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Capturing the magic of trains big and small.
Union Pacific Railroad Big Boy No. 4014 departing the Mad River & Nickel Plate Railroad Museum’s Kemper Rail Park after a short American flag stop yesterday on June 6th.
The gigantic locomotive would then head inside of Norfolk Southern’s Moorman Yard for the night and all of today June 7th for servicing.
On Monday, June 8th it departs Bellevue at 9 am to continue its journey east. If you’re going to go see it, stay safe be smart, stay off the tracks and be aware of yourself and others.
06/07/2026
Big Boy in Bellevue
The largest operational steam locomotive in the world entered the city once dominated by the Nickel Plate Road’s celebrated 2-8-4 Berkshires.
Union Pacific Railroad No. 4014 is not a locomotive to be ignored. The Mad River & Nickel Plate Railroad’s Museum’s Kemper Rail Park was sight to be seen. Maybe not as frenzied a crowd as what was reported in nearby Fostoria but trainspotters from near and far arrived in droves.
Honestly it was not as bad as I thought it would be on my first real chase of the Big Boy. Bellevue was the second of two planned for two spots, the first was in the Leipsic area and purposely avoided the high traffic areas.
Now to rest, maybe tomorrow catch a ride with my favorite operational steam locomotive, and then it’s Bellevue to Conneaut on Monday.
June 6, 2026
https://www.trainwizardpro.com
Union Pacific Railroad Big Boy No. 4014 clear Leipsic, Ohio on the old Nickel Plate Road
June 6, 2026
Enjoy the stack talk as Nickel Plate Road No. 765 goes under the highway bridge. Taken at Willow Wye where the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad meets CSX.
May 31, 2026
06/05/2026
Back on the CVSR sung to the tune of Back in the USSR. So begins a steam filled weekend between Nickel Plate Road No. 765 and the Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014.
Best of luck out there everyone. Stay safe, be smart, remember that they are gigantic trains.
Photos - Nickel Plate Road No. 765’s arrival on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for Steam in the Valley 2026.
May 31, 2026
https://www.trainwizardpro.com
Pere Marquette No. 1225 splitting the signals at speed with a clear stack on the Lake State Railway
May 17, 2026
06/03/2026
You have asked about Union Pacific Railroad’s Big Boy No. 4014, the largest operating steam locomotive in the world, and we have the answers.
The massive locomotive will travel both east and west along the old Nickel Plate Road mainline, now part of Norfolk Southern, through Ohio. That means it will come through Bellevue past our Kemper Rail Park twice!
Follow the link to our complete guide on how to safely see the Big Boy in Bellevue - https://madrivermuseum.org/kemper-rail-park/
Historically, the City of Bellevue was considered to be the Heart of the Nickel Plate as all east and westbound trains on the railroad passed through town. The Kemper Rail Park is located where the Nickel Plate Road, Wheeling & Lake Erie, New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroad companies all crossed each other. Today it remains a vital railroad interchange point with tracks going in all directions of the compass.
Should you want to make a day of it the Museum will of course be open during the Big Boy’s time in Bellevue. At the Museum you can get up close and personal either all of our historic locomotives, rolling stock and so much more.
Plus you won’t want to miss the MR&NKP Museum 50th Anniversary Celebration on June 20th. There will be caboose rides!
https://madrivermuseum.org
For the first time in over 70 years a steam locomotive makes an unexpected station stop at the former Amherst, Ohio New York Central Railroad Freight Station.
One of many surprises on Nickel Plate Road No. 765’s semi-annual journey from Fort Wayne, Indiana to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
May 30, 2026
Nickel Plate Road No. 765 pulling forward after dropping off the tool car at the CVSR Fitzwater Yard on May 31, 2026.
It felt good to see the Magnificent Machine moving again.
06/02/2026
Ten questions that always need answering -
1. Why is it called Nickel Plate Road?
The Nickel Plate Road Historical & Technical Society has that story - https://www.nkphts.org/origin
2. What is 765?
The Fort Wayne Railroad has that story - https://fortwaynerailroad.org/nickel-plate-road-no-765/
3. Why aren’t you restoring 757 to operation?
Visit the Mad River & Nickel Plate Railroad Museum, 757 is certainly the new centerpiece but we have plenty more to see - https://madrivermuseum.org/nickel-plate-road-757/
4. Why is there a diesel locomotive in front of 765?
Because equipping a steam locomotive with Positive Train Control is expensive and complicated -
https://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/locomotives/big-steam-and-ptc-a-reset-stage/
5. Where/when/how can you take a train ride?
Indiana Rail Experience is where it’s at - https://www.indianarailexperience.org/2026/03/2026-event-schedule/
6. Explain the Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014?
This is the Taylor Swift Eras Tour of Trains - https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule
If you are in Bellevue go to the Kemper Rail Park - https://madrivermuseum.org/kemper-rail-park/
7. Who are you and how do you know so much?
I am the Train Wizard - https://www.trainwizardpro.com/About
8. People still like trains?
Watch this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G0o-anT95M
9. Do you have model trains?
Yes, however it’s been ages since I’ve had enough time to make a dedicated video on my two-level O-Gauge layout - https://youtube.com/
10. Have you ever been to see 611, 1225, East Broad Top, Durango & Silverton, Cass, Western Maryland Scenic Railroad etc?
I get around - https://www.trainwizardpro.com/browse/
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