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SD50, C36-7 and others...
MoPac Diesel Power - UP Merger
The 'Canaries'
As the merger between the MoPac and Union Pacific was finalized, the "Jenks Blue" paint scheme was replaced by UP's "canary yellow" with the name "Missouri Pacific" in block-lettering on the sides. Gradually this was replaced with the Union Pacific name in MoPac style block-lettering. After a few short years UP repainted over any remaining MoPac owned engines with it's own name/lettering.
When it was all added up, MoPac and it's subsidiaries had rostered a total of 3,062 diesel units over its lifetime. It was among of the most modern rail fleets around. On January 8, 1980, the Union Pacific announced the initial agreement to aquire the Missouri Pacific. MP was a 11,469 mile system to UP's 9,420 miles. By May 1983 the process of the union of the two systems began. One era ended and another began, most visibly with the repainting of Mopac's locomotives into UP colors while retaining the name "Missouri Pacific" painted on the sides.
Above graphics used during consolidation.
The MoPac and UP were to operate as indiviual railroad companies - though under one banner - during the initial merger period. Both roads were so large that critics of the newly formed mega-railroad said it would collapse under it's own weight. With the addition of the Western Pacific the super system was indeed the biggest merger ever of the day. However, the operations on both roads were so similar, in fact, that the melding of UP's powerful connections with MoPac's powerful transportation went smoother than expected. After operation were consolidated in 1986, the Union Pacific System was created. Though Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific were still seperate companies, they operated as one. Complete control of the Missouri Pacific was acquired by Union Pacific in 1997.
Even until today, the MoPac fleet was among the largest to come to the UP system, second only to the Southern Pacific's, which UP bought almost two decades later. Approximately two-thirds of that fleet is still in UP service as of January 1, 2001.
An interesting fact is that even as MoPac locos where beginning to be repainted to the new post-merger scheme, UP itself adopted MP's variation on the standard UP scheme. MP initiated the trend of painting the trucks grey instead of UP's silver as well as the anti-glare panel on the top of the short hood was painted grey instead of UP's standard green.
System Map of the newly merged companies - Courtesy Union Pacific System/Jay Glenewinkel Collection.
The Beginning of the End
In January 1984, Missouri Pacific announced that it would begin repainting it's locomotives into the Union Pacific Yellow and Grey paint scheme, and apply the road name "Missouri Pacific" to the car bodies.
In that same month, a locomotive was needed for a test scheme. The task was to be done in North Platte, Nebraska. At the time, there were no MoPac units available, so a shopped Union Pacific SD40 #3030 was repainted and lettered "Missouri Pacific" using UPs standard rounded lettering.
A few publicity photos were taken, and the unit was placed back in the paint shop two hours later and relettered to UP #3030. This was the shortest lived MoPac unit ever.
After the test unit was painted, it was decided that the letters were too large to fit on the side of the MoPacs smaller GP units, and so the block lettering was used.The #3030 unit was indeed a test unit for the MP Canary Schemes. On a side note, MP GP40-2 #662 also recieved similar rounded MP lettering, but these were the only 2 units to have the rounded lettering. (J. Glenewinkel)
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| UP SD40 #3030 |
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New Missouri Pacific Power that Never Wore Eagles
There were three different motive power models that MoPac owned after the merger with Union Pacific had begun. Two were purchased, the third was owned on paper. These were the EMD-built SD50 (5000-series), the C36-7 (9000-series) and four ex-Western Pacific GP40's (900-series) assigned to the MP by Union Pacific. All three models wore UP colors with "MISSOURI PACIFIC" in MoPac's Little Rock style lettering on the sides of the long hood.
With a quick touch-up at the paint shops with the word "UNION" over the lettering, by the mid 1990's the MoPac name drifted into oblivion.
