Steam & Excursion > What would UP want at a 150th celebration?

We know, or at least believe, that UP wants a Big Boy for their celebration. This would seem to indicate that they want to celebrate their long history, and I would think (or hope) what they have done or accomplished in that time. Of course they will also want to celebrate their present stature and good points, whatever those look like in a few years.

But a 4000 is not the full history of UP. What else might they like to have, either as live steam or table decorations at the party? Herewith a few guesses:

1. A reproduction of their first engine, whatever it was. I'd guess they would be happy with a table decoration here.
2. A reproduction of 119, presumably running?
3. Obviously a Bog Boy.
4. What else? Anything? Nothing? An ABBA E set? More steam? A complete reproduction of a famous passenger pre-Amtrak train?

centennials

Repeating an idea I posted about earlier, two new Heritage Locomotives, one representing The Jupiter and another UP No. 119, and recreate the historical event with both units face to face.

lwilton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We know, or at least believe, that UP wants a Big
> Boy for their celebration. This would seem to
> indicate that they want to celebrate their long
> history, and I would think (or hope) what they
> have done or accomplished in that time. Of course
> they will also want to celebrate their present
> stature and good points, whatever those look like
> in a few years.
>
> But a 4000 is not the full history of UP. What
> else might they like to have, either as live steam
> or table decorations at the party? Herewith a few
> guesses:
>
> 1. A reproduction of their first engine, whatever
> it was. I'd guess they would be happy with a table
> decoration here.
> 2. A reproduction of 119, presumably running?
> 3. Obviously a Bog Boy.
> 4. What else? Anything? Nothing? An ABBA E set?
> More steam? A complete reproduction of a famous
> passenger pre-Amtrak train?

1) Might be asking for a little too much there
2) There already is a reproduction of 119 running, its at Promontory along with a reproduction of the Jupiter
3) No new news on this subject, we're all still waiting to hear how this one plays out
4) With 3985 still under the knife, 844 is all UP owns steam wise that is currently operating (to the best of my knowledge). I'm sure there are a few other ex-UP engines running around in the country, but I'm thinking that might be asking for a little too much...

-Perhaps we'll see the E units and/or the Centennial make an appearance, who knows. UP does have those at those disposal.

-UP's done pretty darn well preserving the passenger fleet they have. I'm sure we'll see a good portion of these guys running around prior to the celebration.

Will be fun to see how this plays out, but we've still got a bit of a ways to go before we start seriously speculating (other than the Big Boy, of course).

lwilton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We know, or at least believe, that UP wants a Big
> Boy for their celebration. This would seem to
> indicate that they want to celebrate their long
> history, and I would think (or hope) what they
> have done or accomplished in that time. Of course
> they will also want to celebrate their present
> stature and good points, whatever those look like
> in a few years.
>
> But a 4000 is not the full history of UP. What
> else might they like to have, either as live steam
> or table decorations at the party? Herewith a few
> guesses:
>
> 1. A reproduction of their first engine, whatever
> it was. I'd guess they would be happy with a table
> decoration here.
> 2. A reproduction of 119, presumably running?
> 3. Obviously a Bog Boy.
> 4. What else? Anything? Nothing? An ABBA E set?
> More steam? A complete reproduction of a famous
> passenger pre-Amtrak train?


When we went to the 125th Anniversary there was a corporate train pulled by the restored E's and we were on display in Ogden with our train and 3985. That could be repeated if Ed gets 3985 worked and ready or the 844 could take its place. I believe the E's were able to run part way out the Tremonton Branch toward Promontory and that was why they pulled the corporate train. They did slow down past Ogden Union Station so that the guests could see us on display in the station and I gave them a rousing salute with 3985's whistle. Drew Lewis and guests were on the back platform.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

I am sure the park and their two locomotives will be involved.

www.nps.gov/gosp/planyourvisit/locomotiveoperations.htm

Bruce Bryan
Greensburg, IN

I would love to see them reproduce one of their earlier dining car china patterns. They currently use their "Winged Streamliner" pattern. I would love to see them reproduce their "Historical" pattern. That is the one with the UP shield and the western scenes around the rim.

