My brother Bruce, the Amtrak agent, moved to Pocatello which started my visiting him there off and on for five years before he moved to Davis and then onto Sacramento. This of course started me on my train riding that I have been doing ever since. I always enjoyed my visits there and the great railroading action that took place. Join me as we travel back to the early 1980's for some railroading action in and around Pocatello, Idaho.
The first train I ever took a picture of in Pocatello was this Union Pacific 3294 West with BN pool power. 3/1980
BN SD-24 6246 was one of the units in that consist of Union Pacific 3294 West. 3/1980
Union Pacific 3241 West heading for Idaho Falls and Butte. 3/1980
Union Pacific 20 West heads out of town in a light snowstorm. 3/1980
BN SD-45 6532 visited town in March of 1980.
Milwaukee Road SD-40-2 28 arrived into town.
One of the industries in town was Bucyrus Erie with this 44 toner 5652. 3/1980
Union Pacific 3450 West arrived with a pair of SD-40-2's. 3/1980
We went looking around the countryside and found the Union Pacific 3524 East closing in on Brancroft, Idaho in March of 1980.
Union Pacific 6932 East was getting refueled with three pool units, a BN SD-45, MKT SD-40-2 and a Conrail SD-40-2 in March of 1980.
The MKT SD-40-2 602. 3/1980
The Conrail SD-40-2 6369. 3/1980
Union Pacific 3892 West at the fuel pads. 8/1980
Frisco SD-45 916 runs in pool service through Pocatello. 8/1980
Union Pacific 3723 West arrives into the receiving yard. 8/1980
Union Pacific 3631 East went in search of the train that it would pull east out of the departure yard. 8/1980
Union Pacific GP-30B 729B waits to leave town.
Union Pacific 3383 East with a MKT SD-40-2 in the consist with the Pocatello Station in the background. 8/1980
Union Pacific 3301 West with a pair of Western Pacific units. 8/1980
Western Pacific GP-35 3020.
Union Pacific SD-24 429 pushing towards the hump. 8/1980
Union Pacific Slug S-6 mated to the UP 429. 8/1980
Union Pacific 3600 East arrives into town from the west. 8/1980
BN U-30-B 5450. 8/1980
Union Pacific SD-7 454 sitting by the hump. 8/1980
Union Pacific Slug S-2. 8/1980
Union Pacific GP-9 180 running down the yard tracks. 8/1980
Union Pacific 2001 East with GP-9 246 waiting to leave town on the Inkom local in January of 1981.
Union Pacific GP-9 246.
Union Pacific 3505 West arriving into Pocatello from points east. 1/1981
Frisco{BN} Caboose 11532 arrived in Pocatello in January of 1981.
Union Pacific 3675 East about to leave the departure yard. 1/1981
Union Pacific 3294 West arrived at Sherman Street in August of 1981.
Union Pacific 3763 West with MOP and SP power changed crews at the depot in August of 1981.
Union Pacific SD-7 454 and Slug 7 worked the yard in August of 1981.
Amtrak 25 the Pioneer almost always ran through Pocatello in the middle of the night. 8/1981
Union Pacific TR5 A&B 1871A and 1871B switched the yard in a driving thunderstorm in August of 1981.
Union Pacific 3640 West leaves Pocatello behind as it sped through Michuad, Idaho on 6/12/1982
Union Pacific 318 East arrived into Pocatello on June 12, 1982.
Union Pacific GP-9 318.
The other industry close to town was JR Simplot who had this RS-32 4004 as their plant switcher on June 13, 1982.
Union Pacific GP-38 2046 with the diesel shop behind on June 13, 1982.
USAF 1689 rode a flat car between assignments on June 16, 1982.
Union Pacific 3985 had just backed out of the diesel servicing area and waits to head to the display site. The Challenger came to Pocatello as part of the city's 100 Anniversary Celebration. June 16, 1982.
