LEETSDALE, Pa. — A train on a coast-to-coast tour as part of America’s 250th celebration will be in Western Pennsylvania this weekend, after a hoax caused some confusion about the stop.
People are already in Leetsdale ahead of the train’s stop.
“We are trying to find a place we can park and sit to view the train coming through,” the Kuzy couple told Channel 11.
Nick and Wendy Kuzy drove from Canonsburg to Leetsdale to stake out a spot to watch the Union Pacific Big Boy steam locomotive roll through town as a part of its America 250 tour.
“To see the big boy coming through… this is huge,” the Kuzy’s said.
But, within the last few days, someone claiming to be with the train company reached out to Channel 11 and other news outlets around the country, saying the tour was cancelled.
The person claimed that due to recent vandalism and safety concerns, the rest of the tour would be canceled. And — the train would be coming home under diesel power at an undisclosed time due to security reasons.
It turns out — it was all a hoax.
“I think that’s terrible. It’s probably someone who wants to try to get a good parking spot and tell everyone it’s not happening. It’s a sad state of affairs that someone would do that,” Nick Luzy said.
A spokesperson with Union Pacific told Channel 11 they’ve received calls from other media outlets asking about the alleged tour cancellation, too.
They say there’s no truth to it — and at this point, they don’t know who is behind the hoax.
“It’s so easy to do that now with AI and the internet. It’s so easy to deceive people,” Wendy Luzy added.
The Big Boy will be making its stop in Leetsdale on Saturday around 6:15 p.m.
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