Western Railroad Discussion > Let's play "Renumber UP's and NS's Locomotives"

It's fun to think of railfan-friendly names for an expanded Union Pacific, and speculate on what lines may be up for grabs to other railroads to satisfy the STB, but let's not forget that there are going to be more than a few locomotives to be integrated into one roster.  Will some locomotives get a 5-digit number?  If so, will some rolling stock have to be renumbered?  Will UP take a heaping dose of PSR medicine and decide they can run this railroad with less than 10,000 locomotives?  Will UP give up on renumbering after the umteenth attempt at an unified numbering scheme and just sell everything and lease all their power?  After all, will they even retain their own locomotive maintenance forces?

What say you on this subject?  Terse responses and detailed proposed rosters accepted!

Matthew

EDITED for grammar



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/25/25 17:39 by Roadmaster.

Same numbers but with sub-lettering ala Chessie's B&O, C&O, WM and TORCO

This reminds me of back in the early 90's when my corporation decided to purchase a Mexican subsidiary and upgrade the entire corporate purchasing system (written in mainframe COBOL), with all fixed field lengths) to handle Pesos OR Dollars.    
Suitably shocked as a systems analyst on the systems impact......
My response was a joke, but grimly true.    "We're going to need a whole lot more zeroes here".   It only took about a year to implement.

Can you imagine the nationwide systems impact if they DID change to five digits?  UP already ran out of four digit locomotive numbers a long time ago, hence UPY XXXX for UP Yard.  If that didn't break them then this wouldn't either, you just need another bogus set of UP reporting marks and a do-over.   UPNS?   UPN?

I recall in Conrail days they used a leading 0 for some loco's....think some were old to be scrapped SD40's that wore an 06xx and others were as the C40-uits came on they numered old SD40's with 08xx  I may be wrong but it was shortlived and I never managed to get a photo

Somewhere in my faded memory is Conrail relabling locos with NYC and PRR as they transitioned to NS and CSX ownership.

I don't know why UP and NS locos can't keep their current numbers.

Years ago on the SP had a 5 digit engine from Mexico in the consist. The TOPS system wasn't programmed for any engine beyond 4 numbers. The Coast Dispatcher was puzzled and wanted a visual check on the number. Finally received the ok to proceed.
Since railroads use foreign line engines all the time for the time being I bet the numbers will remain as is.

Posted from Android

Probably what CPKC does. I think they will be repainted with the new UP paint scheme with the reporting marks over or under the number, probably above given the UPY units.

Though, if UP sells off all the SD70Ms by that time, there won’t be any need to put an NS reporting mark over any of the 4000 (and low 5000 series) AC44C6Ms, except 4014 and 4015.


Ryan Kricker
Ryan’s Colorado Rail Productions

Posted from iPhone

Best thing to hope for is this entire fiasco fails so no one has to shed tears over two more fallen flags.

Posted from Android

A lot of ppl here have too much time on their hands.   Go do something useful.
 

Nice job motivating the t.o. people with too much time on their hands.  They should remember this stuff is serious, not just a hobby or leisure thing.  I'd comment further but I don't have time.  T.O.  needs more Foamer police to keep things official railroad.   

pdt Wrote:
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> A lot of ppl here have too much time on their
> hands.   Go do something useful.
>  

you know, I generally like your input here, but this ain't it, Chief.

pdt Wrote:
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> A lot of ppl here have too much time on their
> hands.   Go do something useful.
>  

And think of the time you just used typing that message.....