The rear view of the coal burning Union Pacific 3985. 6/19/82
Union Pacific 3985 had just passed the beautiful Pocatello Depot on the way to the display location. 6/19/82
Union Pacific 3985 living out another long night late on June 19, 1982. The Union Pacific passenger cars will be used on the Union Pacific Family Days Train during Pocatello's 100th Anniversary.
Union Pacific ran Family Day Trains from Pocatello out east to the East Inkom Hold on June 20, 1982.
Union Pacific 3985 heading to McCammon to wye then back to Inkom to pick up the Governor of Idaho to kick off the Pocatello 100 year celebration.
Union Pacific 3985 after the Governor's trip back in town returning to the shops after wying on June 20, 1982.
Union Pacific 3985 returned to the diesel shops on June 20, 1982.
Union Pacific 3778 came into town with two Milwaukee Road units on June 20, 1982. The UPFE Yard is in the background.
Union Pacific 3985 leaving Pocatello for Salt Lake City on June 21, 1982.
Chicago Northwestern caboose 11170 on June 22, 1982.
Union Pacific 2527 East with smoke stack behind on June 25, 1982.
Milwaukee Road caboose 992148 on June 25, 1982.
Union Pacific 2045 West gets ready to leave town in March of 1983.
Union Pacific 2410 West at Don on a cold snowy day in March of 1983.
The caboose was about to become a vanishing breed on Union Pacific mainline trains with this shot at Don, Idaho in March of 1983.
Western Pacific GP-40-2s visited Pocatello with the shops in the background. 3/1983
In storage was Union Pacific TR5A&B 1877A and 1877B in March of 1983.
The UP Weed Killer Equipment rested between duties in August of 1983.
Union Pacific 3224 West with a MOP 6018 running together into town. August 1983
Missouri Pacific SD-40-2 6018.
Union Pacific 3763 West with a pair of Western Pacific units on the train. August 1983
Amtrak 25 arrived at the Pocatello Station in the twilight of this fine August 1983 morning running several hours late.
The crew changed before Amtrak 25, the Pioneer, headed west towards Boise and points west.
The next day Amtrak 25 running hours late made a daylight appearance at the East Inkom Hold. August 1983
Western Pacific 3516 West arrived into Pocatello. August 1983
Union Pacific 3116 West pulled to a stop before the NW 1738 in August of 1983.
NW SD-45 1738 at Sherman Street.
Union Pacific 2910 West leaves Pocatello in August of 1983.
A UP Snowplow rested in the receiving yard. August 1983
Union Pacific 2498 East arrived into Pocatello with the MKT 611 in tow. August 1983
MKT SD-40-2 611.
Union Pacific 2048 West at sunset in August of 1983.
Union Pacific 3758 West with NW and SP units sped through Michuad in August of 1983.
BN 5071 leading a power consist to the train running on the north side of the yard. August 1983.
A mix bag of engines with Union Pacific, BN, CNW and NW in August of 1983.
CNW SD-40-2 6802.
Union Pacific 3445 West leaving Pocatello in March of 1984.
MK rebuilt 8301 was in Pocatello in March of 1984.
MKT SD-40-2 604 stopped at Sherman Street in March of 1984.
Union Pacific DD-40AX 6913 West changing crews at the depot in March of 1984.
Another view of the Union Pacific 6913 West on the same date.
Union Pacific 2-8-0 2005 in Ross Park on August 8, 1985.
Union Pacific SD-40-2 3704 with a Toilet compartment added on the rear porch. 8/8/1985
Union Pacific 3705 West at Michuad on August 8, 1985.
Almost all freight trains were now cabooseless in August of 1985.
Western Pacific caboose 445 was in town on August 27, 1985.
Union Pacific 3473 West blasted through Michuad on August 27, 1985.
Spokane International caboose C 21 along with C 20 was in Pocatello on August 27, 1985.
With that last view, I shall return you to the present.
