MAR finally gets ‘Big Boy’ to its new home; massive locomotive moves flawlessly to Frisco site
With hundreds cheering it on, the Big Boy made it home. The Museum of the American Railroad’s beyond massive 4-8-8-4 Union Pacific steam locomotive arrived without incident at its new digs in Frisco, TX, on Aug. 25, capping a two-part move interrupted by periodic postponements. The move culminated almost to the day MAR’s yearlong transfer of 40 pieces of vintage locomotives and rolling stock from its former home in Dallas’ Fair Park. On Aug. 27 a six-car consist left Dallas and arrived on the 12-acre Frisco site behind the Discovery Center to officially mark the start of an adventure that was conceived in 2009 when MAR agreed to lay tracks in Frisco. “We did it!” said MAR CEO Bob LaPrelle after No. 4018 rolled to a stop at 2:20 p.m. just inside the gate off the BNSF main line by Tower 19. “It went flawlessly.” A throng of rail enthusiasts,…