Big Boy in Texas and Mid-South photo gallery, August 2021

By Steve Sweeney | August 20, 2021

| Last updated on August 23, 2021

Large steam locomotive on a truss-type steel bridge over a river.

Big Boy across Atchafalaya River

Union Pacific Railroad's Big Boy 4014 rolls slowly across the Atchafalaya River bridge at Krotz Springs, Louisiana, on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, on its run between Beaumont, Texas, and Livonia, Lousiana.

Steve Smedley photo

A steam locomotive hauling a yellow passenger train near a lake.

Union Pacific Railroad's Big Boy 4014 rolls slowly across Lake Houston at Crosby, Texas on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, on its run between Houston and Beaumont, Texas.

Steve Smedley photo

Big Boy steam locomotive rests on track at nighttime surrounded by lights.

Union Pacific Railroad's Big Boy 4014 sits out Tuesday night, Aug. 17, 2021, outside the Houston, Texas, Amtrak station.

Steve Smedley photo

Steam locomotive passing between rural steel buildings a small crowd of people.

Sol Tucker photo

Steam locomotive rounding a curve in a rural area with automobiles and people stopped to watch at a grade crossing.

Sol Tucker photo

Big Boy steam locomotive on a bridge over trees and vegetation.

Sol Tucker photo

Paused Big Boy steam locomotive surrounded by large crowd of people.

Sol Tucker photo

Close up overhead image of Big Boy surrounded by people at a stop.

Sol Tucker photo

Big Boy steam locomotive hauls a train over an elevated right-of-way in a forested area.

Sol Tucker photo

The Big Boy steam locomotive shares a scene with light rail equipment.

Sol Tucker photo

Big Boy steam locomotive in a low-light scene on an elevated viaduct.

Sol Tucker photo

A yellow locomotive appears as a motion blur at night as the Big Boy steam locomotive is paused.

Sol Tucker photo

Big Boy steam locomotive hauls a passenger train over a major highway.

Sol Tucker photo

Trains contributors Steve Smedley and Sol Tucker present some of their choice images from chasing Union Pacific Big Boy in Texas and the Mid-South. Big Boy’s 2021 trip from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to New Orleans and back is the locomotive’s first excursion since 2019.

For more information, see the Union Pacific steam schedule online.

Also, take a look at Big Boy frequently asked questions.

If you are venturing out to see the Big Boy for the first time, take a look at Trains Editor Jim Wrinn’s essay on how to see Big Boy safely.

Please enjoy these images, only from Trains.com!