Steam & Excursion > 8444 Eastbound East of Soda Springs

Northern & larger UP relative many years ago.
This photo appeared in  Pacific News railroad magazine I believe in the 1980s.
Regards, Jim Evans

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Enlarged, 2nd steamer seems to start with the number  3,    could be 3985  2nd in consist 

844 and 3985 headed to Sacramento  April 1981 on 1st trip out of Cheyenne after restoration.  Would have probably passed through Soda Springs

Stagner in   UP Steam Excursions   notes that there were 2 SP diesels added to consist climbing Donner,  and also added on return, eastbound, trip over SP track



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/22 08:57 by dougd.

dougd Wrote:
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> Enlarged, 2nd steamer seems to start with the
> number  3,    could be 3985  2nd in consist 

Correct, as #3985 was the ONLY operational 4-6-6-4 in the world, back in 1981. Also note that she is still a coal burner.

> 844 and 3985 headed to Sacramento  April 1981 on
> 1st trip out of Cheyenne after restoration. 
> Would have probably passed through Soda Springs

Since the original poster states that this is "Eastbound", the date would have to be mid to late May, 1981, i.e. AFTER the 1981 Grand Opening of the California State RR Museum, and the Railfair event in early May. The doubleheader is returning home to Cheyenne, WY.

Seems like I should remember, but...Is the tank car the original auxiliary tender?

Cheers, Dave

Yes that is the 3985 on our 1981 double header to the California State Railroad Museum Grand opening.
3985 was burning coal at that time. And both locomotives were run by the mechanical department, Frank Acord on 844 and Tom Stuart on 3985 with mechanical department firemen.
Those of us selected from the 3985 restoration committee to tag along were the service crew for both locomotives.
We had two SP diesels both ways over the SP, Ogden to Sacramento and return.
The tank car carried fuel for the 844. We had coal cars positioned aloing the way for the 3985.
Asw far as I know ther3e are still four of us six still alive from the restoration crew that traveled along.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/22 10:17 by Bob3985.

Look closely at the 8444.  In the color shot it has the two tone paint scheme and has a wide nose diesel, a model that didn't exist in 1981. In the black and white shot the 8444 is solid black.

JB - Omaha



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/22 11:22 by Copy19.

Copy19 Wrote:
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> Look closely at the 8444.  In the color shot it
> has the two tone paint scheme and has a wide nose
> diesel, a model that didn't exist in 1981.


The "color shot" you are referring to, was in a different post, by a different photographer and was clearly labeled 1991 (3985 had been converted to oil burning by then).

In the
> black and white shot the 8884 is solid black.


Correct, and 3985 is still a coal burner, thus 1981.


> JB - Omaha