UPY????

Saw a GP-15 in West Chicago today #702 or 706 that had UPY in red above the number. Standard UP paint scheme and I assume it is an old CNW unit repainted. WHat is the significance of the Y???

The latest in SUVs the yellow yuppie mobile?

Union Pacific now uses the UPY reporting marks on switching locomotives. This clears the UP reporting mark of those locomitives to give some extra room on UP’s enormous roster. The GP15 was probably ex-CNW, judging from the location, but MP had them as well…

There common here as well, they are the chosen few to work the remaining former PE lines in the LA area…

Dave

UPY is short for Union Pacific Yard-assigned unit(If not exact, it’s close) They are generally used to switch in yards or for locals. The units are mainly switchers of various sorts and varieties, SD38-2’s, and assorted GP’s and SD’s.

UP Y702 and Y706 are both ex-MP locomotives. C&NW had 25 GP15-1’s and MP had 160 GP15-1’s and 30 GP15-1AC’s.
10 or 15 of C&NW’s GP15-1’s were returned to the lessor and wound up on California Northern, two or three of which made their way back to UP.