Nostalgia & History > WP 770: from scrapyard to showroom floor?

A couple of days ago (17th) TO member ‘Albrae’ posted a story about Western Pacific’s U-30-Bs (a link: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3604068,3604068#3604068 ). My friend Jim Watson was checking out this interesting thread when he suddenly realized he had shot WP 770 before it was delivered (see image below). He was living & working in Minneapolis at the time and always kept a close eye on the local RR scene. He called me and after a late-night foray over to his house I had that slide in hand (plus a few more goodies). Here’s an extra tidbit Jim was able to find online ~ ’WP RR History Online’: The 770 was purchased brand new with the sale price at $199,288.00. (Can ya make that ‘to go’… ;^)

So in a way, we have a backward progression from the scrapyard status to show-room floor condition.

1. WP 770 sits pre-delivery in Minneapolis Jct, MN on a hazy, lazy high noon-sun day in June of 1971.
(photo by James W. Watson)

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Jim Watson (UP6900)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/22 21:32 by santafe199.

---

Very very cool.

She would never look that good again!

Amazing to think that the U30B model is now down to only 1 confirmed example: Western Pacific 751 / 3051 preserved in Portola. Plans are to repaint her into the scheme 770 wears in that photo and have her as a static display. (Would need a TON of work and money to run again.)

Z

Why would they paint it in yucky Perelman green rather than the beautiful as-delivered silver/orange?

masterphots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why would they paint it in yucky Perelman green
> rather than the beautiful as-delivered
> silver/orange?


Because it's theirs and they want to?

Perlman green IS the as delivered scheme.

WP 751 / 3051 was delivered in orange and silver, but that scheme is well represented in the collection and in future planning. Since we want to represent the complete history of the WP, the 3051 was tagged to wear "Perlman" green, along with WP GP7 705 (originally orange and silver), WP SW1500 1503 (originally Perlman green) and one of our two WP GP9s (the other will be as delivered orange and silver).

Z

Realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> masterphots Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why would they paint it in yucky Perelman green
> > rather than the beautiful as-delivered
> > silver/orange?
>
>
> Because it's theirs and they want to?


I thought the original Perelman green with orange stripes was rather attractive. Never did care for the subsequent "patch job" paint the locos acquired towards the end of the WP.

More:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,85883,85883#85883

Bob

ATSF100WEST......Out

ATSF3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought the original Perelman green with orange
> stripes was rather attractive. Never did care for
> the subsequent "patch job" paint the locos
> acquired towards the end of the WP.


And it all comes down to personal taste. Myself, I really liked the "New Image" green and orange and care much less for Perlman Green. I love Zephyr orange and silver, but still think the coolest paint scheme the WP had was the original FT woodfield green and yellow.

I know some folks who think orange and silver is garish and like Perlman green.

Z

santafe199 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A couple of days ago (17th) TO member ‘Albrae’
> posted a story about Western Pacific’s U-30-Bs
> (a link:
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,
> 3604068,3604068#3604068 ). My friend Jim Watson
> was checking out this interesting thread when he
> suddenly realized he had shot WP 770 before it was
> delivered (see image below). He was living &
> working in Minneapolis at the time and always kept
> a close eye on the local RR scene. He called me
> and after a late-night foray over to his house I
> had that slide in hand (plus a few more goodies).
> Here’s an extra tidbit Jim was able to find
> online ~ ’WP RR History Online’: The 770 was
> purchased brand new with the sale price at
> $199,288.00. (Can ya make that ‘to go’… ;^)
>

<< SNIP >>

Sorry, WP #770 was most definitely NOT delivered new (that source needs to be corrected). The unit had a couple hundred thousand miles logged on its frame, along with her three demo sister units, touring the U.S. generating orders for GE.

