Steam & Excursion > The UP 3985 Alive

I only got to see the 3985 running a couple of times, and these two back-to-back days were the best.  MP 98 on the Portland Sub and Ross on the La Grande Sub on 9/22/05 and 9/23/05,

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Thanks for posting the photos and bringing back the memories of my time with the 3985. It was a great locomotive to operate after you once got to know it. I knew when we were restoring it that it would impress all those who came to see it operate. I was fortunate to be selected to be on the crew and thanks to Steve for allowing me to be the number two engineer and get to feel the capabilities it held within the confines of that boiler. It was a fine day when I climbed up in the cab to fire the doublestack out of Lodgepole and feel how easily the ole gal would start that almost 2 mile long string of double loaded cars heading for North Platte. Thank you Pete and Woody for providing us that opportunity to prove Otto Jabelmann right when he created the design for this great class of pure strength and agility.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

awesome  memories--i reallly love the 3985 and her fantastic whistle--sur epray she will return to the rails sometime----my one experience with 3985 was during 1992 uphs convention--a great roundtrip  cheyenne-laramie--many fantastic runbys

I enjoyed my whole time on the steam crew and actually working for the Rock Island and UP my 31 years. Being able to bring the past to the public was the icing on the cake part of my career.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

What a treat those days were! There's nothing like watching steam climb over The Blues in Eastern Oregon. Many thanks Bob to you and the original steam crew for all the great memories!

Posted from iPhone

I only got to see 3985 once, but what a memory! We caught up with her in St. Louis in 2001, first on display in the yards, then when she went flying by the Kirkwood station. 

Bob, do you remember this? It was the first piece of decoration in the kid's new layout building. I got sent out to fetch a new frame that went better with the rest of the trim.

Rebecca Morgan
Jacobsburg, OH

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Hi Rebecca,
Oh yes, that was one of the lithographs I had made off of the oil painting I had Gil Bennett paint for me of the 3985 as "Lodgepole Legacy". I gave a few of the 150 I had printed to my friends and the rest I gave to the steam program to sell through the sales car. Thanks for the memories.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY