Steam & Excursion > Riding behind UP-owned steam?

I'm interested in riding behind one of the UP steam engines, like 844. I know there are no scheduled events right now. When I see photos, the excursions seem to be for non-public events, like shippers, employees, corporate events, etc. Are there public-accessible rides throughout the year generally? Thanks.

Charles

nydepot Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm interested in riding behind one of the UP
> steam engines, like 844. I know there are no
> scheduled events right now. When I see photos, the
> excursions seem to be for non-public events, like
> shippers, employees, corporate events, etc. Are
> there public-accessible rides throughout the year
> generally? Thanks.
>
> Charles

Not anymore. The Denver Post Newspaper sponsored "Cheyenne Frontier Days Special" is operated by UP every July, between Denver and Cheyenne and return for the opening day of the Cheyenne Frontier Days event and Rodeo. However, that train has not a steam power since 2013, and will not for the foreseeable future, as UP has not had an operational steam locomotive since 2013.

nydepot Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm interested in riding behind one of the UP
> steam engines, like 844. I know there are no
> scheduled events right now. When I see photos, the
> excursions seem to be for non-public events, like
> shippers, employees, corporate events, etc. Are
> there public-accessible rides throughout the year
> generally? Thanks.
>
> Charles


There is usually a Denver to Cheyenne trip in late
July that is sponsored by a model railroad group and
it does have ticket sales to the public. In general
though, they haven't done "public" trips other than
that for several years.

You're going to have to wait 2-4 years (my guess) before you can ride behind steam. Like others have mentioned, your best bet is the Cheyenne Frontier Days Train which uses a ticket lottery system (costs a few hundred bucks per person) now or the return trip that's sponsored by the Model Railroad club which is one way.

Other than the Frontier Days trip, which is nearly impossible and somewhat silly with the new ticket lottery system the Sherman Hill Model railroad club and several other sponsors will host a "public" excursion the Sunday after the Frontier days trip. There has been rumor even that Sunday excursion may soon end. Otherwise a UP "Public" excursion is very limited.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/15 10:19 by BNSF7776.

Why wait for the U.P. to get their act together. There is plenty of main line steam to ride behind in the U.K. Almost weekly in season. And no diesel except where needed for traction assist.

Thank you all. I guess I have to look for some big mainline power someplace else.

Try the Milwaukee Road 261.


Chris

BNSF7776 Wrote:
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> Other than the Frontier Days trip, which is nearly
> impossible and somewhat silly with the new ticket
> lottery system the Sherman Hill Model railroad
> club and several other sponsors will host a
> "public" excursion the Sunday after the Frontier
> days trip. There has been rumor even that Sunday
> excursion may soon end. Otherwise a UP "Public"
> excursion is very limited.

I would not be surprised, my dad and I rode the Sherman Hill Model railroad club trip last year and yes there were quite a few people on the train overall but hardly full. One car only had two people on it. They said it wasn't a sale out in 2013 behind the 844.

Posted from Android

Which makes me ever so thankful that I bought a ticket to ride the 844/4449 doubleheader back in 2007. 2007? Has it really been that long ago? That was my only exposure to UP's magnificent passenger cars, and they are something to experience.

nydepot Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you all. I guess I have to look for some big
> mainline power someplace else.

Try the NS 21st steam program or NKP 765.

Watch this section for announcements as the winter goes on. While UP won't be running anything, NS very well may and, of course, the usual excursion suspects may be out and around. Generally, when one of the restoration crews gets a chance to go out on a mainline, you'll hear about it here first.

This is the last year to hear 734 tackle the mountain before her big rebuild. There's still steam at Cass, and while a Shay only goes a tad faster than you can run, she sounds like she's doing a hundred and fifty miles an hour. It's hard to tell where 765 and/or 1225 may get around to this year, or 261 as has already been mentioned, or...well, you get the idea. There's a lot of steam to enjoy.

Rebecca Morgan
Jacobsburg, OH

My parents once got me a ride behind 3985 in the early 90's. They got the opportunity through the chapter of the NRHS they belonged to.. If it gets back to where they are running engines regular like the old team was then my plan is to write Union Pacific PR dept and beg for a ride..