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| the SD50 |
| MODEL | BUILDER | FIRST DELIVERY to MP | FINAL DELIVERY to MP | TOTAL |
| SD50 | EMD | 11/84 | 12/84 | 60 units |
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MP 5005 - is seen in Ft Worth, Texas in 1986. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP 5006 - Photographer and location unknown/Jay Glenewinkel Collection. If you know who the photographer is, please tell Jay |
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MP 5007 - is seen here at Tower 55 in Fort Worth, Texas on a San Antonio Coal Train in 1986. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP SD50 5011 - only 6 months old in San Antonio in 1984. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP 5042 - is an early model of the SD 50 locomotive. It's in its "as delivered" paint of armour yellow with "Missouri Pacific" block lettering on the sides. 3/22/86 - © copyright Chris John |
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MP 5042 - is seen here at Tower 55 in Fort Worth, Texas on a San Antonio Coal Train in 1986. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP 5045 - is brand new in this 1984 photo. It is seen here working on the first San Antonio Coal Train operated by Union Pacific. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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| the C36-7 |
| MODEL | BUILDER | FIRST DELIVERY to MP | FINAL DELIVERY to MP | TOTAL |
| C36-7 | GE | 9/85 | 10/85 | 60 units |
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MP C36-7 #9004 - sits on the service track at Centennial Yard in Fort Worth, TX in 1986. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP C36-7 #9005 - is seen working with a group of four units on a loaded San Antonio Coal Train in December, 1985. The unit is only four months old in this photo. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MoPac C36-7 #9010 - is brand new in this late September 1985 photo. This was the first San Antonio Coal Train to utilize the new C36-7 units. - Steve Rude Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection |
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MP C36-7 #9021 - is on another San Antonio Coal Train in 1986. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP C36-7 #9026 - pulls a southbound freight with a GP38-2 and three MP SD40-2s in 1986. It is seen here in Bracken, Texas. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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"Missouri Pacific's New C36-7 Unit Number 9034, built by General Electric, is viewed at Dolton, Illinois on October 26, 1985." MP 9034 - Lettered for Missouri Pacific,
but in Union Pacific colors. The C36-7 would be among the last new units
to wear the MoPac name. It would take a decade before the final MoPac
blue unit was painted over -- and the road name would exist only in
history. Part of a unit belonging to co- merger partner Western Pacific
can be seen in the background. - Thomas J. Golden photo postcard/
T. Greuter collection ·
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MP 9035 - C36-7 in "as delivered" paint of armour yellow with "Missouri Pacific" block lettering on the sides. - © copyright Chris John |
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Brand New C36-7 #9039 - crosses the diamonds at Tower 105 in San Antonio, Texas in December 1985. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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UP C36-7 2657 - is at San Antonio yard in 1999. The unit is former MP/UP 9057. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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UP C36-7 7998 - leads a westbound freight through San Antonio on the former Southern Pacific line in 2001. The unit is former MP/UP 9058. I believe it was in the 600 series, but not sure. - Steve Rude Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection |
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| the GP40 - ex-Rock Island and ex-Western Pacific |
| MODEL | BUILDER | FIRST DELIVERY to MP | FINAL DELIVERY to MP | TOTAL |
| ex-CRI&P GP40 | EMD | 7/84 | 9/85 | 22 units |
| ex-WP GP40 |
EMD | 5/84 | 5/85 | 3 units |
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Rock Island GP40 #367 - was among several GP40s assigned to the Missouri Pacific by Union Pacific. The RI #367 became MP #624. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo Collection |
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MP GP40 #629 - is one of several former Rock Island GP40s acquired through Union Pacific in the mid-1980s. It is seen here in a lash-up of seven all yellow MoPac units in 1985. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP GP40 662 - leads a string of five ex-Western Pacific GP40s on a southbound freight in San Antonio. MP 662 was built as Western Pacific 3512 in April 1967. It was renumbered to MP 662 in 1984, and then to UP 662. It was retired in April 1993. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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| the GP40-2 - End of the Line |
| MODEL | BUILDER | FIRST DELIVERY to MP | FINAL DELIVERY to MP | TOTAL |
| ex-WP GP40-2 |
EMD | 10/85? | 10/85? | 4 units - Last to be aquired by Missouri Pacific system |
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#907 - One of the four ex-Western Pacific GP40-2's, which in 1985 were the last locomotives to be aquired (through UP) by the MoPac. The "MISSOURI PACIFIC" name on the long hood is still visible under UP's thin repainting. Lincoln, Nebraska, 12/2/95 - T. Greuter photo |
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| the SD45 - MoPac... Yet Still Union Pacific |
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The SD45s were in service for a short 13 months, and many would ultimately fail while in hump service in the yards of Little Rock and Fort Worth. In fact, UP #6 below caught fire shortly after the photo was taken, and the unit was taken out of service immediately, never to run again. (J. Glenewinkel) These units never wore the 'Missouri Pacific' lettering and usually are not included in official MoPac power rosters. We've included them here as an interesting footnote to Missouri Pacific's final days. |
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UP SD45 #4, U30C #2950, and SD45 #41 - are begin a deadline of retired units in Fort Worth, Texas in 1985. The ownership of UP #4 was transferred over to the Missouri Pacific, while the #41 was still owned by Union Pacific. All three units including the U30C were used in hump service in Fort Worth in 1984 and a portion of 1985. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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UP 6 - In late 1983, and 1984, several Union Pacific SD45s were taken out of storage in Yuma, Arizona, reconditioned and placed in service on MoPac rails to help relieve the Missouri Pacific of their power shortage. These SD45s include 1, 6, 8, 9, 11, 17, 20, 21, 23, 31, 36, 41, 45, and 47. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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UP 32 - Ownership of at least 6 of these SD45s was transfered over to the Missouri Pacific on March 13, 1986. These SD45s include 4, 6, 17, 32, 41 and 48. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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UP 41 - MoPac SD45s numbers UP6, UP32, UP41, UP48 (they never wore the MoPac name as the ex-Western Pacific GP40s did) are pictured here at Centennial Yard in Fort Worth, Texas in 1984. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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UP 48 - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
| The UP SD45's were used in general service, although
not normally on priority freights. Several of them were used in Illinois
for a time in coal service. They had their ups and downs, mostly the latter
as they were less than stellar performers. Being in storage for an extended
period can take its toll on units as the contacts tend to rust and fuel
in the tanks develops an algae that clogs filters and fuel systems. There were tried unsuccessfully in hump service at several locations including North Little Rock and Centennial Yard in Fort Worth. They tended to "soup up", that is pool lube oil at low engine speeds and during periods of extended idling, and then blew oil out all over the place when revved up. This can be common on Roots Blower engines that sit and idle for extended periods such as the GP38 series. It is also somewhat common for the turbocharged SD45's as well. I have seen this phenomenon with SD45's on several railroads. This is why you may see oil around the top and sides of carbodies on GP38 series units that are captive to yard and local service for extended periods and that may sit and idle for extended periods, such as over weekends. IIRC; they were back in storage in about a year after coming to the MoPac side. (Tuch) |
From Bluebirds to Canaries
MoPac's older fleet originally delivered in Jenks Blue were slowly but surely painted into the Union Pacifc scheme with "Missouri Pacific" block-style lettering. This would be the final scheme before the eradication began of the MoPac name a dozen years later.
