On the former yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad in Scranton, Pennsylvania you will find a most unique place. In 1986 the National Park Service took over operations of Steamtown, U.S.A., a railroad museum and excursion business that began as the personal collection of F. Nelson Blount.
I'm thankful it's now a free National Historic Site where you can learn all about these amazing machines. Not only that, but you get to see, touch, and smell them as there are examples of different locomotives and rolling stock throughout.
When you first pull into the parking lot you are taken past one of the famous "Big Boys". No, not the burger place. I'm talking about the Union Pacific locomotive 4012 built by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, NY.
It weighs 1.25 million pounds. It's total length is 132 feet. They earned every bit of the nickname.
We had just missed the scenic railroad ride but got to see this beautiful Baldwin Locomotive Works engine from 1929 go for a spin on the turntable before heading into the roundhouse for the evening.
Listen to that whistle!
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