Nostalgia & History > UP Century 855s, Wheelihan photo

From the January 1977 issue of Pacific News. How often did these three beasts run as a pure set?

Don Strack

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Is that a Railway Express car first out?

Looks like it...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

These engines always make me think someone built a diesel out of LEGO blocks.

Don,

To my knowledge, at least while I was on the UP delivering GP35/DD35 units, the photo depicts the ONLY time all 3 ever operated together. That first trip was unsuccessful, as once they got west of Summit, and made forward transition all the side electrical cabinet doors blew open as a result of a dead short across the main generator. It was found that the factory had inadvertently wired the traction motor field shunting resistors across the main generators, thus when forward transition occurred, BANG!!!! A local fire depart was called out, to extinguish the mess, and the units were towed back to Omaha Shops during the same night. I saw all 3 units on the shop floor the next morning when I arrived for work. Lots of ALCO reps around.

All three got together at least once more more:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,1334952,1335013#1335013

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
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> All three got together at least once more more:
>
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11
> ,1334952,1335013#1335013

Wonder what year that photo was taken? My time in Omaha on the UP was spring/summer 1964.

There was a Don Sims photo published in Trains showing the three 855s leading an eastbound fruit block up Echo Canyon. Early summer in year of delivery.

They were so unreliable that they were forever split up after the early-life test runs.

Best regards,

Rob L.