Nostalgia & History > UP geeps,variety I rerally miss

UP geep 7's and 9's were used in a wide variety of service, yard to the hottest mainline train. I got to enjoy them from the late 60's through their removal from the UP roster.

#118 GP 7 at Reservation, WA (Tacoma) 8-66, by G J Bolinsky. I was wondering why a big passenger train would draw such power, and have been told that in mid summer the E's would be
put in the main east west trains due to larger trains. The pool train out of Portland sometimes got what was left. The GN freight really adds to the shot.

#122, another 7, is at Sinclare, Wy 10-72. I think this is the Encampment Turn. There is a Sinclare refinery nearby, and a Sinclare gas station where one might get some of
the freshest gas to be found.

#127 powering through Ogden, UT, from Pocatello, ID. Track to the left is the main to Salt Lake City. I don't know if the employee on the chair is looking for defects,
or a what, but he must be comfortable that the roaring freight behind him won't derail.

Keith A

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Your second shot appears to have chip hoppers, most likely is the Encampment.

#129 GP 7 takes the "City of Hinkle" over Joso Trestle, Washington By G J Bolinsky.

#135 GP9 and a mate are on the now gone Park City branch, UT I just didn't chase this line enough.

##140 really working on pretty flat country. This is near Tuttle, ID on a 15 mile portion of UP connecting Wendell and Bliss.
For some unknown reason UP tore out this stretch before selling the secondary lines to Eastern Idaho RR. Now, tonnage moving in or out of
the EIRR must make a long trip up to Minidoka if coming or going west. I was going to make this shot a "Where is it" but never did.

Keith A

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Very nice photos... thank you for posting.

What was the reason that the numberboards were low on the long/short hoods like the ones in the 1st 3 shots? Kinda looks odd. Ben

Great shots, your "Wherizit" would have been quick as that cut is nearly next to the Interstate!! As to the
Park City branch, you never got tired of chasing it, we're tired of never seeing posts on it, hint-hint.

must have been an airline strike in 66, pic 1

ns2557 Wrote:

> What was the reason that the numberboards were low
> on the long/short hoods like the ones in the 1st 3
> shots?

Probably made it possible to change the train number while standing on the walkway. If the numberboards were in the "normal" position, a person would have to try to change the numbers with one hand while clinging to the grab irons with the other. SP lowered the indicator boxes on their FM Train Masters for a similar reason.

These are great shots! Thanks for sharing them.

Dan Quiat

Another thanks for sharing these great photos Keith. Did you do any photography on
the UP Oregon branches?

Geoff

> Probably made it possible to change the train
> number while standing on the walkway.

But the train indicator boards on EMDs were sealed, weren't they? Note the black rubber seal that held the glass in place. I believe that letters/numbers had to be changed from the inside on those... The GPs I've been in were all set up that way.

Take care,

Mark

rehunn Wrote:
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> Your second shot appears to have chip hoppers,
> most likely is the Encampment.


Looking over that photo it appears to be the old depot at Sinclair, WY, which they would have passed coming out of Rawlins to head up to Saratoga.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

mamfahr Wrote:
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> > Probably made it possible to change the train
> > number while standing on the walkway.
>
> But the train indicator boards on EMDs were
> sealed, weren't they? Note the black rubber seal
> that held the glass in place. I believe that
> letters/numbers had to be changed from the inside
> on those... The GPs I've been in were all set up
> that way.
>
> Take care,
>
> Mark

The numbers on these diesels did have to be changed from the inside. Also keep in mind that the lower numbered 100's were the long hood first GP-7's that they received.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Whatever happened to Bolinsky. I remember him mostly for wanted slides of tank cars.

Great shots and post. Now I can run my Lionel UP Geep7 on passenger and mixed trains with a clear conscience.

B&OB

Posted from iPhone

Bob3985 Wrote:

> The numbers on these diesels did have to be
> changed from the inside.

I was under the impression that those little doors visible below the number boards were how the train numbers were changed from the outside. Open the door, reach up inside, change the numbers. SP's GP9's had similar doors, and I've always been told that's how they were used (SP's geeps' number boards were at the "normal" height, however).

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
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> Bob3985 Wrote:
>
> > The numbers on these diesels did have to be
> > changed from the inside.
>
> I was under the impression that those little doors
> visible below the number boards were how the train
> numbers were changed from the outside. Open the
> door, reach up inside, change the numbers. SP's
> GP9's had similar doors, and I've always been told
> that's how they were used (SP's geeps' number
> boards were at the "normal" height, however).

Hello Evan,
I may be wrong but I believe those hatch doors were to get to the sand traps to clean them out should they get moisture in them and clog up.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

The Roundhouse forman, Dwight Moody, at Topeka told dad and me that the sand "door" was the reason for the number boards being lower. That is circa 1954, wag216

wag216 Wrote:
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> The Roundhouse forman, Dwight Moody, at Topeka
> told dad and me that the sand "door" was the
> reason for the number boards being lower. That is
> circa 1954, wag216


They did load the sand through a hatch on the top of the car body on each end.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

This photo shows the inside of a geep nose with the cylindrical sandbox mounted high behind the headlight and the number boards in the "normal" position.

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af169/JUST_AARON/Jun23_0015.jpg

Why would the presence of doors to access the sand traps below the sandbox require lowering the number boards?