Western Railroad Discussion > UP 9900, The Humpback SD59MX

I caught the UP 9900 last month, but it wasn't leading:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,3673017

I've caught it by itself several times, at Roseville:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2838005

And also at Sacramento:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,2907815,2907855#2907855

I had several chances to catch the UP 9900 on the point recently. It led the MNWRV several months go, and led the MRVSJ and MRVMI recently. I think I missed the MNWRV due to work, MRVSJ because I just left town, and wasn't aware of the MRVMI assignment, so I woke up several minutes too late to catch it arriving into Milpitas.

So I kept a close watch on the UP 9900 on days leading up to Winterail, hoping to break my losing streak. Armed with the information that it was on the Fresno Turn (MRVFR and MFRRV), I headed east out of the Bay Area on Friday before Winterail, hoping to catch it on the MFRRV, and hopefully on the point. I also had another target, unrenumbered SD60M UP 6106 which had just been transferred to the Roseville Service Unit from Southern California (thanks ble692 for the heads up). That was on the MRVFR.

As I approached Stockton, I overheard a southbound call a signal near the Stockton Diamonds, and UP 6106 was not the leader. Based on my estimates, that should have been the MRVFR. Darn.

Few minutes before that, I heard 282 axles hit the hotbox detector near Ripon (MP 102.3). Based on my estimates, the 282 axles was very likely the MFRRV, so I immediately changed course and tried to intercept whatever that train was. It just beat me to Lathrop, and I couldn't quite see the leader, but I knew for sure this was the MFRRV based on the train make up. Moments after that, I heard the crew call a signal, identifying itself as the "UP (static) hundred", so I had high hopes that the Humpback SD59MX was leading.

I made a beeline to Eight Mile Rd. and nabbed the MFRRV with only a minute or two to spare, first clip. Entire train is shown. Due to overcast, I shot "against the light" to get some Central Valley agriculture in the background. My next location was going to be Elk Grove...

"UP 9900, diverging approach, Acampo... out."

A southbound (Rogers Turn) forced the MFRRV to take the siding at Acampo, so I immediately exited Hwy 99 at Jahant Rd., and beat the MFRRV there, second clip. Once again, I shot "against the light" and got some grapevines in the background here.

It was getting dark, so I waited for the next northbound, LRS59 (Stockton Turn), to document the train, then headed to a motel to get some rest before Winterail.

- UP 9900 as viewed from Eight Mile Rd. (near Tomspur)
- MFRRV in the distance, approaching Tomspur.
- Video as described above.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/15 21:37 by cchan006.

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UP 9900 has been held captive on the Redding Turn ever since it had arrived in the Roseville Service Unit almost three years ago. Some TO members (like RplusLJetService) have caught the rare times it had led the turn, but it typically got buried in middle of the consist.

I visited Roseville one day in February of 2014, and saw the UP 9900 paired with UP 9919 travel light engines from the engine facility to Antelope (west end of Roseville Yard) on Main 1 (first clip). From yard chatter, I found out it was assigned on the MRVOA.  After taking the AmBus + Capitol Corridor to Emeryville, I decided to "car camp" and waited for the MRVOA to arrive there, with the UP 9900 leading, second clip. This might have been its first assignment on the MRVOA. Entire train is shown, shortened by time lapse.

It has also wandered out to West Colton couple of months ago. Here's a report by smitty315 where he caught it in Bakersfield:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,3638393



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/15 06:56 by cchan006.

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Interesting things happened the day after Winterail. That day's MRVSJ was led by UP 9919, which was paired with the UP 9900 on MRVOA back in February of 2014. I went to Alviso to intercept the train, first clip. Entire train is shown here on a somewhat windy day.

UP 9900 on Winterail Day snuck by Stockton at dawn while many people were sleeping, and was already in Fresno by mid-morning. That didn't bother me, as I expected it to return to Roseville on the MFRRV again, and sure enough I found out it was doing just that Sunday, the day after. I was confident it was still going to face north, and lead.

After catching the MRVSJ, I made some calculations and determined that I could catch it near Modesto with time to spare. I went to the Tuolomne River bridge, confident that I was going to nab it leading again...

As it turned out, UP 9900 did a reverse revenge railfanning on me, facing the correct way, but second in consist elephant style! Argh! That's the second clip, and the entire train is shown.

That's it for now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/15 08:46 by cchan006.

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Greetings,

What is the reason for the hump and is this the only one that is this way?

Andre

I believe it is EMD's attempt to build a tier 4 compliant locomotive.  the hump contains all the plumbing necessary for the exhaust treatment  Urea based, I think

9911 and 9922 have it as well I believe 

myjbh1989 Wrote:
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> 9911 and 9922 have it as well I believe

Only the 9900 has the huge hump, which I've been told is for exhaust scrubber, the water/urea treatment for Tier 4 compliance. I'll have to go through my videos/photos, but I recall seeing both the 9911 and 9922, and they aren't humpbacks.

Even without the hump, it's possible the 9911 and 9922 might have extra equipment for Tier 4 compliance that other SD59MXs might not have.

Up 9900 looks like a Transformer (TM) with a serious tumor!

William Jeffers, P.E.
San Dimas, CA

One Ugly LOCO.

the bridge span in the last clip is separated and braced? looks pretty shaky!

That is correct - it is a test bed.

I understand they have a way now to reduce the size of it.....a godsend to those of us who have to design boats around it.

Bob