Steam & Excursion > An Interesting Changing Of The Guard At A Small Steam Roundhouse!

I wish I had a date and location for this small 3-stall Union Pacific roundhouse.  We see and interesting assortment of small motive power spanning generations in this scene.

Clearly the most venerable engines are the 2 steam locomotives parked in the center and far right stalls.  They have called this little roundhouse home for the longest time of any in the scene.  However, the 2 diesels that are also present can't be ignored either.

What is the story with the little GE center-cab unit in the far left stall?  Did Union Pacific actually have such power in the early days of diesels?  Is she a visitor from some other owner.

Who can shed light on where this is and what we are looking at?

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/17 03:58 by LoggerHogger.

---

UP 332 was a 2-8-0 built in 1905 as GH&SA 828; transferred to SP's Pacific Lines in July 1910; sold to UP in September 1910 and renumbered to UP 332; renumbered to UP 6332 in 1957.

UP 332 was assigned to the Idaho Division during 1946; stored unserviceable at Pocatello, Idaho in January 1949; moved to Fremont, Nebraska in January 1950 for switch service; moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, during September 1954 for switch service; still at Lincoln during the last half of 1955; moved to Valley, Nebraska, in last quarter of 1956, still as switcher. By December 1957, it was stored unserviceable at Omaha, having been renumbered to UP 6332 in March 1957 to avoid conflict with new GP9 diesel delivered in September 1957. UP 6332 (ex UP 332) was retired in January 1958.

My guess is that the photo was taken at Lincoln, Nebraska, in the 1950-1954 time period.

Kratville's Golden Rails book shows that Lincoln had a 3-stall roundhouse, with stalls 63 feet long. On page 83, there is a photo of UP 332 at Lincoln.

The NW2 diesel, UP 1074, would be a normal assignment for these wonderous workhorses. I can't help with the GE centercab diesel in the roundhouse.

Don Strack
P.S. The above assignment and location information comes from Gordon McCulloh's UP steam book.

---

I beleive this photo was taken at Valley Nebraska. I remember this location from the 1970's and 80's. After the engine house was razed, the tracks remained and we still used them to park our switch engine.
On page 62 of Bill Kratevill's book there is a picture of the 332 after it had been renumbered to UP 6332, in 1957, still in service, in Valley Nebraska. The UP simply added the numeral 6 when the new GP9's
arrived, taking up the 300 number slots. Don't know about the little GE, but I know they had one. Seems to me that it would have been pretty light for work here.
 

UP owned 1 44 tonner, DS1399, delivered in March 1947 as a demonstrator.  The scotchlite striping pattern on the end plates of the 44 tonner in the photo matches photos I have seen of DS1399.  According to Don Strack's website, the scotchlite was probably applied in mid 1951.  I'd say it is a good bet that is the 1399 in the roundhouse.  She was used in switching around Omaha at first and in the mid 1950s was used by the Roadway (MOW) Department.

UP later owned 1/2 of a PFE 44 tonner.

Interersting note: UP DS1399 survives today at the Danbury Railroad Museum in Connecticut.

Z



 

A check of the 1951 "Form 70" of all of Union Pacific property shows a three-stall roundhouse at Valley, and no roundhouse at Lincoln.

Don Strack

---

Thanks Don.  That seems to settle that!

Martin