While railroads are no longer as lucrative and active as they once were, they still have an important place in Colorado, as it both helped build the state and is still big in terms of tourism. If you have an affinity for railroad history or wish to see what it once looked like, you are in luck, as the world’s largest steam engine is planning its grand return to Colorado:

Coming soon to Colorado is the "The Big Boy 2021 Tour," which begins in Fort Worth, Texas on August 14th before ending in Denver on September 6th.
Mark Loewe/Wikimedia Commons
Starring the Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014, this is the massive locomotive's first tour since its 2019 "Great Race" tour, which also rode through Colorado in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad’s completion.
Flickr/David Brossard
Weighing in at a massive 1.2 million pounds, the Big Boy lives up to its name in more ways than one, as it also spans a length of 132 feet long and requires 16 drivers to operate (8 in front and 8 in back).
Union Pacific Railroad/Wikimedia Commons

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First introduced in 1941, only 25 of these powerful engines were ever produced, with only 8 remaining.
Flickr/Jim Bauer
After 20 years and 1,031,205 miles, the No. 4014 retired and now serves as the world's only operating Big Boy, making this 10-state tour even more special!
Union Pacific Railroad/Wikimedia Commons
In addition to the working No. 4014, the other 7 remaining trains can still be viewed around the country via displays in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Frisco, Texas; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska; Scranton, Pennsylvania; St. Louis, Missouri; and Denver.
<>/Wikimedia Commons
For more information on "The Big Boy 2021 Tour" - including updates on exact locations and dates - please visit the Union Pacific's website.
Flickr/David Brossard

Do you have a special event you would like to see featured on Only in Colorado? Nominate it here! For even more to do around the Centennial State, check out Hot Air Balloons Will Be Soaring At Colorado’s 40th Annual Hot Air Balloon Rodeo.

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