I’m looking at the June issue of TRAINS. I’m in the back in the Gallery section. I noticed that UP 1982 is UP’s MoPac heritage unit. Is 1982 when MoPac merged with UP? The C&NW unit is behind that. Is 1995 the year when they merged?
Thanks!
Justin
As to your question, Justin, I do believe that you’re correct- the six Heritage units are numbered for the year that they were merged with UP.
except for the WP which merged at the same time as the MP they just cant have 2 loco’s w/ same number
Is 4141 generally recognized as a Heritage locomotive, or is it more of a regular locomotive with a special paint scheme?
Anyways, to answer your question, mostly that is correct. A couple of things:
Both the MP and WP became UP property in 1982, although MP was not formally merged for several years (1997? 2000-something?). The MP unit was numbered 1982 and the WP unit 1983 simply because you cannot have two 1982s running around 
The MKT unit was 1988 which is when the ‘Katy’ merged into UP. As you properly guessed, CNW was merged in 1995 hence the 1995 unit number, and 1996 for SP hence the 1996 unit number for that.
The D&RGW unit is numbered 1989, but the history behind that is a little more complex; it should be also 1988 due to an event which would later wrap it into the UP empire - that being the purchase of the SP from the Santa Fe Pacific company - the failed merger of SP and ATSF. This happened in August/October 1988.
Yes, UP 4141 is considered a “Heritage Unit” as it carries a special paint scheme honoring President George H. W. Bush, our 41st president.
4141 is NOT a heritage unit as some people THINK it is. its just honoring Pres. George H. W. Bush. But it is not technically a heritage unit. there is only 6 heritage units 1 for each RR merged into UP
OK, so it’s not a heritage unit. What do you call the specail painted units done by railroads? I think UP did a Desert Storm unit. I know dozens of railroads did bicentenial paint jobs as well.
emphasis mine …
UP also has the 3300, a unit painted for the United Way, and I think that pair of SD70s are still running around wearing # 2001 and 2002 for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.
Here is a photo of the heritage units as well as UP 8444 Which should wear a Two Tone Grey scheme IMO…
That’s odd. All I see is a picture of what looks like some trees or bushes. Is there a locomotive hidden in there somewhere?[:P]