Home Open Account Help 349 users online

Nostalgia & History > UP varnish behind an ugly duckling


Date: 03/19/25 05:57
UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: santafe199

Art Gibson did not record the precise date for his photo. But he DID nail this shot of a classic scene of Union Pacific passenger train #39 at Topeka. In those days this train was a regular fixture all along the KP running west out of Kansas City. My, oh my...

1. UP 298 points train #39 during the station stop at Topeka, KS sometime in the mid 1950s.
Copy slide by William A. Gibson (WAG) Jr, from the Cliff Corn collection.

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels
santafe199
Remembering the late Cliff Corn aka “Topeka” here on TO



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/25 07:32 by santafe199.




Date: 03/19/25 07:02
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: E25

Nice one.  Thanks!

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ



Date: 03/19/25 07:10
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: atsfer

Another first for me...I did not know UP had steam generators in some gp's...learning all kind of new things today.



Date: 03/19/25 07:17
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: swaool

Date would have to be sometime in the mid 1950s.  UP 298 was delivered in September 1954, and train 39 "The Kansan" was discontinued sometime in early 1957 (it appears in the January '57 timetable but is gone from the June '57 timetable).

mike woodruff
north platte ne



Date: 03/19/25 07:22
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: santafe199

swaool Wrote: > ... Date would have to be sometime in the mid 1950s ...

Thanks Mike, I'll amend my captions...

:^)



Date: 03/19/25 08:03
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: NCA1022

OK - I'm correct in thinking the silver "stack" on the geep's short hood is actually on some structure behind the train, right?  The photo angle it sure makes it look like it's right where the stack would be for the steam generator...

- Norm



Date: 03/19/25 08:51
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: Stevo_Weimario

Actually, that really is the stack for the steam generator. Certainly built to last!
A quick Google search brought up images of other Geep 9s with the same arrangement.

S_W



Date: 03/19/25 09:18
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: UP951West

Lance, thanks for posting slides from my late good friend, Cliff Corn. 



Date: 03/19/25 09:34
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: ATSFSuperCap

Some of the GP30B's had boilers as well.



Date: 03/19/25 09:58
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: Gonut1

I was wondering if that was a steam generator stack. Did any other roads put that wart of a thing on the short hood? And why did U.P. deem it necessary? It seems it would restrict the overhead clearance somewhere. Back east I'm sure it would have been a problem in some tunnels and bridges. 
Thanks for yet another thought provoking post Lance!
Gonut



Date: 03/19/25 10:56
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: SP4360

Looks like they cut up WW2 surplus canon barrels for steam generator tail pipes.

Stevo_Weimario Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Actually, that really is the stack for the steam
> generator. Certainly built to last!
> A quick Google search brought up images of other
> Geep 9s with the same arrangement.
>
> S_W



Date: 03/19/25 15:28
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: Texican65

Cool! Ya, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason why some UP GP9’s have that super tall steam generator stack, and some have a shorter version. In any case, it’s neat to see.

I really like the UP GP9B’s with steam generator stacks…I don’t think there were very many….but they did exist.



Date: 04/08/25 20:29
Re: UP varnish behind an ugly duckling
Author: rrman6

Texican65 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cool! Ya, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or
> reason why some UP GP9’s have that super tall
> steam generator stack, and some have a shorter
> version. In any case, it’s neat to see.
>
> I really like the UP GP9B’s with steam generator
> stacks…I don’t think there were very
> many….but they did exist.

I think the UP shop boys stopped too soon with their addition of the stack.  Maybe a barrel type nose with a Pyle-National headlight, bell, and marker lights would have added to the stack feature.  Probably "no workee" with need of the steam generator utilizing this space.



[ Share Thread on Facebook ] [ Search ] [ Start a New Thread ] [ Back to Thread List ] [ <Newer ] [ Older> ] 
Page created in 0.0391 seconds