The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are urging drivers to prioritize safety while traveling in the area to view the Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 in July 2026.
In a joint statement issued today (Monday, June 29, 2026), PennDOT and PSP encouraged area drivers to do their part to ensure safety by adhering to suggested parking restrictions, obeying all traffic laws, and exercising patience and good judgement during what promises to be a very high-traffic volume event.
"Altoona, Blair County and many of the surrounding towns are expecting thousands of visitors, which is why we all must do our part to encourage safety when traveling to view Big Boy,” said Monica R. Owens, PennDOT Safety Press Officer. “The train is guaranteed to be a pretty big distraction for drivers. We want people to keep that in mind and be responsible by putting the phones down while they’re behind the wheel.”
PennDOT will be deploying message boards and cones in critical areas along high-speed, high-volume routes to restrict shoulder parking, including on the Interstate 99 Interchange in Tyrone, and U.S. 22 in Blair County, where congested traffic could create a dangerous environment.
With the goal of keeping roadways safe, PSP will have a significant presence across the region during the event, including extended patrols and additional troopers, with the hope that their presence will remind drivers to make safe choices and exercise good judgement.
“Enforcement is not the goal; safety is the priority,” said Trooper Jacob Rhymestine, Community Services Officer (CSO) and Public Information Officer (PIO), Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Troop G, Hollidaysburg. “PennDOT and the state police welcome the public’s cooperation in ensuring everyone attending the visit of Big Boy has a safe and fulfilling experience.”
PennDOT and PSP offer the following safety tips for drivers traveling to view the train:
EXERCISE PATIENCE AND RESPONSIBLE DRIVING
- An excessively higher volume of traffic is expected, so leave for your destination at a time that takes delays into account.
USE DESIGNATED PARKING AREAS
- Arrive early at designated parking locations and take the shuttle to designated viewing stations. If you have to ask yourself whether it is legal or safe to park somewhere, don’t park there.
DO NOT PARK OR STOP ON THE SHOULDER
- Stopping roadside or parking on a shoulder to view the train is dangerous and creates the potential for traffic disruption, vehicle-pedestrian interaction, and distracted driving accidents. It's also illegal (75 Pa. cs 3353) Obey message board and coned shoulder restrictions.
DO NOT PARK or WALK IN ACTIVE WORK ZONES
- Active work zones present additional dangers of unstable surfaces and vehicle hazards, such as impaired visibility, and shifting and unpredictable traffic patterns.
DO NOT PACE, RACE OR OUTMANEUVER THE TRAIN
- Do not pace the train, race from one stop to another, or try to outmaneuver the train at a crossing. Pacing the train – driving parallel to the tracks at the same speed – causes traffic disruptions and unnecessary delays. Drivers attempting to beat or outmaneuver trains at crossings cause severe, often fatal, accidents due to impatience, misjudging speed, or panic.
DO NOT FILM or PHOTOGRAPH WHILE DRIVING
- Beginning June 5, 2026, drivers convicted of using a hand-held device while driving – to text, film or photograph or for any reason – will pay a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees. Additionally, depending on the circumstances, drivers who violate Paul Miller’s Law or the texting-while-driving ban may also be convicted of Homicide by Vehicle or Aggravated Assault by Vehicle, and given increased sentences.
MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES
- The Move Over Law demands drivers approaching an emergency response area or any vehicle displaying flashing hazard signals must safely merge into a lane not adjacent to the scene, or slow to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
OBEY ALL TRAFFIC LAWS
- As always, laws designed to ensure safe driving, including speed limits, and laws to discourage distracted driving, driving under the influence, and aggressive driving, will be enforced.
Drivers can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District9.
Follow PennDOT District 9 on X and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.