Model Railroading > IAIS's West End - UP power on IAIS

I've been on a UP locomotive building kick lately and thought I'd share some of the results.  Many of the models in this post had previously been in service on the layout, but in untouched factory paint with no weathering.  A big part of this push was to renumber, redetail, and weather them to match units that operated on the IAIS during May 2005.UP has shared Iowa Interstate's Bluffs intermodal ramp since it was opened in about 1997, so their power has always been a common sight in Council Bluffs, as they had trackage rights from their own yard across town to the IAIS facility.  During my era, those rights also extended east to Des Moines, and UP would make use of them to run detours on IAIS when MOW work or derailments limited capacity on their own main.  I've always been a big UP fan, and thought the juxtaposition of the latest EMD and GE products in Armour Yellow operating alongside IAIS's mixed bag of 1950s, 60s, and 70s power was interesting.

Photo 1 - UP SD70M 4206 is a detailed, renumbered, and weathered Athearn Genesis SD70M.  The prototype ran on an eastbound UP van train into IAIS's Bluffs yard on May 5, 2005.

2 - UP C44ACCTE 5903, a factory-painted Kato unit that's been renumbered, detailed, and weathered. The prototype 5903 detoured over the IAIS on westbound CPWNA04 on May 5, 2005.

3 - UP SD9043AC 8209, a factory-painted Kato unit that's been renumbered, detailed, and weathered. The prototype 8209 detoured over the IAIS on eastbound MNPPRX02 on May 5, 2005.

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd

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4 - UP SD70ACe 8317, a stock Athearn Genesis unit with just a bit of weathering. (Looks like I forgot the wheels though - will have to come back to those tonight.)  This unit wasn't actually on IAIS rails, but had been delivered to UP the month before I model, and sister 8377 came to the IAIS a couple months later. I used to think that current EMD cab was about the ugliest thing on rails, but SD70ACes have really grown on me a lot, becoming my modern favorite, so I wanted to have one on the layout. I substituted this for the second UP SD70M that was paired with UP 4206 above on the EB van train.

5 - Here's an Athearn pic of the factory paint on their Genesis UPY MP15AC 1465, with incorrect lettering and shield on the hood end:

6 - ...and the corrected model, detailed and weathered.   The factory "UPY 1465" lettering and UP shield were replaced with a UP shield positioned higher.  Not visible in this pic is the addition of an all-weather window on the engineer's side. Like UP 8317 above, this unit didn't actually run on the IAIS, but it's SW1500 sisters sometimes did, as the UP would send them over for the IAIS to use in bringing the westbound van train cut back to the UP. Again, MP15ACs have always been a favorite, so I fudged a bit to allow this one on the layout.

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/15 06:28 by iaisfan.

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Photo 7 - SP C44AC 125, a factory-painted Athearn unit that's been renumbered, detailed, and weathered. Motor has been removed, but like everything else on the layout, it received a Tsunami. The prototype 125 detoured over the IAIS on eastbound MNPPRX02 on May 5, 2005.

8 - Overhead view of SP 125

I still have four IM UP SD40-2s in progress, but that project is on hold until decoders and other supplies I ordered arrive at my LHS.

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd

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Good stuff, like the subtle weathering!
Cooper

Locos look great Joe look forward to seeing them soon.

Posted from Android

Nice!!!

Awesome!!!!!!!!!

Hi Joe,
Some really nice models there.
Good to see some UP diesels for your great layout.
Must have been something to do with the UPHS Convention.
Well done.
Graham from Down under.

Great progress here - run-through stuff that is plausible like this really adds to a layout, helps set the time and place.  These are very nice models!

Someday, somehow, we have to find a way to get some of my UP/SP/DRGW stuff running next to yours!  :-)

~RGDave
www.onondagacutoff.blogspot.com

Thank you all very much for the encouragement.  Very kind of you.

Graham wrote:
> Some really nice models there.
> Good to see some UP diesels for your great layout. 
> Must have been something to do with the UPHS Convention. 

Ha!  Could be! :-)  Don't tell the CNWHS guys, but I haven't built a single CNW model since the open house. :-)

RGDave Wrote:
> Great progress here - run-through stuff that is plausible like this really adds to a layout, helps set the time and place.

Thanks very much Dave.  I never thought about that aspect, but I think you're right.  Locals here still remember 5/5/05 and all the action that brought to the IAIS.  I've spoken with some people who remember specific consists from that day, so I'm glad I continued down this path of modeling the actual units involved rather than just factory UP numbers.

> Someday, somehow, we have to find a way to get some of my UP/SP/DRGW stuff running next to yours!

Hmmm...the IAIS hosted SP/DRGW detours during the 1993 floods, so there's that.  The UP stuff is easy. :-)

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd

Terrific batch of Uncle Pete's power.  You do some very nice work.  Thanks for sharing these and other photos.  I'm living vicariously through your layout :-)

Gary B.
Waverly, NE

Thank you very much Gary!  It's always been a bit surprising to me that we don't seem to have more UP modelers in the area...at least not that I've heard of.  They're my secondary road, but still a favorite.

binder001 Wrote:
> Terrific batch of Uncle Pete's power.  You do some very nice work.  Thanks for sharing these and other photos.  I'm living vicariously through your layout :-)
>
> Gary B.
> Waverly, NE

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd