Nostalgia & History > UP Wreck Derricks, 1983, 1988

For the past month I've been gathering information about UP's wreck derricks and locomotive cranes. I'm sure there is lots more to dig up, but for now, here is a web page that attempts to describe these fascinating machines.

http://www.utahrails.net/up/900000-derricks.php

Here are three photos from my own camera.

1) UP 900310 at Salt Lake City on November 8, 1983, showing this Bucyrus-Erie 250-ton model built in 1947. It was converted to diesel power in 1976.

2) UP 903045 (2nd) at Salt Lake City on June 19, 1988. This 250-ton model was built by American Hoist & Crane Co. in 1969, as one of the three newest wreck derricks on the railroad.

3) UP X-250 at Salt Lake City, also on June 19, 1988. This 250-ton derrick was built as MPX-250. Can anyone share some of the history of this derrick?

Don Strack

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Interesting how the Booms are different for each one. Actually the car-bodies are all different as well.

Did these have outriggers on them? I would assume they needed them. One looks like it could have some on each end and another looks like maybe in the center? How heavy were they?

I always thought the forest green color was an interesting choice for derrick colors - North Platte had one that was green, too, unless it was one of these that had been moved. Dipped silver is totally understandable, as would be Kenefick Green, but this shade seems to defy common practice on UP, though it is very attractive and "railroady" ! === === = === JLH

I can see end and center outriggers on all of the derricks. You wouldn't want to make a heavy lift without them in place.

I remember Council bluffs had a steam powered derrick that replaced a diesel powered one in the late sixties and it stayed until the early eighties.

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Does anyone know right off which derrick is displayed at the Ogden Railroad Museum?

The 2 pics are in Pine Bluff AR 1985 and 1 is a steam hoist. I watched the NLR xMOP hoist many times and watched it pick up the front 1/2 of a SD50 and rerail it with no out rigers down and did not even work it.

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That's why I asked how much they weigh. With the boom straight ahead, their own weight allows them to lift the front end of a derailed diesel?

Do the class ones still use they at all?

The Union Pacific has two ex-DRGW big hooks. One is in Denver and the other in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Denver unit hasn't been out for at least a decade, the Grand Junction unit was out once over the last 5 years, but it is mostly used for replacing traction motors on locomotives.

BNSF has a big one in Interbay. When I was working there in 09 we moved it over to the round house for some work. After that the car shop put some paint on it and spiffed it up.