JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- A Union Pacific Steam Locomotive sat quiet in Jefferson City Wednesday night, getting ready for the next leg of its trip Thursday.
The Little Rock Express chugged into Jefferson City Tuesday, but its journey began months ago in an online competition.
"It was phenomenal, the turnout was beyond our expectations and it has helped us and reinforced the idea that for a company that's almost 150 years old, we can still use new tools to help us along the way,” Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said.
Number 844 is the last steam locomotive union pacific bought and it's never been retired.
"It's a unique locomotive, it's definitely something to look at, it attracts a lot of children, they get to see how things use to be,” visitor Tom Scheppers said.
"My grandma and grandpa wanted me to come out and look at it because it was a part of history and stuff,” visitor Seth Dewesplore said.
"It's bigger than I really thought it was,” visitor Nicholas Ash said.
People from all over came out to see steam locomotive number 844 in Jefferson City Wednesday and one man even celebrated his 90th birthday there.
"Lots has changed in 90 years, automobiles, everything except for people, people are about the same," Jim Lipsey said.
Lipsey said trains always have had a special place in his heart.
“My son is a railroad buff, he's loved trains ever since he was a youngster and wherever we lived, I use to take him to the railroad yards early in the morning and watch the trains come in and go out," Lipsey said.
Union Pacific officials said they are impressed with the crowd that greeted the steam engine as it rolled to a stop in Jefferson City.
"To have this many people continue to come out while we're operating one of our steam locomotives, it's exciting," Davis said.
"It was awesome, it was just awesome," Dewesplore said.
Number 844 will pick up steam and travel onward to St. Louis Thursday morning.
People submitted more than 175,000 votes in the competition.
The little rock express route beat out the Tuscolar Turn, Baton Rouge Ramber and Boise Express as this year's Grand Excursion Adventure.
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