Western Railroad Discussion > WP engine on WP rails this morning

Could not get a photo (was driving SB on interstate 680 from Pleasanton, CA) but this morning about 9:30 AM I caught a short UP freight heading east through Hearst Siding with UP GP40-2 9986 on the point.  This engine was built as Western Pacific 3554 in April 1980.

Train had about 18 cars on it.  Mix of boxcars, covered hoppers and some bulkhead flats with what looked like pipe or solid rod.  Any idea what job I might have see and where it was heading?

Nice to see some WP power on home rails so long after the merger.

Z

You saw the LRM54 "54 Local." It works out of Warm Springs Yard (previously Newark) Monday-Saturday, going on duty around 6am. The local typically services Harris Rebar in Livermore (railroad location of Lox) on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Harris receives loads of rebar on flat and bulkhead cars, usually about 10 cars per week.

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Thank you!  Makes sense with what I saw on the bulkhead flats.  Was surprised at the number of covered hoppers and boxcars.  Could not think of any customers in the Livermore area that would use those.  Any idea where those were heading?

Z  

Over in Stockton, the UP 9992, originally WP 3558, can be found working out of the former Western Pacific yard today. It is one of the few UP units still out there wearing the "North Little Rock" lettering the UP was applying to units for a short period after the UP/MP/WP mergers. This paint is circa 1985 and is pretty tired. The cool part here is that if you look closely, small pieces of WP green are now starting to show on the unit in some places. The same paint deal can also be said for UP 9990 and UP 9991. Best I can tell, those units would have about the last bits of "Perlman Green" left on the UP today. All the other ex-WP locomotives on the UP today have much more recent paint jobs that have eliminated or completely covered any WP paint that might have been left.

Here is a list of the 20 ex-WP locomotives that are still on the UP today. The first five were originally GP40 and later rebuilt to GP40-2 for the SP (SSW), while the other 15 were and still are GP40-2.

WP 3518 - UP 1494
WP 3533 - UP 1442
WP 3535 - UP 1464
WP 3538 - UP 1497
WP 3544 - UP 1495
WP 3545 - UP 1535
WP 3546 - UP 1536
WP 3547 - UP 1537
WP 3548 - UP 1538
WP 3549 - UP 1539
WP 3550 - UP 1540
WP 3551 - UP 1461
WP 3552 - UP 9987
WP 3553 - UP 9988
WP 3554 - UP 9986
WP 3555 - UP 9989
WP 3556 - UP 9990
WP 3557 - UP 9991
WP 3558 - UP 9992
WP 3559 - UP 1337

​These units are scattered about the UP system, but I noticed UP 1495 is also in Warm Springs, so there is a possibility that it could be mated up with UP 9986 to get a pair of ex-WP units. Also of note, UP 1337 & UP 9987-9992 all still have the plated over notch in the nose were the gyralights used to be.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/16 22:27 by ble692.

What is the reason that some of the GP40-2s are numbered in the 9900 series?

EricSP Wrote:
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> What is the reason that some of the GP40-2s are numbered in the 9900 series?

​You want to know the logic of the UP numbering scheme? I'm not sure they even know.

ble692 Wrote:
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> WP 3559 - UP 1337
>

Thanks BLE692.

Question: are you sure about the WP 3559 to UP 1337 renumber?  I've seen some pix in the last year with her still numbered 9993.  Would like to keep track of that one.

Z

From what I've observed UP puts locomotives that are going to be retired soon in the 9900's.  Also ones that are experimental.  Get your pics now.

Jim Maurer

schaffner Wrote:
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> From what I've observed UP puts locomotives that
> are going to be retired soon in the 9900's.  Also
> ones that are experimental.  Get your pics now.
>
> Jim Maurer

Those GP40-2s have been in that series for a long time (I think several years). Also, the SD59MXs are in the 9900 series.

zephyrus Wrote:
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> Question: are you sure about the WP 3559 to UP 1337 renumber?  I've seen some pix in the last
> year with her still numbered 9993.  Would like to keep track of that one.

Can confirm it. Not sure why they did this renumbering, but it occurred on 5/5/16. The unit has been equipped with ATS (Automatic Train Stop) and is assigned to Janesville, WI. It can also be found at Proviso, IL for maintanence. Can't seem to find any pictures of it online. The UP 1337 that seems to show up in pictures online is not the same unit, and is in fact a now retired GP40 that was auctioned off in 2010 and seems to be working on the Ann Arbor these days.

Awesome.  Thanks BLE.

Z