I don't mean to be a wise *** on this subject, but in the view of the general public, do the steamers actually have to be under steam to make people happy? Since the UP generally sends one or two diesels along anyway, put a steam generator in the tender, light an oil fire for smoke, illuminate the headlight. Camouflage two GP's as the canteen cars. The Green Bay museum uses a diesel/steam engine and most people could care less.

My point is, would we rather see 844,3985 or 4014 rusting in a static display, or running (all be it) being pushed? In the short time I have left in this world, 4014 will not run on its own. So it gets pushed around the system, most people marvel at the beauty of the engine not the mechanics. I look at my friends at the Illinois Railway Museum trying to get one little steam engine operational.

Now if the UPHS could take over the steam program, set up its own foundation, get grant money, set up a shop with the right people, could be the right time to approach the UP. Divest itself of the mechanical/personnel issues, but keep the PR value. Might be a success story like "Friends of 261".

I think that a giant corporation would be more than willing to outsource the Steam Program, particularly now with the operational issues. Let's think POSITIVE.

goldenlvr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't mean to be a wise *** on this subject, but
> in the view of the general public, do the steamers
> actually have to be under steam to make people
> happy? Since the UP generally sends one or two
> diesels along anyway, put a steam generator in the
> tender, light an oil fire for smoke, illuminate
> the headlight. Camouflage two GP's as the canteen
> cars. The Green Bay museum uses a diesel/steam
> engine and most people could care less.
>
> My point is, would we rather see 844,3985 or 4014
> rusting in a static display, or running (all be
> it) being pushed? In the short time I have left in
> this world, 4014 will not run on its own. So it
> gets pushed around the system, most people marvel
> at the beauty of the engine not the mechanics. I
> look at my friends at the Illinois Railway Museum
> trying to get one little steam engine operational.
>
>
> Now if the UPHS could take over the steam program,
> set up its own foundation, get grant money, set up
> a shop with the right people, could be the right
> time to approach the UP. Divest itself of the
> mechanical/personnel issues, but keep the PR
> value. Might be a success story like "Friends of
> 261".
>
> I think that a giant corporation would be more
> than willing to outsource the Steam Program,
> particularly now with the operational issues.
> Let's think POSITIVE.

They would never run things in that manner. That would be an embarrassment for UP. Day out with Thomas? Sure. UP Steam....absolutely not.

That idea makes me vomit in my head. It would be the biggest disgrace to the many (many) years of hard work of the men and women of the UP. "We're having problems with 4 people so we're going to give up and fake it to fool the public". No..... Just no.

OHCR1551 Wrote:
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It's hard to tell where 765 and/or 1225 may get around to this year

An Owosso - Clare (Michigan) excursion with 1225 is scheduled for March 14, 2015:

http://railyardproductions.com/

goldenlvr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't mean to be a wise *** on this subject, but
> in the view of the general public, do the steamers
> actually have to be under steam to make people
> happy? Since the UP generally sends one or two
> diesels along anyway, put a steam generator in the
> tender, light an oil fire for smoke, illuminate
> the headlight. Camouflage two GP's as the canteen
> cars. The Green Bay museum uses a diesel/steam
> engine and most people could care less.
>
> My point is, would we rather see 844,3985 or 4014
> rusting in a static display, or running (all be
> it) being pushed? In the short time I have left in
> this world, 4014 will not run on its own. So it
> gets pushed around the system, most people marvel
> at the beauty of the engine not the mechanics. I
> look at my friends at the Illinois Railway Museum
> trying to get one little steam engine operational.
>
>
> Now if the UPHS could take over the steam program,
> set up its own foundation, get grant money, set up
> a shop with the right people, could be the right
> time to approach the UP. Divest itself of the
> mechanical/personnel issues, but keep the PR
> value. Might be a success story like "Friends of
> 261".
>
> I think that a giant corporation would be more
> than willing to outsource the Steam Program,
> particularly now with the operational issues.
> Let's think POSITIVE.

As a student in PR and advertising the thing we get drilled in our head the most is, "know your audience." You are under-estimating the intelligence of the audience. People will know if you're faking it and that's just going to turn them off.

