Union Pacific steam excursion train, 1990s to present

Fred Klein, 2015

Union Pacific saved the last steam locomotive it bought in 1944, the 4-8-4 Northern type #844, to continue in service and to run as a publicity locomotive. The 844 travels to rail fairs, commemorative occasions, Frontier days in Denver, and often pulls an excursion train that attracts crowds along the way. The trains include employee specials and special trains for major shippers and customers of the railroad. The train pulls refurbished and converted cars from Union Pacific’s fleet of heritage passenger cars. The passenger cars are mostly stabled at Council Bluffs. When the train stops, crowds are very interested in seeing the 844 locomotive up close. The trains in this article are all headed by the 4-8-4 steam locomotive #844.

 

The choice of cars for an excursion train varies depending on the purpose of the train. The photos below show a variety of consists depending on the needs of the train and the run. I searched for photos showing as much of the train consist as possible, and no two trains look alike. For example, the two auxiliary water tenders would both be needed in a long run between water stops, but would be left behind on a short run. The photos show that all trains have a tool car (box or baggage or both), a power car for electricity and heating, a crew sleeping car, one or more coaches and dome cars, and a business car at the end for officials and special guests. An exhibit or concession car, and a diesel locomotive, usually one of the specially painted heritage SD70AD’s, is usually in the consist for extra power and braking.

 

 

An unidentified excursion train photo that Kato released to publicize their train set, but it does not match the model set exactly. For example, the set has no box car and the train has no dome cars.

 

Union Pacific 844, then painted in gray, in Speer Wyoming on a fan trip on September 16, 1989. The cars look more like a train from the 50s or 60s, and without the refurbished heritage cars used in modern excursion trains. The first baggage is probably a tool car for locomotive maintenance, the second appears to be a power car, and the remainder are probably coaches for railfans.

 

UP excursion near St. Louis in June 1990.

 

An excursion train from Des Moines IA to Kansas City MO in June 2002 at Melcher-Dallas Iowa. Photo by John Hake.

 

Excursion train on the Columbia River. UP photo.

 

Excursion train in New Mexico on May 7, 2006. Photo by Mitch Goldman.

 

Train near Boca CA on the Truckee River on April 14, 2009. To ascend Donner Pass, two heritage (SP an WP colors) SD70AC diesels were pulling.

 

The Union Pacific 844 and its train at Painted Rocks, Nevada in September 2009.

 

The 844 and train at Mognolia Texas on April 12, 2010. Photo by Thomas Avery.

 

The 844 and train on excursion from Cheyenne to Los Angeles in October 2011.

 

The 844 leads the Grand Canyon State Steam Special (from Tuscon to Phoenix) in Gilbert Arizona on October 12, 2011. Photo by Brian Lockett. The web site featuring these photos also has the detailed consist of this train.

 

Another view of the Grand Canyon State Steam Special in Gilbert Arizona on October 12, 2011. Photo by Brian Lockett.

 

Grand Canyon State Steam Special in Pichacho Arizona on November 15, 2011. Photo by Brian Lockett.

 

The cars in the Kato UP excursion set, plus a few other cars and locomotives commercially available, should provide the cars to make the excursion trains pictured here. A complete list of passenger cars that UP can draw on, together with their type, history, and use is given on their website

https://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/historical_equipment/index.htm

 

The following table lists the model consist pictured here. The cars marked with “*” are from the Kato excursion set. The SD70AC diesel and the baggage/tool car are also from Kato. The 50’ box/tool car is from Microtrains. All cars are prototypical (at least on the outside), except for the tool cars whose paint scheme is not exact for a modern excursion train.

 

 

 

 

Power section

 

Power was the 4-8-4 #844 steam locomotive, an oil burner, with one or two auxiliary water tenders. An SD70AC diesel locomotive or two was included for additional power and braking. All are Kato models. A 50’ box car used as a tool car was also at the head end. The tool car is not made in N scale, but a substitute with grey stripes like the prototype is this Microtrains model, issued at the 2015 membership car for the N scale enthusiast.

 

First section

Next is a power car with generators to power the train with electricity used for lighting a heating. The electrical requirements of modern passenger cars is much more than a 1944 vintage steam locomotive can provide, which was only equipped for older cars made for steam heat. The crew sleeper car was originally a 10 roomette-6 bedroom sleeper, but was rebuilt with a kitchenette, small dining room and comfortable lounge for the crew. The museum or exhibition car was rebuilt from a baggage car and is mostly empty to house exhibits. The flag design was applied when the car visited the 2000 political conventions. All are Kato models from the excursion train set.

 

Coach and business section

The train has one or more coach cars for guests or paying passengers. Pictured is a dome coach and a 44-seat coach from the heritage fleet but given contemporary names. Next is a dome diner and the business car Kenefick for the special guests. All are Kato models from the excursion train set.

 

 

REFERENCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_844

http://www.air-and-space.com/20111112%20Union%20Pacific%20844.htm

https://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/historical_equipment/index.htm

various photos from a google photo search

 

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