Railfanning Union Pacific

[railohio]

As are the tracks that most of my UP photos are taken on. Err...Metra also runs on the same UP tracks that most of my UP photos were taken on

Because Brian and Deano posted Metra, I'll post one of mine here too. More where this came from

That's because Union Pacific owns those track and that's the standard I've used for these threads. I posted Amtrak, BNSF, and Union Pacific in the CSX thread because it was simply that railroad's power operating on CSX.

If you're railfanning a particular railroad you'll see a variety of equipment pass by. On the other hand, you probably go don't to Elmhurst to railfan CSX, even though you'll occasionally see some of their power slip by.

[viperman]

As are the tracks that most of my UP photos are taken on. Err...Metra also runs on the same UP tracks that most of my UP photos were taken on

Because Brian and Deano posted Metra, I'll post one of mine here too. More where this came from

That's because Union Pacific owns those track and that's the standard I've used for these threads. I posted Amtrak, BNSF, and Union Pacific in the CSX thread because it was simply that railroad's power operating on CSX.

If you're railfanning a particular railroad you'll see a variety of equipment pass by. On the other hand, you probably go don't to Elmhurst to railfan CSX, even though you'll occasionally see some of their power slip by.

Thats what I was trying to say, is that the tracks I posted all my pics of are owned by UP, but Metra also operates on them.
So since these are UP owned tracks which Metra operates on, are we also posting Metra pics (as long as they are UP tracks)?

[rogerw]

very nice pics all. go UP

[viperman]

Got a few more taken today too. I wasn't even intending on railfanning today, but a freight train happened to pass by as we were in a parking garage so I thought it was a good photo opportunity

[Herc Driver]

I'm new to the railfanning aspect of this hobby...so forgive the very "newbie" question.

First, does UP ever allow the DD40X to go to the east coast, or does the tighter track radius turns and lower overpasses prevent operations in the east? I ask, because I've only seen pictures of this engine, and never more east of Illinois.

Secondly, is there a way to know when this engine moves from place to place? Is there a set schedule when it moves? I fly all over the country and knowing where it might be sitting on any given day would sure help me actually see this engine in person.

Thanks guys!

[Triplex]

UP doesn't own track to the East Coast. UP power can be found on other roads due to run-through and leasing, but not the DDA40X. Their Heritage Fleet, which 6936 is part of, seems to stay on home rails. In the days when UP had a whole fleet, there wasn't as much power leasing, and most roads wouldn't allow the double diesels on their rails anyway.

[Russ Bellinis]

I'm new to the railfanning aspect of this hobby...so forgive the very "newbie" question.

First, does UP ever allow the DD40X to go to the east coast, or does the tighter track radius turns and lower overpasses prevent operations in the east? I ask, because I've only seen pictures of this engine, and never more east of Illinois.

Secondly, is there a way to know when this engine moves from place to place? Is there a set schedule when it moves? I fly all over the country and knowing where it might be sitting on any given day would sure help me actually see this engine in person.

Thanks guys!

Herc, If you fly into the Los Angeles area and can get out to Pomona to the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, there is a railroad display in one corner of the grounds. They have quite a few large locomotives there. The display includes a DD40x as well as a Big Boy, Challenger, and 2-12-4 from U.P. The also have a 4-8-4, and I think a 4-6-4 from Santa Fe. I think there may be a 2-10-2 and a 2-10-4 from the Santa Fe as well. I think there might be a Southern Pacific Cab Forward there as well, but I don't remember for sure. If you fly into the Sacramento area, you need to check out the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento.

[viperman]

You've probably seen pics that Deano and I have posted of a DDA40X in Union, IL at the Illinois Rail Museum <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.irm.org">http://www.irm.org</a><!-- m -->

[Herc Driver]

Thanks guys! I get to the LA area quite often, actually, there's not too many places I don't go in the US so there's a chance that I can make and see one of these DD-units in person. What always amazes me is the technical decisions that were made prior to any metal being riveted together. Why did the UP officials require the power of the DD units, what economic benefits made the purchase and production viable, and why were they taken off the roster. Sure they're amazing looking units, but there's always an interesting story to the how and why something like this is made.

[Russ Bellinis]

The U.P. has always needed the biggest power they could get for places like Sherman Hill. I think they got the DD40x's before the advantages of multiple unit lash ups was really understood by the railroads, or at least the U.P. Historically the U.P. had always bought the biggest, most powerful locomotives available. The DD40x's prototype was the DD35x cabless booster of which there were 3 built all bought by the S.P. They were essentially 2 Gp35's on a single frame. I'm guessing that the D40 was 2 Gp40s on one frame, but I don't know for sure. Until the U.P. bought the S.P. their only access into the Los Angeles metropolitan area was by way of trackage rights on the Santa Fe's Cajon Pass route. Rail wags referred to the DD40s as "6000 hp track straighteners." I read somewhere that the Santa Fe told the U.P. not to bring the DD40s into Los Angeles over Cajon anymore, but I don't know if that is true or a legend. I think the reason that the U.P. decommissioned them in a relatively short time is because they discovered that being 2 locomotives on a common frame meant that if 1/2 of the unit was down, they lost the entire unit. 2 Gp40's or Sd40-2's would have the same hp and tractive effort as one DD40x, and if one failed, they still had the other unit to use in service. This is entirely conjecture on my part. In the age of steam, if you needed helper service to climb a hill, you had to have a separate engine crew for each locomotive. The railroads were limited to how big they could make a solid frame locomotive, so the only way they could make a locomotive bigger than a 2-12-4 was to articulate the frame to make things like Challengers and Big Boys. Since a "diesel" engine is actually an electric locomotive that carries it's own generating plant, they can be operated in multiple unit lash ups without extra crews just by plugging them in to each other. I suspect that when the U.P. ordered the DD40, the management was still thinking "steam" operations instead of realizing the practicalities of using diesels in m.u.

[railohio]

[Steamtrains]

Gotta love those UP monster trains...!!
Great pics..!!

[railohio]

UP4825RochelleIL4-18-10 by railohio, on Flickr


UP7693NelsonIL4-17-10 by railohio, on Flickr


UP8600ElevatorFlaggIL4-17-10 by railohio, on Flickr


UP7754NelsonIL4-17-10 by railohio, on Flickr

[tetters]

I like the pic of 8086 with the GO Train Engine tucked behind it. I see lot of those engines around here.

[P5se Camelback]

I like the pic of 8086 with the GO Train Engine tucked behind it. I see lot of those engines around here.

Is that what that is ... a "GO" train? I was going to ask what the garishly decorated unit was that was thankfully hidden in the MU consist, but then thought better of it until you brought it up.

Excuse my ignorance ... but ... what's a "GO" train?

(Seriously ... I haven't seen a actual train down here in maybe 14 or 15 years! What do I know? One day I drove 28 miles just to watch the Seminole Gulf Mystery Dinner Train depart its overgrown siding in Fort Myers behind the aging F9AM #501 ... I was "jonesing" that bad!!!
Maybe one day I'll spring for dinner and take my daughter with me.)