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Moment trainspotter falls off world’s largest locomotive and fractures his spine as Big Boy 4014 steams across the US
A trainspotter fractured his spine after falling from Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest steam locomotive, as it travelled through Nebraska in the United States. The incident, caught on camera, highlights the risks enthusiasts take to get close to the famous engine as it tours the country, drawing large crowds of railway fans at each stop.
The exact circumstances of the fall have not been fully detailed, but the man is reported to have suffered a fractured spine in the accident. Big Boy 4014 is a historic articulated steam locomotive built in the 1940s and restored by Union Pacific, renowned for being the largest and most powerful steam engine ever built, and its public excursions regularly attract enthusiastic onlookers eager to photograph and film it up close.
In short
- Trainspotter fell from Big Boy 4014 locomotive in Nebraska, US
- He suffered a fractured spine in the fall
- Incident occurred as the giant steam train toured the country
Explained simply
Big Boy 4014, built in the 1940s, is the largest and most powerful steam engine ever built. The locomotive has been restored to working order by Union Pacific Railroad and tours regularly across the United States, making it one of the rarest operational engines in existence.
Railway enthusiasts and trainspotters gather at each stop to photograph and film the locomotive, as opportunities to see such a historic steam locomotive operating are extremely limited. Some of these enthusiasts attempt to get close to the locomotive whilst it is moving, a practice that carries considerable risks.