SPECIAL Union Pacific Movements

Trains, Planes, and Automobiles (and Streetcars!).

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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

Very nice Steve! A great collection.
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Post by Coyote »

Historic Steam Locomotive to Visit Nation's Corn Belt During Heritage Tour
Union Pacific Railroad's historic steam locomotive, No. 844, will travel more than 3,000 miles from its base in Wyoming on a 16-day, six-state tour in the Midwest, to celebrate the railroad’s history and heritage.

The "Corn Belt Rocket Tour" will begin on June 22 when No. 844 leaves Cheyenne, and travels to North Platte, Neb. Before circling back through Nebraska and returning to Cheyenne on July 7, the locomotive will make overnight stops and be on display in:

North Platte, Grand Island and Fremont, Neb.;
Carlisle and Boone, Iowa;
Trenton, Liberty and Kansas City, Mo., and
Fairbury, Neb.

"This will be the first time No. 844 has stopped in the Midwest cities of Carlisle, Iowa, Trenton and Liberty, Mo., and Fairbury, Neb. We look forward to bringing a piece of living history to this part of our rail network," said Steve Lee, Union Pacific’s manager – operating practices and locomotive engineer. "We are extremely proud of our collection of historical railroad equipment, which is the largest of any U. S. railroad."

No. 844, also known as Union Pacific’s "Living Legend," returned to service in 2005 after one of the most extensive steam locomotive overhauls in the United States since the 1950s. The work began in 2000 and affected its running gear, pumps, piping, valves and springs, along with replacement of its firebox and extensive boiler work. The cab interior also was refurbished. No. 844 was the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad and was delivered in 1944. A high-speed passenger engine, it pulled such widely known trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger.

When diesel-electric locomotives took over all passenger train duties, No. 844 was placed in freight service in Nebraska between 1957 and 1959. It was saved from being scrapped in 1960 and held for special service.

No. 844 has run hundreds of thousands of miles for UP's Heritage program. It has made appearances at Expo '74 in Spokane, the 1981 opening of the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans and the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Los Angeles Union Station in 1989.

A Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) transmitter was installed on one of the rail cars that will travel with No. 844. The GPS system has been integrated with a map on UP’s Web site http://www.up.com. Enter the word "Steam" in the search box on the homepage for a shortcut to the map. Web site visitors will be able to access route maps with varying amounts of detail. The GPS system will update the map every five minutes showing No. 844’s location.
GPS - Steam Locomotive Trace

Schedule - Corn Belt Rocket
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Oops, it looks like I didn't get up early enough to catch the train rolling in to Fremont.  May be next year.
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Post by Stargazer »

It was after 12:30 before it came by our location just west of Fremont.  It didn't leave GI until 9am... the GPS tracker was updated very infrequently however, so it was difficult figuring out when it was going to arrive.  I'll have a little video clip uploaded to YouTube shortly.
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Post by Brad »

Wow, if I knew that I would have gone.  I might try to go to work late Tuesday and get a pic of it leaving town.
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Post by Stargazer »

[youtube][/youtube]
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Great Job Jeff!  Now I really wish I went.
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Post by Coyote »

Sweet! Looks like you had company along the way.
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Post by the1wags »

Nice vid Jeff. :) The 844 is awesome! It is scheduled to depart Fremont at 8 tomorrow morning.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Anyone know why the challenger hasn't been through in 3 years?
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Post by Gerald W. Kopiasz »

Brad wrote:Anyone know why the challenger hasn't been through in 3 years?
I believe it's down for repair if my memory serves me correctly.  Until 2005 the 844 was down for a few years receiving one of the more thorough overhauls in its life.  The 3985 (Challenger) racked up a few miles during that time (I rode behind it from Omaha to Sioux City and back in 2001).  Now that the 844 is in full swing, now is a good opportunity to perform some, I suspect, heavy maintenance.

Gerald
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Post by Brad »

Gerald W. Kopiasz wrote:
Brad wrote:Anyone know why the challenger hasn't been through in 3 years?
I believe it's down for repair if my memory serves me correctly.  Until 2005 the 844 was down for a few years receiving one of the more thorough overhauls in its life.  The 3985 (Challenger) racked up a few miles during that time (I rode behind it from Omaha to Sioux City and back in 2001).  Now that the 844 is in full swing, now is a good opportunity to perform some, I suspect, heavy maintenance.

Gerald
Any Idea when its coming back in service?

Also what about the E units the ABA consist, are they still around?
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Post by Stargazer »

I remember reading on one of the other Youtube videos... that the two independent drive units became out of sync and caused some damage.  I wonder if the repairs were related to this?
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Post by nebugeater »

Reading all this caused one of those random thoughts to pop.  Are any of you old enough, and if you are do you remember the 1975/76 Freedom Train?  I was in the early years of grade school and growing up about an hour from Omaha I have fairly solid memories of taking a field trip day to go see the train on it's stop in Omaha.  

According to Wikipedia it was in Omaha on Sept 23 - 28, 1975.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_F ... tion_stops

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I remember at that young aged being able to see some of the thigns I had only heard about for the first time.  It left an things, that is for sure.  One thing that I remember is the moving belt that you were on to go through the train.. Even at that age it was too fast and I wanted more time to "see" the things on display.



From the time line I found on this site.  Looks like they did some work on an Engine in Omaha

http://www.freedomtrain.org/html/aft_timeline.htm
September 23, 1975

The Daylight locomotive is shopped at the Union Pacific Railroad's Omaha shops to correct the contour of its drive wheels.

