Thousands of people visit the Big Boy locomotive in downtown Houston

A marvel of engineering rolled into Houston. The Big Boy locomotive chugged its way to the city, drawing in a crowd of thousands on Sunday. 

‘It’s a piece of rolling history," said one train enthusiast. 

The 133-foot-long and 1.2 million pound black locomotive, known as Big Boy, is the largest steam engine locomotive and the only Big Boy of the eight that existed. The train was built in the 1940s and for decades it hauled heavy freight across the American West. The locomotive is a relic of the golden age of railroading. 

"It’s a true reminder of how transportation across the U.S. came to be," said a visitor.  

"This locomotive represents the state-of-the-art technology for that time," said Ed Dickens, the manager of Heritage Operations. 

Big Boy number 4014 retired in December 1961. The train was restored in 2019 to its former glory and has been touring the United States ever since. 

"This locomotive is what we call a super heated, articulate locomotive. It’s two engines under one broiler," said Dickens. 

A large group of eager visitors gathered downtown on a journey back in time. 

"It’s iconic style. The bell, the whistle, the chuff, the steam release, everything. It’s a one of a kind unit really," said another visitor. 

Big Boy will depart from Houston on Monday and head to Bryan, Texas.