Western Railroad Discussion > Going to miss those Wings....

As the plethora of repainted locomotives starts to clean up the very grungy look of UP locomotives in recent years, one thing will be missed more and more. Those wings really made photographing UP motive power much more enjoyable in a era of the microscopic heralds on the face of safety cab units, trying to fit it on to the small flat area next to the door. At least they didn't return to that tiny logo on the nose with the current repaints. I suspect there are many young railfans who never knew the era of bland yellow noses on UP mainlines. There are quite a few units of that era are still around, but they don't lead much. A couple more pics from Sunday. Caption info on the photo frames.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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Yeah not a fan of the new scheme... very boring...

Posted from Android

I really like the new scheme, but your second shot really looks good and I will miss those wings.

texchief1



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/24 07:09 by texchief1.

IMHO, the placement of the flag and shield around the road number makes things look off balance. They should have dropped the flag down a few feet lower - but they don't ask for our opinion now do they. Any idea other than cost as to why they abandoned the wings ?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/24 05:17 by cr2581.

Uncle Pete has taken his uncontrollable fetish for building claims & over-blown flag waving and driven it right into the ground. He will NEVER recover that place of respect he once held when his diesels wore that simple-but-strong, basic yellow & gray scheme. Add wings to the nose, sure! But go back to a simple, respectable slogan in unobtrusive lettering under the cab window. Show me that UP again and I will regain my respect. This current travelling circus banner stuff needs to disappear...

Lance/199

santafe199 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Uncle Pete has taken his uncontrollable fetish for
> building claims & over-blown flag waving and
> driven it right into the ground. He will NEVER
> recover that place of respect he once held when
> his diesels wore that simple-but-strong, basic
> yellow & gray scheme. Add wings to the nose, sure!
> But go back to a simple, respectable slogan in
> unobtrusive lettering under the cab window. Show
> me that UP again and I will regain my respect.
> This current travelling circus banner stuff needs
> to disappear...
>
> Lance/199


That UP died in 1982 when the MP management team took over UP.

PHall Wrote: > ... That UP died in 1982 when the MP management team took over UP ...

Unfortunate, but true. Somehow I keep hoping to see the old UP return. Even though they were an arch-rival to my Santa Fe, I yearn for those days when it was a healthy rivalry. Nowadays I shoot yellow & gray w/ a few heritage units now & then and feel mostly pity...

Lance

Flag, road number, shield, and slogan all in a straight line across the top part of the cab. Not a whole lot of effort or thought here at all. A bit more imagination and creativity in the same area would have gone a long way.

That was 40 years ago most if not all are retired from the UP now.

Posted from iPhone

czuleget Wrote:
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> That was 40 years ago most if not all are retired
> from the UP now.
>
> Posted from iPhone

They're the ones who trained the "managers" who run the place today. Todays stupidity is all they know.