I was back at the Little America Hotel early for my 11:45 AM Union Pacific Steam shop tour.
The bus dropped off the earlier shop tour group before picking us up and driving us over. Upon arrival, we toured the shop as one group.
The working area with the machines needed to keep the Union Pacific Steam Fleet running.
The room where the plans are drawn and stored.
Our tour guide was a fireman in the Union Pacific Steam Program and would answer any questions one might have.
More work equipment.
Draw bars of Union Pacific 3985.
The cab of Union Pacific 3985.
Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 3985 built by American Locomotive Company in 1943. The 4-6-6-4 received its name "Challenger" in 1936 during a meeting of Otto Jabelmann, Vice President of Research, William Jeffers, Executive Vice President and J. W. Burnett, General Superintendent of Motive Power and Machinery. Burnett proposed a test run for the new locomotive unassisted from Ogden to Wahsatch, UT, and then running fast to Green River, WY, before returning to Ogden with another train.
3985 ran its last regular train service in 1957 and was retired in 1962, by which time all but two Challengers had been scrapped. After thirteen years storage in the Cheyenne roundhouse, it was placed on display outside the Cheyenne depot in 1975. Then, from 1979, a group of Union Pacific employee-volunteers began work restoring the locomotive and returned it to operational condition in 1981. Since then, 3985 has been used to haul many passenger excursion trains and occasionally mainline freight on ferry moves.
Built as a coal burner, #3985 was converted to burn oil in 1990.
Two more views around the shop building.
Union Pacific 4-8-4 844 built by American Locomotive Company in 1944. Perhaps reluctant to call the type by the name of a competitor (the first 4-8-4s were built for the Northern Pacific in 1927, which gave them the name), they were designated Class FEF by the UP, which stood for the Four-Eight-Four wheel arrangement. The FEFs operated over most of the UP system, initially on fast passenger trains, like the Overland Flyer, Los Angeles Limited, Challenger and Portland Rose, but, as diesels took over, they were reassigned to freight.
844 saw its last revenue service hauling freight in 1959. It was then reserved for excursion work in 1960. Renumbered 8444 for a time because of a conflicting use of 844 on a diesel, it regained its original number in 1969 after the diesel retired. 844 was the last steam locomotive delivered to the Union Pacific and still operates; it is the only steam locomotive never retired by a US Class I railroad.
Union Pacific E9A 949 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955. It was one of the last of sixty-nine E9s bought for the railroad's streamliner and domeliner passenger trains, including the City of Los Angeles, City of Portland, City of San Francisco, City of St. Louis and Challenger. In 1972, it became Chicago and North Western 511 then became Metra 511 from 1984 to 1989. It was then sold to Kasten Railcar Services of Edwardville, Illinois in late 1989, who sold it to Union Pacific in September 1990. They returned the unit to its original Union Pacific number and operates the unit as part of an A-B-A set of E-units on special trains.
Union Pacific 3985.
The drop pit for taking off wheels.
Our tour guide answering questions. Next we had the opportunity to tour the cab of Union Pacific 844.
The cab of Union Pacific 4-8-4 844.
Union Pacific E9A 951 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955.
Union Pacific water tender 814 "Joe Jordan". It was built in 1937 as tender 20-C-214, last assigned to UP 4-8-4 807 then retired in January 1957 and converted to insulated tender 24-GTE-14 in April. Removed from its assigned GTE locomotive ca. 1968-1970, it became UP Water Storage 907857 in April 1972, retired in March 1981 and re-instated two years later then moved to Cheyenne in September 1988.
UPP 814 was renumbered from UP 907857 on July 30, 2003. Conversion work, including removal of exterior insulation, began in December 2005 and was completed in July 2006 with the car being fully painted in UP's standard yellow and gray scheme and named for Joe Jordan, a much respected member of UP's "Steam Team". He was the team's pipefitter, until his retirement from the steam shop in 1993.
Interior of Union Pacific tool car 6334 "Art Lockman", ex. Union Pacific snowplough service 904304 1973, nee Union Pacific baggage car 6334 built the St. Louis Car Company in 1962. It was one of the last baggage cars purchased by Union It was assigned to the Heritage Passenger Fleet in 1981 and named "Art Lockman in 1992". Mr. Lockman retired as roundhouse foreman in Cheyenne after working 43 years for Union Pacific. He is a well-known former employee admired for his knowledge of steam locomotive maintenance and operation.
As a rolling "machine shop", it carries tools, parts, machines, lubricants and numerous other items to maintain and repair the steam locomotives while on trips. The car also has a crew lounge area, locker room and laundry area.
Our group then went outside.
View around the turntable from behind.
Denver and Rio Grande Western F7B 5763 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955, which I once rode behind on the Rio Grande Zephyr.
Chicago and North Western F7A 401.