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| the Switchers |
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MoPac MP15DC #1379 - is at Settegast Yard in Houston, Texas in 1986. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP MP15DC 1382 - is spliced between 3 MP/UP SD40-2s in Fort Worth, Texas in 1986. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP SL1 Slug 1408 - was built as MP SW7 9145 in June 1950. It was renumbered to MP 1213. It was cut down and rebuilt into slug 1408 in September 1980. It recieved UP paint with Missouri Pacific lettering at Centennial Yard in Fort Worth. Here it is along with SL1 1400 (in yellow) fresh out of the paint shop in 1985. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP 1542 - an MP15DC, this same unit is featured on the Switchers & Slugs section in Jenk's Blue - Photographer and location unknown/Jay Glenewinkel Collection. If you know who the photographer is, please tell Jay |
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| the Geeps |
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MoPac GP15-1 #1712 - is on a service track at Tower 55 in Fort Worth, Texas in 1986. - Steve Rude Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection |
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Missouri Pacific GP38-2 #2313 - is in UP color in this 1989 photo. It is seen in San Antonio, Texas. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP 3505 - GP50 repainted yellow with "Missouri Pacific" block lettering on the sides, later this lettering too would give way to "Union Pacific." - © copyright Chris John |
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| the SD's |
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MP SD40 3007 - was built as MP 707 in 1967. It was renumbered to MP 3007. The 3007 was retired in 1991 by Union Pacific. It is pictured here at Centennial Yard in Fort Worth in 1985. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP SD40 #3086 - was built as MP 786 in April 1971. It was renumbered to MP 3086 in the mid-1970s. It was retired and rebuilt as BN SD40G #7308 in July 1989. The 3086 is in San Antonio in 1987. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MoPac SD40-2 #3109 - leads a southbound freight out of Palestine, Texas in 1989. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
| This pair is special. These two locomotives were coupled together when I caught them having come in on a northbound like this. What do you suppose the odds are of this happening? It certainly isn't too likely to happen again, although with UP's latest renumbering scheme nowhere near complete, I suppose there is that possibility. | |||
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Left) The 3123 - is a member of the second order of SD40-2's ordered by Mopac. This unit began life as the T&P 824, was renumbered in the general Renumbering which took place in 1974. It was coupled this late February 1989 day to the UP 3123 at Yard Center. These units came in off the road together. Right) UP 3123 - which was mated to the MP 3123 at Yard Center, February 1989. - © JD Santucci Photos |
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MP 3211 - in UP colors is a part of a consist as it crosses the diamonds at tower 105 in San Antonio in May 1985. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo Also see MP 3211 - the Life of a MoPac Diesel from Bluebird to Canary |
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MP SD40-2 3280 - in UP paint is at San Antonio, TX in 1987. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP 3289 - Photographer and location unknown/Jay Glenewinkel Collection. If you know who the photographer is, please tell Jay |
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MP SD40-2 #3298 - has just received a fresh coat of Canary paint in this late 1984 photo. It is seen here in San Antonio, Texas. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP SD40-2c #6020 - is the third of four units on the Fort Worth Bound train at Sosan Yard, in San Antonio, TX in 1985. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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UP SD40-2 #4105 - is seen here destoyed in a wreck just South of San Antonio in November 1988. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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MP SD40-2c #6002 - in San Antonio in 1984. Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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| the U Boats and B Boats |
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MP 2965 - a U30C - Photographer and location unknown/Jay Glenewinkel Collection. If you know who the photographer is, please tell Jay |
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MP 4833 - a B30-7, was built in 1982. It was renumbered as UP 233, where it remains in service today. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo |
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| All images & text © 2000-2008 T. Greuter / Screaming Eagles, unless otherwise noted. All Rights Reserved. | |
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