The UP 4141 and 1982 are due out of Proviso on this mornings (May 10th) MPRBU, and the 1995,CNW8701 pair on this evenings MPRBUB.
I thought in the loco forum I read that 4141 was doing special train duty up at clearing.
The 4141 came into Proviso the night before last, with the cars from its special (Trans-CAER) train and the rest of the stuff from West Chicago. The Trans-CAER cars are going east to Toledo on CSX. I saw 4141, 1995, and 8701 within minutes of each other yesterday afternoon.
The 4141 and 1982 departed this morning, as anticipated. Hard to believe, but there are still employees who know little if anything about those units (perhaps if they paged through their 2008 UP calendars…).
Also of interest is the two Olympic engines are together on the Belvedere auto trains! Now that sounds like it would be a sight seeing! The United Way SD40-2 is also at Proviso so it sounds like they are at it again with the specially painted engines.
Meanwhile, on this subject…just this afternoon I saw the SP heritage engine with 2 others running light on the UP main; east side of the LA River. This was a little before 4.30pm on 5-10.
The UP4141 and UP1982 left north on MBUIT and left Wisconsin Rapids around 530am.
aw phooey. i wanted them to come to Altoona. I was told they wou;d be turning around in Butler.
ehh i guess i still get 1995 anyway. so it’s all good.
It’s like being swarmed with Bees…them darn engines are just running around everywhere!!
With the 4141 and the 1982 in Itasca, and the 1995-8701 heading for display in Altoona at the CNWHS convention, things are getting interiesting.
A trace tonight will let me see where they all are.
Is it possible UP is planning something for the CNWHS convention? It seams like we got flooded all of the sudden…
Atmo----Could you shed some light on how the trains get to Itasca via-Rapids? I am very unfamiliar with that train. Like the dope that I am, I didn’t even get down to Oxford to see the 4141 go through, even though it was around 10:00 at night.
Phil
Phil,
Only the 8701 and 1995 will be on display at Altoona this weekend- that was arranged for the CNWHS meet after the Operation Lifesaver train ride wasn’t possible (UP was using it elsewhere already on their system and couldn’t get it up there).
The MITBU/MBUIT trains head northwest out of Adams on the Adams line- when they get to Necedah they take the loop track onto the ex-MILW Valley Line (connection was built in the early 70s to allow CNW access to the Rapids after their own line- the “Marshline” was washed out in the Kellner Marsh.) and up to Wisconsin Rapids and on to Junction City, where they then get on the former SOO main line via Owen up to Itasca. The line between Owen and Itasca is actually the combination of the former SOO and CNW main lines. At Gordon where the SOO once crossed over the CNW- the WC built a connection from the SOO to the CNW and trains operate over the former CNW main from Gordon to Itasca (CN trains get off at South Itasca)- this was completed in 1992. The line combination allowed CNW to abandon Rice Lake-Spooner and Trego-Gordon, while the SOO abandoned Gordon-Superior.
Franklin Park Railroad Daze is this Saturday, and for the past two years they have kept a heritage engine close by until that day so it can be on display there. It seems with 1982, 1995, 2001, 2002, 3300 and CNW 8701 all in a pretty close area that they could very well be doing that again. I’ve heard rumors UP 1982 will be at Franklin Park, but no official word.
So that’s how UP does it…interiesting…
I knew about all of those connections, but had absolutly no idea that’s how they did it.
The MBUIT (or is it the MPRIT) usually goes through Oxford around 10:00pm, so I only see it every now and then.
Thanks guys!
Phil
I have recieved confirmation on the Olympic engine side of this story that it was just the two Olympic engines on ABEBE the other day. Maybe that consist will eventually get put on a freight as well. It is very rare to have both Olympic engines coupled up together with nothing else in the consist, so that is for sure something to keep an eye on. Does anyone have a idea when 1982 and 4141 are coming back south to Proviso? I would guess if the 1982 was to go to Franklin Park it would probably go back to Proviso, get washed and sent to CP’s Bensenville Yard. Maybe 4141 will make a appearance also, last year UP sent the A-B-A E9s and 1995 to Railroad Daze so it is a possibility that they could send 4141.