Western Railroad Discussion > Goodbye to 5349 and 5354

It was bound to happen eventually. Two more former D&RGW units were absorbed into the Union Pacific's renumbering plan. It's an interesting coincidence that it would happen on the same day at two UP shops, thousands of miles apart.

Here's a photo from 2003 of Rio Grande 5349 climbing east up the grade to East Carbon on the Sunnyside Sub...apparently it's now the UP 8608...

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The other victim of the UP renumbering plan, the Rio Grande 5354...apprently now it's the UP 8612.

Farewell old friends. You entertained us well.

James

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Oh James..its not so bad! As girls get older they often change the color of their hair. Everything underneath is still the same.
Roger B

up833 Wrote:
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> Oh James..its not so bad! As girls get older they
> often change the color of their hair. Everything
> underneath is still the same.
> Roger B


Yeah, but if you only care for brunettes, it can be really hard when that black changes to yellow (errr, blonde I mean)! ;-)

Thanks for sharing the pictures, Jim. I guess there won't be a reunion of four unpatched DRGW T-2's in Helper again, huh? It was fun while it lasted! Perhaps we can still get the remaining three together before it all comes to an end...

Kevin Morgan
The Front Range
http://www.drgw.ws/

Two in one day, piled on an already bad week. Sheesh.

This is how I first encountered the 5349. In August 2002, it was captured from roaming the UP system and from then on called Helper home. I drove out to see it near the end of that month. I found it sitting on the end of the Soldier Summit wye, having helped shove a coal train up the hill earlier in the day.

Nathan
http://www.drgw.net

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In her home environment, leading on the Grande between Helper and Price, even if it is on a local full of trash.
Well, that's the end for any chance of a matched set of four in Helper. I guess it had to come sometime, should have gotten my rear out there sooner while there were still three.

Nathan

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I was amazed to see a set of four tunnel motors in helper service on Soldier Summit in Nov 1995. That they lasted a full NINE more years is more than anyone could have ever hoped for...

The SD70 order was the beginning of the end of the SP and DRGW power.

And there was a steady attrition after the SD70s started to come in.

But it seems that 2002-2004 will be seen as an unexpected lapse in the UP's assimilation process. All of a sudden working engines became very important. And anything that worked got worked, and there wasn't any time for paint booths and such.

But, now, in the last three months there's been a noticable drop in the SP/DRGW units on the CalP, and I've only seen one rent-a-wreck in the last couple months, instead of several a week like I saw in the spring and summer.

So, I'm glad we all took proper advantage of the 2002-2004 lull, shooting up a storm with our digital cameras and all...

SP/DRGW/diversity of management styles, RIP...

Ted in Davis

Hello-

Nice shots Jim, Nathan, and Tyler. Thought I'd go ahead and add a tribute to the 5349 (I don't seem to have a shot of the 5354, unfortunately)...

On a rather gloomy day on March 14, 2003, DRGW 5349 leads the Dirt Train on the Sunnyside Subdivision heading east across the valley floor. The train is about two miles east of Mounds heading toward its destination near the town of Sunnyside.

This shot was taken almost exactly one month before the last time FOUR Rio Grande Tunnel Motors would ever run on the Dirt Train (the last time being April 11, 2003).

Kevin Morgan
The Front Range
http://www.drgw.ws/

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Here is a shot of it at Price. On Dec 23, 2003 it actually came to a stop here due to breaking a air hose. Did not take long to repair it and it enabeled me to take several pics.

Yea, this scan really sucks. I have no idea what that acanner was thinking. Must rescan soon.

-Kevin

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And here is my best shot I was able to get of the 5354. Took a few hours off work for it... Im glad I did now. This was trailing a UP SD70M on QNPEL at River Forest, IL.


-Kevin

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> That night the 3 were tied down together in the
> yard and wow was it nice to see them by
> themselves. It was really a cool feeling being in
> the yard late at night next to 3 grandes.


Tyler, I'd like to thank you and the other T.O.'s brothers for posting these fine shots of the "Grande" gals.
Truly, your night shot is the most evocative--it's just a beautiful shot! Your composition deserves major kudos for including the sanding tower in the background-excellent work.
I have many memories of poking my head out the vestibule at Helper on one of my frequent trips on #6/5 and seeing the old girls faithfully standing guard while waiting for the next call to work.
D.B. Harrop did an excellent B&W tribute to them in CTC Board some time ago as well, and commented on how "user-friendly" these engines were. In this era of high tech engines with computers, it's still reassuring to throw your grip up the ladder and sit down to an "old school" engine running experience.
Take your photos while you can and savor scenes like this forever. I certainly will.

You think the UP could designate a few units to keep in the "fallen flag" decore just for memorial purposes, especially for us retired employees.

XSP Hogger

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,709592,709607#msg-709607

5349 posing with a nice WP Boxcar. March '04