The Union Pacific heritage fleet includes commemorative and historic equipment owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The fleet currently consists of two historic steam locomotives, three historic diesel locomotives, seventeen modern diesel locomotives in historic or commemorative paint schemes and nearly four dozen passenger cars used on office car specials and excursion trains.
Since 1960, the Union Pacific has operated steam locomotives on a variety of excursions. These include:
UP 4015: a EMD SD70M, assigned to steam operations as the dedicated helper unit to the steam locomotives. No. 4015 operates behind the water cars, providing positive train control data, dynamic braking, and additional motive force to the train as necessary. [2] [3] It is painted in a heritage livery with a green nose and silver trucks, which pay homage to the paint scheme worn by E9s 949, 951, and 963B.
UP 949, 951 and 963B are a trio of streamlined General Motors Electro-Motive Division E9 passenger locomotives built in 1955. They are used to haul the UP business cars during excursions and charter specials. Originally built in 1955, the original twin 1,200-hp 12-cylinder 567 series engines have been replaced with single EMD 16-645E 2000 hp (1.5 MW) engines and the electrical and control equipment similarly upgraded, making them more compatible with more modern locomotives. [4] The set is made of two A units and one B unit, the latter which contains an HEP engine-generator set for powering passenger cars. They are painted in a historic paint scheme that Union Pacific Streamliners wore on such trains as the City of San Francisco and the City of Los Angeles.[ citation needed ] The two A units have been modified to eliminate the nose doors to increase safety in a collision.
UP 951 has carried its original number since its entry into service. UP 949 was built with its current number, but later was sent to the Chicago and North Western Railway and Regional Transportation Authority as CNW/RTA #511 before being reacquired by the UP. [5] UP 963B was built as UP E9B 970B and served as a heater car on Amtrak upon its formation before being reacquired by the UP. [6] [7]
The locomotives last ran in 2017. Since then, they have remained stored in the roundhouse at Cheyenne, WY.[ citation needed ]
Six EMD SD70ACe locomotives are painted in the liveries of railroads acquired by Union Pacific. The company says the locomotives "pay homage to those railroads and the generations of men and women who helped to build a great nation and the foundation for our future". [8]
Six locomotives are painted to honor various people, organizations and sports events:
Five locomotives painted to honor sports events, one organization, a military victory and a U.S. president have been retired or repainted in standard Union Pacific livery:
The Union Pacific operates a fleet of passenger cars that are often used for excursions and office car specials. Originally ordered by a variety of railroads, the oldest dates to 1912, but most were built in the mid-20th century, at the height of passenger train service. The fleet also carries a variety of important people, such as presidents, senators, generals, soldiers, artists, architects, singers and actors. [30]
On April 28, 2022, Union Pacific announced that several pieces of equipment from their Heritage Fleet roster would be donated to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA), a non-profit organization in Silvis, Illinois. [72] The full list of equipment being donated includes three main pieces: [73]
Besides the three locomotives, other pieces of equipment being donated include an unrestored E9B locomotive, four coaches, a diner lounge car, two business cars, a baggage car, and a caboose. [80] [81]
RRHMA has plans to eventually restore the No. 3985 and 5511 steam locomotives to operating condition. As part of the deal, the Union Pacific has the option to reclaim the equipment at any time upon reimbursing the museum for its costs. [82] On May 13, 2022, RRHMA launched a fundraiser to raise enough money for the restoration of the Nos. 3985 and 5511 steam locomotives. [83] The first five cars were moved to Silvis in August 2022, [84] while the rest of the donated equipment were moved to their new home in November 2022. [85] [86] Restoration efforts on the No. 3985 began in January 2023. [87] [88] [89] As of September 2023, Nos. 3985 and 5511 are under restoration, No. 6936 is undergoing operational repairs, and passenger cars are being repaired and repainted. [90]
The American Locomotive Company was an American manufacturer that operated from 1901 to 1969, initially specializing in the production of locomotives but later diversifying and fabricating at various times diesel generators, automobiles, steel, tanks, munitions, oil-production equipment, as well as heat exchangers for nuclear power plants.
The Southern Pacific was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the names Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Company and Southern Pacific Transportation Company.
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The North Coast Limited was a named passenger train operated by the Northern Pacific Railway between Chicago and Seattle via Bismarck, North Dakota. It started on April 29, 1900, and continued as a Burlington Northern Railroad train after the merger on March 2, 1970 with Great Northern Railway and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. The next year, it ceased operations after the trains which left their originating stations on April 30, 1971, the day before Amtrak began service, arrived at their destinations.
The Chief was an American long-distance named passenger train of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway that ran between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California. The Santa Fe initiated the Chief in 1926 to supplement the California Limited. In 1936 the Super Chief was introduced, after the Super Chief was relaunched in 1948 with daily departures from LA and Chicago it gradually eclipsed the Chief as the standard bearer of the Santa Fe because of its timetable oriented to the Raton Pass transit. For some the Chief and San Francisco Chief as deluxe integrated trains with both Pullman sleepers and fully reclining coach seating with all facilities; lounges and pleasure domes, available to all passengers were at least equal flagships better suited to the business and executive market. From the mid 1960s the super Chief was only a small entirely separate section of the El Capitan seated vista train, the El Capitan passengers having no access to the Super Chiefs expensive eateries and bars which selling point was exclusion and service. The Chief was discontinued in 1968 due to high operating costs, competition from airlines, and the loss of Postal Office contracts.
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The Golden Rocket was a proposed named passenger train of the Rock Island (CRIP) and Southern Pacific (SP) railroads. Planned in the late 1940s, Southern Pacific eventually pulled out of the agreement and service never commenced.
The Lark was an overnight passenger train of the Southern Pacific Company on the 470-mile (760 km) run between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It became a streamliner in 1941 and was discontinued on April 8, 1968. The Lark ran along the same route as the Coast Daylight and was often pulled by a locomotive wearing the famous Daylight paint scheme of orange, red, and black.
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The Cascade was a passenger train of the Southern Pacific on its route between Oakland, California, and Portland, Oregon, with a sleeping car to Seattle, Washington. The Southern Pacific started the train on April 17, 1927, soon after the opening of its Cascade Line between Black Butte, California, and Springfield, Oregon.
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