The tricky procedure causes the steam locomotive to miss dates in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. The Burlington Northern Railroad provides diesels to pull the train in those states.

While in Omaha, Mike Love of the Beach Boys gives a benefit concert for the train and the AFT sees its 2,000,000 visitor.
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Post by Stargazer »

Yes... I recall our field trip to see the Freedom Train as well.
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Post by Brad »

Josh and I headed up to Fremont tonight:

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Post by Coyote »

That my friend is nasty!
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Post by the1wags »

Here's a few I got tonight.

Here's Brad standing by the wheels to show the scale.

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Post by Brad »

Great Pics!

Here you go:
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Post by Brad »

I just chased the 844 form Blair to Mo Valley so I should have more pics tonight!
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Post by Gerald W. Kopiasz »

Not sure when the 3985 will be back up, but having a steam locomotive down for several years in this day and age is fairly routine, especially when the folks that work on them are also the folks that operate them...lots to do!  

The E's are still out there.  If you're in the right place at the right time, you can catch them coming/going from the area from time to time.  I believe they were last in town within the past several weeks?

Here's a recent picture from http://www.railpictures.net:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=191567

Gerald
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Post by Brad »

Not sure when the 3985 will be back up, but having a steam locomotive down for several years in this day and age is fairly routine, especially when the folks that work on them are also the folks that operate them...lots to do!  
I did notice just this morning that the Challenger 3985 will be in Denver in September.
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Post by Brad »

Awesome, it looks like the heritage fleet will be in Omaha!
Our locomotive management team currently plans to use the locomotives in
the following service when they depart Roper. UP1989, UP1995, UP1996 and
UP1988 will return to Chicago and will operate between Chicago and
Council Bluffs until July 14 and 15, when three of the units will be on
display at Durham Western Heritage Museum for Omaha Railroad Days.
After that, the units will operate on east-west intermodal service.
UP1982, UP1983 and UP8444 (flag unit) will operate as a set in the
Western region.

Picture from http://www.railpictures.net
Image
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Post by the1wags »

Cool!
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Post by Brad »

Here are my shots from my chase from Blair, Nebraska to Missouri Valley, Iowa:
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Below is a picture of half of the crowd in Missouri Valley.  That morning there were literally 50 people Chasing through this area, not including the locals that came to see the train.  They were going to chase all the way to Dennison or further.  In Dennison, the UP 844 was going to meet a trio of the Heritage Locomotives.  The group I befriended had guys from, Madison Wis, Chattanooga TN, Little Rock Arkansas, and St Louis Missouri.
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Post by Coyote »

Nice job Brad. Great site selections.
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Post by Brad »

UP 6936 The DD40X Centennial should be coming through Omaha on Friday.  I am still working on the time.

The 6936 is the sister engine to the Centennial sitting up on top of the hill at Kenefeck Park.

The locomotive on the left in this Photo:
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UP844.

Post by Allan_Love_Jr »

Here are some shot that I shot when it was in town and around.
Here she is coming into Blair making here very first stop for the very first time since the take over of the CNW.
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Fremont.
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And the UP Heritage units coming through Blair.
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Later.
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Post by Brad »

Nice Shots Allan!

I wish I could have seen the Heritage Locomotives in Action!
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Post by Brad »

There is a VERY good chance the 3985 is going to come through the Omaha Area this summer.  It has been several years since it was in Omaha!  It is going to Minnesota so it will probably come though the Omaha area either on the Blair Sub (Fremont - Blair - Missouri Valley) or the Council Bluffs Sub(Fremont - Omaha - Council Bluffs - Missouri Valley)!
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Post by Brad »

Word on the street is that UP1982 is moving through Omaha right now.  Its the Heritage Missouri Pacific locomotive.

The 6936 Centennial will be heading from Missouri Valley to Council Bluffs tomorrow from 4 to 4:30
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UP Special.

Post by Allan_Love_Jr »

UP 6936 will be into Sioux City by Noon this afternoon. So I would say around 2PM to 2:30PM.
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Post by Brad »

Sure makes it hard to follow when the bump the time up by TWO hours!
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Post by Brad »

The UP 6936 Centenial

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Post by Coyote »

Sweet! Too bad it was an overcast day today.
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Post by Brad »

Coyote wrote:Sweet! Too bad it was an overcast day today.
You are not kiddin there.  I saw eomahaforums member BNSFrailfan up where I shot the first photo at California Junction.  The first four are west of Missouri Valley, the rest of the photos are between Missouri Valley and Council Bluffs.

BNSFrailfan posted on the railroad forums that that locomotive will be on display in CB all weekend at Highland Park.  Need to see where that is?
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Union Pacific 6936.

Post by Allan_Love_Jr »

Awesome Photos Brad. You weren't kidding when you said you where gonna chase it. :lol:
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Re: Union Pacific 6936.

Post by Brad »

BNSFrailfan wrote:Awesome Photos Brad. You weren't kidding when you said you where gonna chase it. :lol:
All the way to North CB.  I saw ED perched up on a crossing just north of town.
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Post by Brad »

This is a big bummer!

The Centenial is not going to Minnesota now. Wonder if it was mechanical or other?

http://www.upsteam.com/schedule.html#schedule
www.upsteam.com wrote:CANCELLED August 29 - September 15, 2008
Republican National Convention - St. Paul, Minnesota
Locomotive No. 3985 will NOT be going to this event.  
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Post by Brad »

UP 4141 to operate in Midwest next Week
Christopher Palmieri, of Fort Worth, TX wrote:Image
UP4141 will also pull a "Special" on 8/18 out of Council Bluffs
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