Jay Leno surprises Denison residents as he takes a ride on the Big Boy steam engine

Denison residents got a surprise visit from Jay Leno Wednesday as the Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 steam engine chugged through the area.

Iowans thronged to greet the Big Boy, the world’s largest operating steam engine, as it made its way through the state.

Several people posted photos of Jay Leno on Facebook, showing the comedian riding on the train and deboarding in the Denison area.

Volunteer firefighter Chad Stephens was waiting with his mom and buddy Tyler to see the Big Boy, but he got a fire call.

It turned out to be a false alarm, and on the way back to the fire station, he suggested they stop in the firetruck to see the train.

It was stopped and Stephens estimated that about 20 people came off of the train wearing neon vests.

“Sure enough, there was Jay Leno and people were getting their pictures taken with him,” he said. “I looked at him and said, ‘Jay, can I get a picture?’ I told him, ‘Welcome to Denison.’”

Stephens was still in his fire gear along with his fellow firefighters. “I told all of them: This is your chance. He’s not gonna tell a bunch of firefighters no.”

Down-to-earth Jay Leno greets local Iowans

And he was right. Leno posed with many locals.

“Jay was really down to earth. He seemed like a normal, regular guy with a quiet voice," Stephens said. "I Googled him afterward and found he has a net worth of about $450 million, so it was pretty cool to be standing there with a millionaire."

A lifelong car collector and enthusiast, Leno stars in “Jay Leno’s Garage,” which he was filming for on the Big Boy. So it’s possible that the Iowa countryside and maybe even Denison folks will end up in footage for the show.

Leno left Denison in a black vehicle to catch a flight back to California, Stephens said.

“I’d seen on Tuesday that Jay Leno was in Council Bluffs eating at Quaker Steak and Lube,” Stephens said. “So I knew he was in Council Bluffs but I didn’t expect to see him in Denison.”

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Big Boy is on Heartland of America Tour

Big Boy No. 4014 is on its Heartland of America Tour, which included an overnight stop in Boone Wednesday and a route through Ames on Thursday.

Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. The locomotives were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds.

Big Boy No. 4014 was delivered to Union Pacific in December 1941. It was retired in Dec. 1961, having traveled 1,031,205 miles in 20 years of service.

In May 2019, Big Boy No. 4014 returned to service to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's Completion. After a 58-year retirement and three-year restoration project, the engine regained its title as the world's largest operating steam locomotive.

Reporter Ronna Faaborg can be reached at rfaaborg@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Jay Leno surprises Denison residents as he takes a ride on the Big Boy steam engine