Union Pacific’s Big Boy Locomotive Coming To New Orleans This Weekend

Union Pacific’s historic Big Boy Locomotive will be in New Orleans this Saturday and it will actually travel through Lake Charles earlier in the week.

This humongous steam powered train was built in the 1940s to traverse the steep mountians littered across the US landscape and carry WWII equipment from coast to coast.

The Big Boy now embarks on a 10-state tour with several stops close to Southwest Louisiana in Beaumont, Lake Charles, Kinder, Opelousas, and New Orleans. This is the first time the train will go tour after its restoration in 2019.

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The gigantic steam engine will arrive in Beaumont, TX this Wednesday (8/18) at 3:15pm at Northwest of I-10 Frontage Road & Hollywood Ave. From there, the Big Boy will embark on its way to New Orleans leaving Beaumont around 8:00am Thursday morning (8/19).

There will be two whistle stops in SWLA in Lake Charles and Kinder. These are short stops where onlookers can watch the train pull into a station, take pictures and videos, and watch the train pull away after the crew completes a round of quick safety checks.

• 8/19 - Amtrak Depot, 100 N. Ryan St, in Lake Charles: 11:15am - 12:00pm
• 8/19 - 14th Street crossing in Kinder: 1:15pm - 1:45pm

Below is a safety message from Union Pacific for anyone who wants to come see the Big Boy at these whistle stops:

Ultimately, the train is traveling to New Orleans for a full public display this coming Saturday.

• 8/21 - Audubon Riverview Park in New Orleans: 9:00am - 3:00pm

To see the full tour schedule, click here.