Philadelphia’s heatwave has claimed another casualty: the Big Boy.
Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 — the world’s largest operating steam locomotive — closed early to the public Sunday afternoon, due to the oppressive heat, according to a Facebook bulletin.
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The Navy Yard had been bustling Sunday with fans clad with wide brim hats lathered in sunscreen, hoping to snag a view of the Big Boy. The locomotive was scheduled to be on display until 3 p.m.
But by 1:30 p.m., when the temperature neared 90, police were turning the train enthusiasts around.
“They’re not even letting people get close,” a dejected man in red, white, and blue grumbled to others headed in the direction of the locomotive.
Spokesperson for Union Pacific, Robynn Tysver, said the difficult decision was made as crews began running out of bottled water for the estimated 65,000 visitors — more than double Saturday’s crowd, Tysver said.
“We just had to make this call for safety,” she said.
The Big Boy arrived at Intrepid Avenue and League Island Boulevard for July Fourth, as part of Union Pacific’s coast-to-coast tour commemorating the Semiquincentennial. The Port of Philadelphia also hosted a public viewing on Independence Day, when the temperature eclipsed 100 degrees.
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As of 2 p.m. Sunday, conditions were slightly cooler, but the region remained under a heat advisory.
Reactions to the Big Boy’s reduced hours on social media were mixed: “This decision is regrettable and puzzling,” one person commented on the Facebook announcement.
“It was hotter yesterday and you stayed open makes no sense,” noted another.
Others were more understanding: “Safety first for guests and especially crew,” a user wrote.
The Big Boy is scheduled to depart Philly on Monday morning and head back West.
It’s expected to be on display in Altoona’s Railroaders Memorial Museum July 9-10.
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