was full, solid full last time an hour before the train came in ...,” he said.
Ken Locke did not come to see Big Boy when it came through in June.
“I’ve heard so many people talking about it. It’s just history. You’re not going to see this very often ... So just came out to see history,” he said Thursday. “I grew up in a town that had tons of trains, so it’s going to be interesting to one like this ...”
He thought seeing Big Boy would be a blast from the past.
“We have trains come through Warsaw all the time, but nothing like this,” he said, noting there’s history and heritage to Big Boy that is also coinciding with America’s 250th anniversary.
Travis Jackson came from Chesterton because he’s a rail fan. When Big Boy was going east, he chased the train from Hammond to Burket.
“It’s a mechanical marvel. It was built in 1941 with slide rules and brain cells. You don’t see that type of technology any more today. It’s just fascinating to see it in motion in front of you,” he said.
When asked why he decided to come out to see it again, he said you see it once, it was so exciting, you want to see it again.
“Who knows how long it will be before they run it out here again, if ever,” he said, adding he’s hoping to see it four times at least at Mentone, Argos, possibly Valparaiso and maybe Hammond or Dalton by the state line.
June and Art Little tried to see Big Boy in Argos when it went through in June, but missed it as they were on the wrong tracks. On Thursday, June said they were determined to see the train.
Art grew up in South Bend in the 1950s and saw the steam engines in his formative years and hasn’t seen one since.
“I’m fascinated with the big trains,” he said.
June said the train is a marvel and Art said they wanted to see it this time around since they missed it the first time.