Tim

Beside's the Big boy,I liked to see the Centennial that was just repainted,paired with it's running sibling. Those two Centennial's paired, both the Big boy and Challenger double heading and the E's running around the system with there own train's would make for a Grand celebration and would be visually stunning.

Pretty impressive list of things the UP could, assuming they do indeed restore a big boy, come up with for the 150th.

About the only things that would be a challenge (no pun intended) would be a nice set of PFE reefers to go behind the 3985 and/or big boy, and a nice set of heavyweight passenger cars (ideally steam heated) to go behind the 844.

Everything else wouldn't be much of a stretch.

As I posted earlier, how about one of these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_GTELs

UP 18 looks to be in decent shape but would IRM be willing to part ways with it?

Mark

I'm guessing they'll want to display the gold spike again from Stanford University. It was in Promentory for the 125th anniversary event (with plenty of security guards nearby).

Uh, 10,000 people and a round of applause??

Looking back at all the Gold Spike ceremonies/celebrations UP has staged over the years, the trick will be to come up with something fresh.

The 1939 Golden Spike days in Omaha-Council Bluffs with the premier of the Cecil B. DeMille movie "Union Pacific" was one hard to top, but the 1969 Centennial Celebration was a tremendous effort, winning the UP PR department the coveted Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America.

This years 150th anniversary of the Pacific Railway Act covered just about every conceivable approach from all the special trains to the contest to redo the famous "Great Big Rollin' Railroad" commercials.

I would like to see two steam excursions: One with 844 coming west from Omaha to Ogden and the other with the SP 4449 running east from Sacramento to Ogden where they would meet for the celebration on May 10.

I was thinking about this thread went I remembered this flyer from 1969. I had planned to go, but alas events overruled it and it would be several years before I would meet 8444.

Anyone catch the error in the flyer?

John Bromley
UP Retired in Omaha



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/12 14:53 by Copy19.

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The year 844 was built would be incorrect...

Cheers, Dave

I like the idea of the 4449 coming from Sacto, but UP will say no.

CPRR Wrote:
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> I like the idea of the 4449 coming from Sacto, but
> UP will say no.

UP could also say yes.

John Bromley

Heritage units in real paint schemes like NS did? <G>

Another idea would be to forget steam altogether and have the UP Es come from the east and SP Daylight Es from the west.
John Bromley

If UP really wants to think BIG and spare NO
expense: how about the Cab-forward coming from
the west and a Big Boy coming from the east, and
going coupler-to-coupler in Ogden? THAT would
be THE railroad event of the CENTURY!! NO
railroad could ever top THAT!

Edit: I agree with rehunn: what the UP REALLY
wants is at LEAST 10,000 people at each stop
and a LOT of applause -- which they will deserve
if they pull off operating a Big Boy.

(Gotta do it in 2019 or forget about any big celebration
until 2069.)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/12 23:16 by Margaret_SP_fan.

I was thinking about taking a paige from the Idaho and Wyoming Centennial train. Have the 844 pull the 119 from Omaha to Ogden and 4449 with the Jupiter from Sacramento to Ogden. The 844 and 4449 meeting in Odgen with the 119 and Jupiter would be so cool and a lot of people would go out to see it. If the locomotives from the golden spike could not be used then maybe UP 737 could be used and pained for the 119. I do not know what could be used for the Jupiter but I know there are 4-4-0s out there that could work.

If they get a 4000 class then maybe pull the circus train again, this time from Ogden to Green River.

If the 3985 is going have it on trips, mabye a double header with the 4000 class, maybe a stack train over Sherman.

The E's could be running around the system but I would like to see the steam stay in the west, Going to Texas twice like this year with steam would not have much to do with the Golden Spike.

Just a few ideas