Western Railroad Discussion > New arrivals to UP's Salt Lake City locomotive storage pile?

This afternoon I noticed a slow moving bunch of locomotives headed toward the 600 West crossing in Salt Lake City. There were 6 (not running) SD70M units (4013, 4860, 5074, 3801, 4059, 4848) being pushed into the yard by 2 GE units. I arrived late, however I believe the units came north from Roper, wyed on the mainline headed west and backed into the yard. I couldn't stick around to see if these units were to be parked with the scores of fellow SD70M units that have occupied the disused yard for several years now, though I can't imagine what else they would be doing here.

Last year several units were removed from the storage pile. Presently it consists almost entirely of SD70Ms with a few Dash 8 & 9 units mixed in, there were a few SD60s at some point, though they may have been moved.

---

---

---

UP loved the SD-70M so much they bought hordes of them (1200+).  Do they no longer like them?  Too fuel hungry?  Engineers seemed to really like them, too, and they were said to be reliable.  What's the story?  Future rebuild material, or to the scrapper?

Well they are over 20 years old so it's time to do one of two things, sell them or rebuild them.

Looks like those had already been in storage at Roper and were just moved to Salt Lake City for continued storage.

In August 2000 I photographed UP 4059 in primer paint in New Westminster, British Columbia. The unit had been assembled at GMDD in London Ontario and was sent across the continent on CP for paint at CEECo in Tacoma, Washington. The only time I've seen it in service since was on Sherman Hill in October 2023. I guess its nearing the end of the road.

cp1400

---

Well, the SD70M's are DC units and UP has trended toward AC units over the last several years so it should be no surprise they're sidelining DC engines.  Just saying.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

ntharalson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, the SD70M's are DC units and UP has trended
> toward AC units over the last several years so it
> should be no surprise they're sidelining DC
> engines.  Just saying.  
>
> Nick Tharalson,
> Marion, IA

Plus none of them were wired for DPU.

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO

One of the stories going around rumor control here from a Proviso Diesel Ramp Manager, is that when the weather warms up, the plan is to send another 150 locomotives into storage. Like we don't have enough engines in storage already.

It's time to either rebuild them to ACC specs or flood the shortline market with what's basically a SD40-2 on steroids

Posted from Android

NSDTK Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's time to either rebuild them to ACC specs or
> flood the shortline market with what's basically a
> SD40-2 on steroids
>
> Posted from Android

Or rebuild them into SD70Ns replace the SD40Ns.