The City of Nowata is giddy for the arrival of the Union Pacific 4014 locomotive that will be stopping by this weekend.

Kelly Collins is assisting the Nowata Chamber of Commerce with activities to celebrate the train’s arrival. He said locomotives like the UP4014 that are coming to Nowata used to be called “Big Boys.”

There were 25 of these Big Boys that were built for the Union Pacific in 1941. They are 132-feet long and weigh approximately 1.2 million pounds. They are also part of a locomotive called "hinged" or "articulated" locomotives, which means they are so long that the front set of driving wheels and the leading trucks are hinged towards the front center of the train to help them negotiate around tight turns.

With the Big Boys, there are four wheels in the front (or the leading trucks), two sets of driver wheels (eight in all), and four training trucks that support the trains cab. Collins said these long trains would not be able to maneuver on the Union Pacific railways without this articulation. He also said 8 of the 25 Big Boys survived a scrap heap, which includes the one traveling to Nowata. The UP 4014 was actually pulled out of Pomona, California in a static and was drug all the way back to Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The remaining Big Boys  are static and not retrofit like the UP 4014. Should you ever want to see one of the remaining Big Boys, you can go to the National Transportation Museum in St. Louis, or to Frisco, Texas, Omaha, Nebraska, Denver, Colorado, Scranton, Pennsylvania and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Nowata, Oklahoma also has an extensive history when it comes to the railway system that rips through the town's core.

In the summer of 1889, the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad Company extended its line from Coffeyville, Kansas through Nowata before ending up in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Trains (freight and passenger) were vital to the area, but the last passenger train that passed through Nowata to Claremore was back in March 27th, 1960. The Nowata History Museum notes that approximately 180 people made that final trip from Nowata.

Although the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad Company got things started, Missouri Pacific held the longest time frame with the railway before being acquired by the Union Pacific. That leads us to today, where Nowata still works closely with Union Pacific. And the Union Pacific is closer to the Nowata that some might think.

The Union Pacific 4014 locomotive will be in Nowata on Saturday, Nov. 16th at approximately 3:00 p.m. Collins said activities will start at 1:30 p.m. along Cherokee Avenue, and they include reading sessions for the kids, a trackless train and much more. Aside for payments for food, admission to the event is free.

Even the Nowata History Museum located along S. Oak Street just off of Cherokee Avenue will be open. They will have historical displays of Nowata's history with the rail system. Collins said they do an excellent job in presenting what Nowata is all about at the Nowata History Museum and that it is great to have them on board with Saturday's event.

You are invited to be part of the once in a lifetime event in Nowata before the train retires for the day in Coffeyville, Kansas.

We will have more on this story as we approach the event on Saturday, Nov. 16th.