As for seeing 4014 run on its own, I wouldn't be surprised if they run a few times up Sherman with no assistance. Beyond that, they'll mostly need the diesels to help lengthen the fuel/water range, or they are going to have some short days.

As for UP divesting itself of the program, I recommended checking out most of the UP produced literature on the program. UP makes it a point to let everyone know 844 has never been retired. If they give it over to a historical group, they lose that.

Charles,

From what I’ve observed, most Union Pacific steam locomotive trips are intended for PR purposes where the public can watch and visit the train during a scheduled stop. As you’ve observed, opportunities for public passengers onboard such trains are more limited, but they have occurred as some replies had mentioned.

Pursuant to law, Union Pacific cannot directly sell rail services to passengers, whether on daily scheduled trains or special excursion trips. This was a condition of Union Pacific “joining Amtrak” in 1971. In exchange for U.P. eliminating its legal requirements to provide intercity rail passenger services and receiving a tax credit, U.P. provided most of its passenger rail equipment to Amtrak and was forbidden to sell tickets to passengers.

Since however, Union Pacific has made entire consists (its steam locomotives and heritage passenger cars it retained) available to groups on something like a donation or charter basis. Such groups pay some of the train’s operational costs, and that group sells tickets to the public.

These groups include historical railroad organizations and other non-profits organizations. These groups may partner with Union Pacific to conduct an excursion as a fundraiser, but the organization bears the business risk to fund its portion of operating expenses and provide passenger services (food, train’s service staff, etc.)

Excursion trips between Cheyenne and Denver have occurred most years in July as fundraisers for Denver Post Community Foundation and Cheyenne Depot Museum Foundation. Union Pacific Historical Society chartered a fundraiser in 2010. Pacific Limited chartered many in recent decades. When a partnering group has tickets to sell, they usually promote it on the internet and Union Pacific’s steam webpage will include information about who to contact for tickets.

I speculate that most Union Pacific steam trips do not have public accommodations available because a partnering organization or adequate passenger cars were not available to form a consist at a particular time. I hear that U.P.’s passenger cars run often throughout the system for various purposes.

As you likely know, our railroad organization will organize and sell tickets to ride an excursion train in Southern California powered by Big Boy #4014 after it is operational. That is several years ahead, so dates and locations are yet to be determined. We recognize there is much public demand to ride steam excursions and we may consider chartering additional steam trains when operating U.P. steam locomotives visit Southern California. Keep in mind that we haven’t decided to charter additional excursions, but we haven’t decided against it either.

If you’re interested in riding behind Big Boy #4014, we’ll be launching our sign-up list soon. Check our website for updates.


Steve McFerson
Director, Website Editor,
RailGiants Train Museum - Pomona California
The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Southern California Chapter

website: http://www.railgiants.org
Twitter: @RailGiants




nydepot Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm interested in riding behind one of the UP
> steam engines, like 844. I know there are no
> scheduled events right now. When I see photos, the
> excursions seem to be for non-public events, like
> shippers, employees, corporate events, etc. Are
> there public-accessible rides throughout the year
> generally? Thanks.
>
> Charles

RailGiants Wrote:


>
> As you likely know, our railroad organization will
> organize and sell tickets to ride an excursion
> train in Southern California powered by Big Boy
> #4014 after it is operational. That is several
> years ahead, so dates and locations are yet to be
> determined. We recognize there is much public
> demand to ride steam excursions and we may
> consider chartering additional steam trains when
> operating U.P. steam locomotives visit Southern
> California. Keep in mind that we haven’t
> decided to charter additional excursions, but we
> haven’t decided against it either.
>
> If you’re interested in riding behind Big Boy
> #4014, we’ll be launching our sign-up list soon.
> Check our website for updates.
>
>
> Steve McFerson
> Director, Website Editor,
> RailGiants Train Museum - Pomona California
> The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society,
> Southern California Chapter
>
> website: http://www.railgiants.org
> Twitter: @RailGiants


Reminds me of Pan Am selling tickets for the first commercial space flight into space.