Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A million pounds of locomotive – the “Big Boy” – stopped in Springfield for a half hour Saturday morning, drawing a huge crowd. It’s the largest operating locomotive in the world and was built in 1941 to carry supplies and equipment during World War II.

Even President Lincoln had something to say about it. “I remember a train much like this taking me out of town heading off to Indianapolis a few years ago,” said the Great Emancipator. “I had been known as the rail candidate and the rail president, and I think a lot of folks, whenever they found out that somebody had been elected to office from Springfield, they come to just make sure that he was actually going to make tracks.”

The gigantic train did not disappoint Sharon Reichers of Springfield. She and husband Kevin are becoming train people more and more. “Our son is a civil engineer for Hanson, in their Kansas City office,” she said. “He designs railroad tracks for Burlington Northern and Union Pacific, all of them, so we have kind of grown into the interest over time.”