Cresson Township gears up for Big Boy locomotive's arrival

CRESSON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WTAJ) — While the Union Pacific Big Boy is still several days away from rolling through Cresson Township, train fans from across the country are already arriving to secure a front-row view of the historic locomotive. One of those visitors is Andy Schultz, a train enthusiast and former firefighter from Florida, who made the trip with family and friends after hearing the Big Boy would be traveling through the region. "When I heard that this was coming up, I told my wife, 'I'm still alive. I'm going to it,'" Schultz said. "I called my uncle, and he said he wanted to go. Then Ben heard about it and wanted to come, and my best friend Mike said, 'Well, I want to go too.'" The group plans to spend the next several days at the Station Inn as they wait for the locomotive's arrival. "It's a very special event to have this engine restored and operating," Schultz said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see it running, especially through this area." The growing number of visitors is expected to provide a welcome boost for businesses throughout Cresson. At Brick on Front, owners Jason and Dee Bertison have been getting ready by extending business hours and adding outdoor seating to accommodate larger crowds. "Whether it's 2,000 people, 10,000 people or 15,000, I'm always prepared and waiting for 10,000 people every day to come through the door," Jason Bertison said. The anticipation surrounding the Big Boy has also helped unite the local business community, according to Dee Bertison. "Everybody's saying, 'Let's do this. Let's get together more, have more lunches, talk about it,'" she said. "We're figuring out how we can all work together to make it happen." With the Big Boy's arrival drawing closer, more rail enthusiasts are expected to make their way to Cresson, as the town prepares to welcome thousands for one of the biggest railroad events in recent memory.