Hi,
I want to get an HO scale model of all UP steam engines still running. Other than the 844 and SP 4449 are there any other steam engines that Union Pacific still uses for excursions or anything else?
There is the UP Challenger 3985. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_3985
Athearn made a model of it several years ago in their genesis line. MTH currently has one available.
??? The SP 4449 was never a Union Pacific engine. It was put in a park by the Southern Pacific in 1957. It was restored for the freedom train and has been in “private” ownership ever since. In fact, while researching its trip to the Owosso Train Festival and questioning the route, I heard that the UP won’t even allow it on their rails.
What you are looking for is the 3985 a 4-6-6-4 class locomotive. Athearn Genesis made a model of it a few years ago. I think they might be planning a second run but this time with a Tsunami decoder.
The UP has several other locomotives in the roundhouse and I thought I had heard that one was slowly being restored but I don’t know which. I know it is NOT a big boy or the 9000 class, as there is no place to run those.
Yup–844 and 3985 and that’s it for operating UP steamers. As Texas Zephyr said, 4449 is a Southern Pacific engine now privately owned and not allowed on UP tracks because of what UP terms “Insurance Problems.” Yah, right! [:-^]
Both UP steamers should be fairly easy to get hold of in HO.
Tom
The “SP” 4449 and the “SP&S” 700 as well as a 4-6-2 of UP heritage, which is currently under restoration here in Portland, OR, are all OWNED by the City of Portland, not in “PRIVATE OWNERSHIP”, unless, you mean that as not owned by a Railroad.
All three locomotives were donated to the city, I believe in 1957 and 1958 by their respective railroads for display, which for many years was at Oak’s Park in South East Portland. There are several groups, that are involved in restoring, maintaining and operating the locomotives. these groups as far as I know lease the locomotives from the city. The various groups have formed an alliance ( sometimes a rather shaky one at that) in their efforts to maintain these locomotives, known as the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation (ORHF) Actual ownership of the Locomotives is still by the city of Portland.
Doug
I like the UP but sometimes they are a bear.
(I wanna use another word but it might not be allowed…O-o 8-D )
steamlocomotives.com has other UP engines out there, not on the UP but operationable.
They show a 2-10-2 in the UP roundhouse, that would be a cool one if brought back to steam.
It’s not in operating service, but it is intended for operations.
Actually UP retains 3 static steam engines, Northern # 838 is a hanger queen for # 844, by no means can #838 be considered restored, 2-10-2 5011 was among the last non-articulated engine in service, it was stored at Green River as protection power for many years, it migrated to Cheyanne sometime in the sixties and has been restored for display only, though I don’t think its been moved from its stall in 30 or so years, there are no plans to steam it and with the right organization UP would consider donating it.
The darling of the fleet is 1890 Cooke built 4-6-0 1243, it too operated late into the steam era, it was removed from the roundhouse several years ago and mounted atop a flat car for lineside display, currently it is on long term loan to the Heritage Meuseum in Omaha, the railroad and steam crew have not been shy about possibly someday returning this gem to operation.
0-6-0 4460 was stored in the Grand Island NB. Roundhouse until it was razed in 1968 along with stable mate 4-6-6-4 3977, the 3977 was donated for static display and has remained so ever since. 4460 was relocated to Cheyanne and in the eighties was donated to the California State Railroad Meuseum, she was converted to oil and operated throughout the decade, rebuilding is under way to return her to service.
Dave
Good link for the movements and events of the 4449, it will be traveling in October.
Just as a follow up the 3977 was moved to North platte and is now on display at Cody park along with the depot from Hershey Nebr and a couple of passenger cars Larry
A further follow up. After the coal burning 3985 started a zillion fires on a trip to Oregon in 1988, parts of the 3977 were taken to convert the 3985 to burn oil. Conversion was done in 1990.
I am confused. According to the link that GTX765 provided, the UP is one of 4449’s biggest partners. In fact it is stored in a UP facility. Strange.
The Union Pacific has been very generous to the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation (ORHF) in that they have let them use the Brooklyn Roundhouse FREE of charge, utilities included. They have also offered to let the ORHF dismantle and relocate the roundhouse and turntable, when they do find, and move to a permanent home. UP has notified the ORHF, that they intended to expand the intermodal facility at the Brooklyn yard, and that the ORHF will need to find a new home. They have not as yet (to my knowledge) given the ORHF a deadline, just a notice that the expansion is planned, and they will need to move in the future.
Union Pacific allows the 4449, and SP&S 700 enough trackage rights to reach friendly BNSF trackage. Union Pacific does not allow the 4449, the 700 or other steam to use it’s tracks for more than that generally. It was Heart warming though, to see the UP double head the 844 with the 4449 last year on a fundraising excursion from Portland to the Seattle area. (on BNSF tracks, which the UP has trackage rights on)
Doug
The Zepher is correct I had forgot about the xonversion to an oil burner Thanks larry