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Union Pacific Steam Survivors by Lloyd E Stagner with Bob Yarger Soft Cover
Union Pacific Steam Survivors by Lloyd E Stagner with Bob Yarger
Soft Cover stapled
48 pages
Copyright 2007
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 5
0-6-0 SWITCHER TYPE 17
2-8-O CONSOLIDATION TYPE 19
2-8-2 MACARTHUR TYPE23
2-10-2 SANTA FE TYPE25
4-4-0 AMERICAN TYPE27
4-6-O TEN WHEEL TYPE29
4-6-2 PACIFIC TYPE 31
4-8-4 NORTHERN TYPE 33
4-12-2 UNION PACIFIC TYPE35
4-6-6-4 CHALLENGER TYPE 37
4-8-8-4 BIG BOY TYPE 39
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL UP STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 41
RETURN TO THE ROUNDHOUSE? 45
ADDITIONAL READINGS AND RESOURCES 48
INTRODUCTION
As described in my previous book in this series, Santa Fe Steam Survivors (published in 2006), three large Western District railroads in the U.S. were the principal donors of retired steam locomotives to communities and museums as America's railroads completed their dieselization programs in the 1950s. Unfortunately, Eastern and Southern District railroads, with a few minor exceptions, did little to preserve any examples of historic steam locomotives that had served the nation between 1830 and 1960. The western roads referenced above, which had both the prosperity and the mindset of management to allow for a large number of locomotive donations to be made, were the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Southern Pacific and the Union Pacific.
This effort concerns the 52 still-extant Union Pacific steam locomotives which have been given to other entities or retained by the railroad in its own historical collection. Union Pacific has long been conscientious of its heritage, which includes its role in the completion of the first transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The railroad's interest in at least exhibiting early examples of its motive power date to the 1927-1934 period when two remaining 4-4-0 types were "backdated" and used in tours around parts of the UP system along with a replicated pioneer era train. Regrettably, these engines were scrapped in the early 1930s. Another example of an early UP steam engine display that ended in history's loss involved UP 4-4-0 No. 947, which along with a narrow gauge Sumpter Valley 2-6-0, had been donated for display at the University of Idaho Southern Branch in Pocatello. Both were returned to the railroad and cutup in 1942 as part of a World War II scrap drive.
The details of the final year of regular UP steam service, in 1959, are well known to UP steam enthusiasts. By the start of the year, UP steam ownership had declined to 126 locomotives, with additional diesel and turbine power on order. The last stand for steam was made from the company's shop town of Cheyenne, Wyo. Eight 3700 class 4-6-6-4s began operating between Cheyenne and North Platte, Neb., on July 2. Meanwhile, six 4000 series 4-8-8-4 "Big Boys" were put to work between Cheyenne and Laramie on July 6. Unfortunately, a steel workers strike was called July 15, and the California fruit harvests were short, which diminished consumer related traffic and soon had all UP steam laid aside. Regular UP steam operations ended when the 3713 arrived at Cheyenne on July 23, 1959, a day after the last operative 4000 arrived in Cheyenne.
Despite initial thoughts by UP management that steam power would be returned to these districts in the fall of 1959 or spring of 1960, it was later determined that diesel and turbine power was sufficient for traffic demand. Subsequent steam power movements in work service in the winter of 1960 were limited to the use of 4-8-4 No. 844 at Council Bluffs and 4-6-6-4 No. 3710 at North Platte, both of which had been outfitted with special steam pipes to thaw switches. (As a side note, while regular steam use by Union Pacific ended by 1960, a former UP 0-6-0 which had been sold to a cement plant railroad near Laramie, Wyo., continued in periodic service until 1970.)
During the 1950s, as total dieselization approached, Union Pacific's policy of good relations with its on-line communities was instrumental in the donation of many retired steam locomotives. Museums, some of them offline, were also recipients. The first engine to be donated during this period was 2-8-0 No. 6051, given to Riverside, Calif., in July 1954. (Ultimately, Union Pacific donated twenty 2-8-0 types to various recipients -- the largest number of any one type of UP locomotive.) Similar to its competitor, the Santa Fe, the Union Pacific would frequently schedule a ceremony in conjunction with the donation of an old engine, with local UP officials in attendance.
It must be noted that a few former UP steam engines, which the company had sold at some earlier point in time to another carrier for further work service, were saved for posterity through the efforts of others. These include an 0-6-0, a 2-8-0 and the only surviving example of a former Union Pacific 4-4-0.
Union Pacific steam survivors, although in some instances limited to only one or two extant examples of certain types, are well diversified. Regrettably, no examples were retained of the carrier's 4-8-2 Mountain type main line passenger locomotive. On the other hand, eight examples of the "world's largest steam locomotive," the famous 4000 series "Big Boys," evaded scrapping and are on display at various locations between Pennsylvania and California.
What otherwise makes Union Pacific unique from other large Class I railroads which have donated old engines is that the railroad has continued to maintain several engines in its own corporate collection. Again, well-known is that 4-8-4 No. 844 and 4-6-6-6-4 No. 3985 have been maintained in operating condition while based at Cheyenne for passenger excursions and other events. The occasional operation of the two in widespread promotional service -- the 844 for now nearly 50 years, and 3985 for more than 25 years -- can be viewed as perhaps helping to maintain public interest in other surviving examples of UP steam on static exhibit. Many of the latter have now been on display for more than 50 years.
It must otherwise be noted, as of 2007, two former UP steam locomotives have in the past been returned to active service by museums or tourist lines. These are the 4466, an 0-6-0, at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento; and 2-8-0 No. 618 at the Heber Valley Railroad at Heber City, Utah. Several other efforts by rail history museums or organizations to restore smaller UP engines to active condition were ongoing at the time of this publication.
As mentioned above and otherwise discussed herein, several engines are still in the custody of their original owner, the Union Pacific Railroad. However, the majority of preserved UP steam will continue to be on static display in community parks and museums. These other engines, especially those at outdoor display sites, need and will continue to need regular maintenance. It is hoped this book, in telling their story, will contribute to a heightened public awareness of the historic roles these locomotives played in the development of America.
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