The town of Argos is preparing to welcome railfans looking to get a glimpse of the world’s largest operating steam engine, despite a change in stopping location.
Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 was supposed to make a “whistle-stop” at the Michigan Street crossing on Friday afternoon. Local organizations have been preparing to offer parking, and the town’s farmer’s market was rescheduled to serve visitors. But just days before the event, the official stop was moved to the Ironwood Road crossing, in a rural area about three miles away.
“We are a little disappointed, but we do know that it’s the railroad and things totally can change, I mean, even by the hour,” said Leslie Williams, the town's marketing director.
She says a likely reason for the move is the location of a siding allowing other trains to pass. A Union Pacific spokesperson said the change was made due to logistical and operational issues on Norfolk Southern.
Williams says Argos has been expecting anywhere from several hundred to several thousand visitors. She says the Ironwood Road crossing does have some space for parking, but it will probably be hard to access, unless you arrive early.
“A lot of that area is private property, so you don’t want to park on anybody’s area unless permitted to, and usually, that’s not the case,” Williams added.
Still, the town of Argos isn’t letting the slight change derail its plans. Vendor setups, parking areas and event activities will continue.
Williams is confident that the town will still be a great vantage point for visitors, and she’s optimistic that the train will slow down or make a brief stop. "I know that it isn’t exactly how it was said to be in the beginning," Williams acknowledged. "However, we are still so excited to see everybody, and this only happens every so often."
The Big Boy is scheduled to stop at Ironwood Road between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m. Friday, before continuing east. It’ll make a return trip on July 16, which will include an afternoon “whistle-stop” in Knox, from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. CDT.
Union Pacific’s Big Boy is on a coast-to-coast tour through a partnership with Norfolk Southern, to honor the nation’s 250th anniversary. It also comes as the two railroads are seeking federal approval for a planned merger.
