Western Railroad Discussion > Clean UP units

Shot at Silverwood

Harold
http://www.hrccomputing.com

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I agree. The UP5072 ought to be a little dirtier than that by now. Is is at all possible that someone from UP in a position to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT has begun to make efforts to clean the units?

There is a shot on the Eastern Board, first page...can't remember the thread number, of a UP SD70M that looks like it had a recent bath. I admit that I get some nicely cleaned SD70M's from time to time, particularly the flag units, but, the 5072 does look pretty good. Even the older, Tier 0, Phase I SD70M 3rd out looks pretty good, doesn't it? If ONLY they'd keep them clean, ours would be the best-looking locomotive fleet in the land (but I'm prejudiced, I reckon!).

I have just returned from a three week road trip and the general impression I have is that most UP locos I saw were in not too bad a condition, certainly better than in 2003/04. The only route I covered with a lot of tunnels was the Moffat and even here I never saw a really bad sooted black loco. I am sure there are examples out there but maybe someone has decided to start to do something about the external condition of the fleet.

Here is a clean UP unit. MITPR south of Jct City, WI.

-Kevin

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Perhaps more washers have been activated around the system? I guess the one at Hinkle has never been operational. There were permit issues with the Oregon DEQ. Maybe it is working now.
And when units are washed, it weems the trucks never get a good scrub. The trucks always look dingy.
Bluesman

Red Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I agree. The UP5072 ought to be a little dirtier
> than that by now. Is is at all possible that
> someone from UP in a position to DO SOMETHING
> ABOUT IT has begun to make efforts to clean the
> units?
>
> There is a shot on the Eastern Board, first
> page...can't remember the thread number, of a UP
> SD70M that looks like it had a recent bath. I
> admit that I get some nicely cleaned SD70M's from
> time to time, particularly the flag units, but,
> the 5072 does look pretty good. Even the older,
> Tier 0, Phase I SD70M 3rd out looks pretty good,
> doesn't it? If ONLY they'd keep them clean, ours
> would be the best-looking locomotive fleet in the
> land (but I'm prejudiced, I reckon!).

There is a new wash rack operational in Roseville. I have only seen it used once or twice but it appears they do a prewash and then a high pressue wash when its used. I also have been seeing more of the cinder black AC4400CCTE's that have been washed lately. Nice change for once.

bluesman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Perhaps more washers have been activated around
> the system? I guess the one at Hinkle has never
> been operational. There were permit issues with
> the Oregon DEQ. Maybe it is working now.
> And when units are washed, it weems the trucks
> never get a good scrub. The trucks always look
> dingy.
> Bluesman


It has always been fully operational and while I was there, was never taken exception to by the state, EPA or any other agency. We has some problems with it for about a year after it was built...but that was because of engineering/construction issues. Also, as a result of the bad press the UP has received on dirty flag units here and through other sources, it is S-O-P at Hinkle that when a flag-adorned unit comes into the shop for a periodic inspection the last thing it receives prior to being pulled out of the house is a complete wash job... with brushes and soap...from top to bottom. Cheers.

MILW261s3 Wrote:
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> Here is a clean UP unit. MITPR south of Jct City,
> WI.
>
> -Kevin

Kevin,

Thanks for the T-motor view. Nice view!

Jim

LostMTKid Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bluesman Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Perhaps more washers have been activated
> around
> > the system? I guess the one at Hinkle has
> never
> > been operational. There were permit issues
> with
> > the Oregon DEQ. Maybe it is working now.
> > And when units are washed, it weems the
> trucks
> > never get a good scrub. The trucks always
> look
> > dingy.
> > Bluesman
>
>
> It has always been fully operational and while I
> was there, was never taken exception to by the
> state, EPA or any other agency. We has some
> problems with it for about a year after it was
> built...but that was because of
> engineering/construction issues. Also, as a
> result of the bad press the UP has received on
> dirty flag units here and through other sources,
> it is S-O-P at Hinkle that when a flag-adorned
> unit comes into the shop for a periodic inspection
> the last thing it receives prior to being pulled
> out of the house is a complete wash job... with
> brushes and soap...from top to bottom. Cheers.

GOOD!!! GOOD!!! Somebody has been listening.

CNW6500 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Red Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I agree. The UP5072 ought to be a little
> dirtier
> > than that by now. Is is at all possible
> that
> > someone from UP in a position to DO
> SOMETHING
> > ABOUT IT has begun to make efforts to clean
> the
> > units?
> >
> > There is a shot on the Eastern Board, first
> > page...can't remember the thread number, of a
> UP
> > SD70M that looks like it had a recent bath.
> I
> > admit that I get some nicely cleaned SD70M's
> from
> > time to time, particularly the flag units,
> but,
> > the 5072 does look pretty good. Even the
> older,
> > Tier 0, Phase I SD70M 3rd out looks pretty
> good,
> > doesn't it? If ONLY they'd keep them clean,
> ours
> > would be the best-looking locomotive fleet in
> the
> > land (but I'm prejudiced, I reckon!).
>
> There is a new wash rack operational in Roseville.
> I have only seen it used once or twice but it
> appears they do a prewash and then a high pressue
> wash when its used. I also have been seeing more
> of the cinder black AC4400CCTE's that have been
> washed lately. Nice change for once.
>

That was probably one of the PRIME locations where they needed a new washrack...out there where they get the dirtiest due to tunnel operations, and etc. The one at North Little Rock, which does get a lot of usage, surely couldn't keep up with the entire fleet. This is good news, along with what they are now doing at Hinkle. There is hope, yet...things seem to be moving in the right direction!!!

Maybe the SD70M fleet, the new GEVO's, and the SD70ACe's will never get to the deplorable, pathetic unsightly state the SD60M fleet got into (some of which are MERCIFULLY being repainted). They are using a higher quality paint and clear coat on the new units...this should help, too. The key is to keep cleaning that high-grade paint.