Western Railroad Discussion > UP Mini Wings

A nice surpise on the "54 Local" out of Warm Spings in Fremont today was UP GP38-2 #605 complete "mini wings" on the nose.

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Is that second unit a GP60?

James

yes, that is UP2029 which is a patched and repainted former-SP GP60 (nee-UP5829, ex-SP9730) making for a nice dual four axle ex-SP lash-up. Note that with the new Niles JCT bridge in service over Mission Blvd that the Oakland Sub transition track from the canyon/east to the Warm Springs Sub south track is out of service indefinitely. This means that the 54 local (in your picture) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday has todo some interesting backwards, forwards and backwards again moves to get from the ex-WP Oakland Sub in Union City/Hayward back to the Warm Springs yard.

Looks like a GP60...squared off dynamic brake housing. Nice lashup...even though the grey and scarlet has been painted over.

-Ryan Wilkerson
http://www.shastarails.com

yeah except a GP-60 on a local is kind of a joke! There made for high speed stuff like intermodal, kinda like the GP-50s where. Almost too much horsepower on 4 axles for any heavy duty applications. But UP is in meltdown mode again and can't be picky!

Rail1

well, it's the trickle down effect. both SD60/SD60M's and GP60's are on both locals, haulers and best of all they are working on yardjobs like hump duty out west in Colton and intermodal packer track duty in LATC, ICTF and East L.A.



Rail1 Wrote:
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> yeah except a GP-60 on a local is kind of a joke!
> There made for high speed stuff like intermodal

A few years ago they were running 3 SP GP60s on the Santa Cruz Local. Less than 10mph for 60 miles roundtrip!

> yeah except a GP-60 on a local is kind of a joke!
> There made for high speed stuff like intermodal,
> kinda like the GP-50s where. Almost too much
> horsepower on 4 axles for any heavy duty
> applications. But UP is in meltdown mode again
> and can't be picky!
>


Don't forget.. when GP20s were built, and their progeny.. GP20s, GP30s, GP40s, GP50s and yes.. the GP60.. all were built for high priority high speed stuff on most roads, and over time.. find themselves in lower and lower priority freight service as the years wear on. The GP50/60s on the UP were just a little faster at finding themselves in slower service (or off the roster), especially as other GPs aged and were retired, and as increasingly huge waves of new six-axle power muscle their way onto the UP..

Cheers,
Harry

most GP60's in Iowa are used on Eagle Grove grain trains right now.
JC

Wow unreal! 4 axle high horsepower units on heavy haul grain trains? Damn.

Rail1

How much horse power does a GP60 have?,,,put three of them together they seem to be able to move the grain. When the CNW was around it was extremley rare to see anything but 4 axle power on the grain branches, Now UP also uses SD90MACS and C44AC to power grain trains, and yes also GP60's and GP38's.
JC

JasonCNW Wrote:
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> How much horse power does a GP60 have?,,,

3800 HP