Nostalgia & History > Western Pacifics east end in Utah; 1980's

Several days ago in the Nostalgia Forum I complained that almost all of the Western Pacific pictures in books, magazines and on videos were from California. Nevada or Utah WP pictures were pretty scarce. I then posted a bunch of my WP shots from Nevada. Well, now it’s time to slide east one state and post several WP’s from Utah. As before, all of these are scans from color prints, so image quality is not up to modern standards. The pictures start at Salt Lake City and work west.

Dick Ebright
Roosevelt, Utah

1 WP 3547 leads the APRG into the Rio Grande’s Roper Yard in Salt Lake City. My friend Dan Richins is riding the front steps. April 5, 1981.
2 WP U30B at the Roper engine terminal, October 1981.
3 WP 3556 is seen here leading a 36 car “Ford Fast” train at WP UP Junction on the near west side of Salt Lake City. August 1, 1982.

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4 WP 3511 is seen here leading an unknown train across the dreary mud flats not far west of Salt Lake City near Garfield. Note the two trailing U23B’s. Spring 1981.
5 Nearly new WP 3555 sits in the small yard at Burmester, Utah. November 1980.
6 This is WP’s Marblehead Turn working on the Ellerbeck Branch west of Salt Lake City. Spring 1981.

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7 Marblehead Turn again on the Ellerbeck Branch with loads from the quarry at Dolomite.
8 A 72 car CCVX train is seen here at Marblehead, Utah heading west. July 11, 1982.
9 The same “Ford Fast” train as in image #3 is pictured at Marblehead. August 1, 1982.

Thanks for looking.

Dick Ebright
Roosevelt, Utah

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Dick, you don't have to apologise about the quality of your scans. They are very good. Oh, and the content is excellent! Thanks for posting.

Marty Bernard

Thanks for sharing. I was wondering a while back where the WP's yard was in Salt Lake and it appears they used/shared Roper with the DRGW?

These are great. Thanks for sharing.

Those are excellent! Being from the east and having only read some photo articles on WP, a question popped up from these pics. Did WP get a small batch of GP40- 2's sans Mars lights or several orders?

Very nice images, thanks for the look back. I love the WP-UP JCTN station sign, hopefully someone saved it (assuming it was removed long ago). Would make a great addition to a collection.
Kirk

2ebright Wrote:
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> 3 WP 3556 is seen here leading a 36 car “Ford
> Fast” train at WP UP Junction on the near west
> side of Salt Lake City. August 1, 1982.

A very late FAST. Something bad happened en route on DT&I, N&W, MoP and/or DRGW. These cars will not make morning spot in Milpitas. Hope there were no "shut-down" cars entrained.

Thanks for posting.

Best regards,

Rob L.

Gateway97 Wrote:
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> Those are excellent! Being from the east and
> having only read some photo articles on WP, a
> question popped up from these pics. Did WP get a
> small batch of GP40- 2's sans Mars lights or
> several orders?

Yes, one order for five GP40-2s: 3545-3549. Rumor I've heard is that the Mars lights were accidentally omitted from the order sheet. The next batch of GP40-2s (3550-3559, the last new units purchased) had the Mars lights.

-Rick

Rick Selby
Redmond, WA
Pacific Northwest RPM

Thanks for posting these, great look back.

Great photos, those days were lots of fun.
Thanks for posting.

Great bunch, loved the WP.
JB

Great group of golden oldies. Thanks for posting material from the east end.

Posted from iPhone

James Belmont
Salt Lake City, UT

RAS Wrote:
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> Gateway97 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
>
> Yes, one order for five GP40-2s: 3545-3549. Rumor
> I've heard is that the Mars lights were
> accidentally omitted from the order sheet. The
> next batch of GP40-2s (3550-3559, the last new
> units purchased) had the Mars lights.
>
> -Rick

Thanks Rick. Interesting stuff I'm learning from this thread. With as many orders over the years that were placed by WP, you'd think someone at EMD would have caught that and made a call.

Great scenes, I love shot #8!

Nice series.

~Ryan

Thanks for the memories. I rode 3555 out of Burm to Marblehead and back in '81.

MrOGDEN