ATSF100WEST Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> More:
>
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,8
> 5883,85883#85883
>
> Bob
>
> ATSF100WEST......Out


I'll respond to that message thread to hopefully dispel any mis-information:

rattenne Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cool shot, in fresh Perlman Green with orange
> tiger stripes! As a clarification, the units are
> indeed classed as U30Bs, however, they both
> started life as U36B demoss. After their somewhat
> unsuccessful tour, GE reconditioned them as U30Bs
> and offered the pair to WP for $50,000 a piece. WP
> took the bait, so to speak.
>
> That same $50,000 wouldn't buy much locomotive
> today!


The units began life as U30B demos, not U36B demos. GE built four units in May and June 1966, gave them numbers #301-304. They were converted to U33B demos in 1967, then became U36B demos after another visit to the Erie, PA factory. Before their ultimate sale to both Chesapeake & Ohio and Western Pacific, the units were derated back to 3000 hp. GE #302 and 301 became C&O #8223 and 8224, meanwhile GE #303 and 304 became WP #770 and 771 respectively. See the U30B original owner roster here

http://www.trainweb.org/jaydeet/u30b.htm

FWIW, the U33B and U36B rosters are also posted for anyone interested

http://www.trainweb.org/jaydeet/u33b.htm

http://www.trainweb.org/jaydeet/u36b.htm

ATSF3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> I thought the original Perelman green with orange
> stripes was rather attractive. Never did care for
> the subsequent "patch job" paint the locos
> acquired towards the end of the WP.

I agree! Whereas the Zephyr scheme grew on me, I immediately liked the Perlman scheme. The New Image on the nose was fine, but not under the windows.

So was this unit being delivered to the WP by the BN via Pasco-Wishram?

Richard


santafe199 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A couple of days ago (17th) TO member ‘Albrae’
> posted a story about Western Pacific’s U-30-Bs
> (a link:
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,
> 3604068,3604068#3604068 ). My friend Jim Watson
> was checking out this interesting thread when he
> suddenly realized he had shot WP 770 before it was
> delivered (see image below). He was living &
> working in Minneapolis at the time and always kept
> a close eye on the local RR scene. He called me
> and after a late-night foray over to his house I
> had that slide in hand (plus a few more goodies).
> Here’s an extra tidbit Jim was able to find
> online ~ ’WP RR History Online’: The 770 was
> purchased brand new with the sale price at
> $199,288.00. (Can ya make that ‘to go’… ;^)
>
> So in a way, we have a backward progression from
> the scrapyard status to show-room floor
> condition.
>
> 1. WP 770 sits pre-delivery in Minneapolis Jct, MN
> on a hazy, lazy high noon-sun day in June of
> 1971.
> (photo by James W. Watson)
>
> Thanks for looking back!
> Lance Garrels (santafe199)
> Jim Watson (UP6900)

arwye Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So was this unit being delivered to the WP by the
> BN via Pasco-Wishram?
>
> Richard
>
>
> santafe199 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A couple of days ago (17th) TO member
> ‘Albrae’
> > posted a story about Western Pacific’s
> U-30-Bs
> > (a link:
> >
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,
>
> > 3604068,3604068#3604068 ). My friend Jim Watson
> > was checking out this interesting thread when
> he
> > suddenly realized he had shot WP 770 before it
> was
> > delivered (see image below). He was living &
> > working in Minneapolis at the time and always
> kept
> > a close eye on the local RR scene. He called me
> > and after a late-night foray over to his house
> I
> > had that slide in hand (plus a few more
> goodies).
> > Here’s an extra tidbit Jim was able to find
> > online ~ ’WP RR History Online’: The 770
> was
> > purchased brand new with the sale price at
> > $199,288.00. (Can ya make that ‘to go’…
> ;^)
> >
> > So in a way, we have a backward progression
> from
> > the scrapyard status to show-room floor
> > condition.
> >
> > 1. WP 770 sits pre-delivery in Minneapolis Jct,
> MN
> > on a hazy, lazy high noon-sun day in June of
> > 1971.
> > (photo by James W. Watson)
> >
> > Thanks for looking back!
> > Lance Garrels (santafe199)
> > Jim Watson (UP6900)

Yes it was. As with the rest of the WP orders to the last GP40-2 in 1980.