estimated date

Taken by an unknown photographer, this 1939 Alco-Schenectady built Northern wears the "ears" or smoke deflectors giving it a very European look in this 1970 reprint. Specifics - FEF-2 class, tall 80" drivers, impressive 300 psi boiler pressure, 25x32" cylinders, engine weight of 478,640 lb, tractive effort of 63,750 lb. The class was retired between 1956-62. No date or location was given so arbitrary ones were used.

Taken in the late 1940s. Photographer unknown, location unknown. UP Train 5 (or 6) speeds towards the camera.

Long and strong are the two accurate adjectives for this Union Pacific 2-10-2 Santa Fe type steam locomotive. Built by Baldinw in September of 1920, the rugged loco served the UP for nearly 34 years before it was retired in march of 1954. Specs - class TTT-4, 63" drivers, 200 psi boiler pressure, 29.5x30" cylinders, engine weight of 376,100 lb, tractive effort of 70,450 lb. No date, location or photographer was listed for the photo but it appears that it was in the height of its revenue service time.

Taken sometime during the mid-1950s, 4-6-6-4 3717 was photographed somewhere out on the UP, possibly in Cheyenne. 3717 was built by ALCo in June 1943 as UP 3984. It would be renumbered to 3717 in 1952. 3717 was retired in October 1959.

Having been involved in a wreck, NP 8560 was shoved off the side of the mainline, awaiting removal.

Fairly nice b&w photo of the massive Alco built 4-8-8-4 Big Boy. No date or location was given for the photo. The photo is from the Bob Lorenz collection.

This is one of the 2nd generation GTEL's (gas-turbine-electric locomotive) built by GE in March of 1954 as Union Pacific #62 (serial #32029). The loco was a model 4500 GTEL was an hybrid carbody & hood loco with an outside walkway which earned it the nickname the "Veranda"model. It was eventually equipped with multiple-unit controls to run with diesels. After only 9-10 years of service, the 2nd generation GTELs were retired between August 1963 to June, 1964. No location, date or photographer listed for the photo so approximates were used. It now is part of my rr collection..

Rolling through the Wyoming countryside, 8444 has an excursion in tow during June 1963.

Along Sherman Hill, the 8444 special made a few photo runs. During one run, the FEF-4 was shot in profile.

A few moments later, the train had backed a fair distance, ready to make a smoky run at the cameras.

Making quite the show, 8444 performs during another runby.

Yet further along, 8444 makes what was likely the most dramatic runby of the trip.

Great action shot of the 1944 Alco-Schenectady built 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive. The loco is preserved as one of the "jewels" in the UP Heritage Fleet based in Cheyenne, WY. An unknown photographer captured the moment in an unidentified location.

After several attempts at building a gas-turbine-electric locomotive (GTEL), GE hit on a third generation model, serial 8500, like this UP GTEL #21 built in November of 1960 (serial #34075). It solved serveral of the problems that the previous models had. Unfortunately, the entire group of GTELS were retired by 1970 due to rising fuel costs among other things. Specs - 8,500 hp, 2 unit loco with a tender between, impressive continuos tractive effort of 146,000 lb, No date, location or photographer was listed for this photo which is now in my rr collection.

GE built this locomotive in March of 1959 as Union Pacific model 8500 GTEL #8 (serial #33219). This was one of the first improved new gas-turbine–electric locomotive (GTEL), the world's most powerful locomotive. Each would be two units plus a fuel tender, rated at 8,500 horsepower (6,300 kW). After only 11 years of servi ce, the loco was retired in February of 1970. No location, date or photographer listed for the photo.

Taken during the 1960s.

A set of GTEL's eastbound. Scanned with an Epson V550 from a 35mm slide, brand is unknown.

Interesting experiment by Union Pacific produced this stub-nosed diesel built by GE in 1965. The GE U50 was an eight-axle, 5,000 hp (3.7 MW) diesel-electric locomotive built by GE Rail. They were twin-engined locomotives, combining two 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) diesel engines. The U50 was built in response to the Union Pacific Railroad's requirement, issued in the early 1960s, for a 15,000 hp (11,200 kW) 3-unit locomotive intended to replace the turbines. This unit was retired sometime between 1973-74 and possibly traded into GE. The exact location, date and photographer are unknown.

Taken by an unknown photographer.

Taken in the mid-1970s.

Proud nose and cab of the E9A unit delivered by EMD to the Union Pacific in October of 1955. Sharp looking unit. Unknown photogrpaher took the image at an unspedified location.

Location (including state) unknown.

Occasionally there was a curve when I could see the power.

General Electric built this third generation GTEL (gas-turbine-electric locomotive) in February of 1961 as Union Pacific #26 (serial #34085). Unfortunately due to several factors, the loco only served for 9 years before being retired in 1970. This is one of the lucky GTEL's that was saved and placed on display in Ogden, Utah. Hoosier rail fan Mark Stanek took this photo on one of his railfan trips which is now in my rr collection.

Here is another photo of Union Pacific GTEL (gas-turbine-electric locomotive) #26 on display in Ogden, Utah. Hoosier rail fan Mark Stanek took this photo which is now in my rr collection.

Taken circa 1991/1992 in Wyoming.

Date is approximate. A trio of relatively new C&NW C41-8s were caught in Wyoming around late 1991 or early 1992.

Taken in the Early 1990s. Location unknown.

EMDX SD60 #9051 locomotive was part of a major fleet of 100 SD60 locomotives built by the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) between October and December 1986. These units were originally owned by Oakway Inc. (a branch of Capital Cornel & Sugar) and leased to the Burlington Northern Railroad (BN) under a "power-by-the-hour" agreement. These SD60s were heavily used in coal service, with pairs often handling 118-car trains. Eventually it was sold to Canadian National. Unfortuantely, no date, locaiton or photographer was listed for this photo which is now part of my rr collection.

June 1999 - Wyoming - MRL 16 EMD SW9 Serial # 15865 Built 1/1952

June 1999 - Wyoming - BN 7021 EMD SD40-2 Serial # 776053-31 Built 12/1977

Union Pacific #6699 is a GE AC4400CW locomotive built in 1997, part of the 6551–6699 series featuring low numberboards and pilot-mounted ditchlights. These 4,400-horsepower units were designed for heavy-haul, primarily coal service in the Powder River Basin. Many in this series have been updated or rebuilt by UP into C44ACM units to extend their service life. Specs - powered by a 16-cylinder GE 7FDL engine, producing 4,400 horsepower, eatures low-mounted ditch lights and low number boards and AC traction motors and individual inverters, providing superior tractive effort for heavy freight and mountain grades. An unidentified rail fan took this photo which is now in my rr collection. No date was given so a approximate one was used.

Helped coal trains for the Pacific Northwest out of the Powder River Basin, through Sheridan, and up to the Montana Rail Link.

A pair of GE AC44CW units were heading up an empty unit coal train somewhere in Wyoming when an unidentified rail fan caught the action shot. I would imagine it's heading back to the Powder River Basin coal mines.