Union Pacific E9B 966B, ex. Heart of Dixie Chapter NRHS 670 1983, exx. Amtrak 670 1977, exxx. Amtrak unpowered steam generator 1920 1975, exxxx. Amtrak 466 1972, nee Union Pacific 966B built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955.
Union Pacific tender for 4-8-4 838 built by American Locomotive Company in 1944.
Union Pacific E8A 928 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1950.
On a flat car was Chicago and North Western caboose 11047 built by Thrall in 1960.
Union Pacific dining car 104704, ex. roadway tool car 904297 nee Union Pacific postal storage car 5772 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1962.
Union Pacific SW1500 Y1062, nee Southern Pacific 2453 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1967.
Union Pacific DD40AX 6936 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1970 to haul high speed freight. It is one of forty-seven built between 1969 and 1971, the most powerful diesel-electric locomotives ever built and at ninety-eight-and-a- half inches, is also the longest diesel-electric unit ever built.
The first unit, #6900, was built in 1969 and the class was named "Centennial" in honour of the 100th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory, Utah on 10th May 1869. The 'X' stood for Experimental, as they were used as testbeds for technology that would go into future EMD products. The DDA40X was also the first to be able to load-test itself using its dynamic braking resistors as an electrical load, which meant external testing equipment was not required. A few were also fitted with air raid sirens to warn trackside staff when away from grade crossings.
By 1980, the Centennials had run an average of 2,000,000 miles each on the road, but their service life was short. With declining freight traffic in 1980, they were taken out of service and placed in storage at Yermo, California. Four years later, an economic recovery brought a resurgence in demand. Twenty-five Centennials were then returned to service but growing maintenance costs led to retirement of most of the DDA40Xs by the end of 1986.
Cabooses from railroads past, namely Union Pacific 906251, nee 25634 built by International Car in 1967, Denver and Rio Grande Western 01524 built by International Car in 1976 and Southern Pacific 4693 built by Pacific Car and Foundry in 1969.
More equipment around the roundhouse.
Union Pacific business car Arden", ex. UPP 100 "Arden 1986, exx. Union Pacific "Arden" 1952,, nee Union Pacific coach 5449 built by Pullman-Standard in 1950.
Southern Pacific maintenance-of-way car 7077, nee Southern Pacific lounge-observation 2915 built by Pullman in 1930. Next we went inside the roundhouse.
Union Pacific 4-8-4 838, built by American Locomotive Company in 1944 and used as parts source for Union Pacific 4-8-4 844.
Union Pacific 2-10-2 5511 built by Baldwin in 1923. The name "Santa Fe" was derived from the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe, which ordered the first 2-10-2s in 1903 to use as pushers on the 3.25 percent ruling grade Raton Pass between Colorado and New Mexico. It was retired July 1962 and moved from Green River to Cheyenne, Wyoming where it was stored in the roundhouse for many decades.
Union Pacific 3202 West passing Cheyenne station.
Union Pacific operating rotary snow plough 900082 was designed and built the railroad in 1971. Like all rotaries, it needs a locomotive attached to move it backward and forward. An EMD 567 engine powers a generator to supply electric power to the traction motors that turn the rotary blades. The cab has a console for the plow operator and a second set of controls (throttle, reverse, automatic and independent brake valves) for the locomotive engineer.
Roundhouse scene.
Sherman Hill Model Railroad and Union Pacific business car 115 "Selma", ex. Union Pacific 115:3 1985, exx. Missouri Pacific 3 "Kansas City" 1985, exxx. Western Pacific "Feather River" 1971, exxxx. Union Pacific 109:2 1964, exxxxxx. Union Pacific 103:3 1952, nee Union Pacific 101 "Overland" built by Pullman in 1912.
Roundhouse scene.
Union Pacific 7297 West passed the station.
The tender of Union Pacific 3985.
Union Pacific gas turbine tender.
Union Pacific diesel fuel tenders 6 and 7. That was the end of the tour and everyone boarded the bus for the trip back to the Little America Hotel.
Union Pacific rotary snow plough 900080, nee Union Pacific 080 built by the railroad in 1958. It was assigned to Cheyenne in 1986 then moved to Portola, California during the early 1990's and used to clear the former Western Pacific Feather River Canyon and High Line then moved to Roseville after 1997, moved back to Portola and finally to Cheyenne in August 2005.
Denver and Rio Grande Western cabooses 1486 and 1481.
Union Pacific rotary snow plough express box car 9374 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1964.
The last unpatched Denver and Rio Grande Western SD40T-2 5371 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1975. The bus drove us back to the Little America Hotel, ending an excellent Union Pacific Steam shop tour.
I then drove out to Lincoln Highway and saw a headlight coming and photographed Union Pacific 7297 West then checked into the Motel 6 and worked on stories the rest of the day.
