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12/23/2024
 
 
 
 
 
By:Tom Beckett
Dates:1/1/1978 - 2/26/2011
Album Info:Shots of UP predecessor roads
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Quad Cities at La Salle St
Title:  Quad Cities at La Salle St
Description:  The Quad Cities Rocket awaits its 1815 departure for the Mississippi River towns of its name in the company of a new F40. The train, and the Rock itself, are not long for the world.
Photo Date:  8/16/1978  Upload Date: 10/29/2011 4:47:17 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Station,Passenger
Locomotives:  CRIP 655(E8A) RTA 114(F40PH)
Views:  823   Comments: 2
RGZ at Salt Lake City
Title:  RGZ at Salt Lake City
Description:  RGZ ready to leave Salt Lake for the run to Denver.
Photo Date:  8/22/1982  Upload Date: 2/27/2011 1:29:10 AM
Location:  Saline, UT
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  DRGW 3116(GP40-2) DRGW 5762(F9B)
Views:  909   Comments: 0
Yard power
Title:  Yard power
Description:  Denver & Rio Grande Western was known for its tunnel motors and other big SDs, as well as an interesting fleet of 4 axle EMD's, which at that time included GP 30's. They also had some switchers. One is seen here from the Amtrak Desert Wind. Note the hi rail front end loader to the right of the SW.
Photo Date:  8/22/1982  Upload Date: 3/27/2013 1:18:27 AM
Location:  Salt Lake City, UT
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives: 
Views:  125   Comments: 0
WP power
Title:  WP power
Description:  Western Pacific power is seen at Salt Lak` City from the RGZ.
Photo Date:  8/22/1982  Upload Date: 8/20/2011 3:34:37 AM
Location:  Salt Lake City, UT
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  WP 2265(U23B) WP 2253(U23B) WP 2252(U23B) WP 3532(GP40)
Views:  1587   Comments: 0
MoPac train along the levee
Title:  MoPac train along the levee
Description:  A Missouri Pacific train behind a quartet of blue SD 40s rolls along the New Orleans Public Belt en route west.
Photo Date:  3/9/1984  Upload Date: 1/8/2012 3:34:56 AM
Location:  New Orleans, LA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  MP 3256(SD40-2) MP 3186(SD40-2) MP 3276(SD40-2)
Views:  697   Comments: 0
Cotton Belt GP 20
Title:  Cotton Belt GP 20
Description:  A Cotton Belt GP 20 seen from Amtraks Sunset. There were quite a few of these units still in service on western roads in the mid 80s.
Photo Date:  3/10/1984  Upload Date: 12/3/2011 12:27:14 AM
Location:  Lake Charles, LA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard
Locomotives:  SSW 4134(GP20) SP 4108(GP20E)
Views:  1335   Comments: 0
Lined up and ready
Title:  Lined up and ready
Description:  At this time, it was still common to see merged road power in its original form, and a lot of it still on its own rails. Here we see a set of MP power set to go out on a westbound. Even the sign still says MP.
Photo Date:  3/10/1984  Upload Date: 5/24/2014 1:47:50 AM
Location:  Avondale, LA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MP 1592(GP15-1) MP 2219(GP38-2) MP 2239(GP38-2) MP 2233(GP38-2)
Views:  427   Comments: 0
Headed for home
Title:  Headed for home
Description:  The lead unit of a Mopac transfer heads back to home rails along the NOPB. This is one of MPs general service units, as it lacks dynamic brakes.
Photo Date:  3/10/1984  Upload Date: 5/24/2014 1:49:27 AM
Location:  New Orleans, LA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  218   Comments: 0
Not UP, not yet anyway
Title:  Not UP, not yet anyway
Description:  SP still was a going operation in 1984, and there was no hint that they would eventually be swallowed by the UP. The stillborn merger attempt with Santa Fe was still ahead at this stage. Funny how things turn out.
Photo Date:  3/10/1984  Upload Date: 5/24/2014 1:52:16 AM
Location:  New Orleans, LA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  SP 2702(MP15AC)
Views:  527   Comments: 1
Mopac in the rain
Title:  Mopac in the rain
Description:  As with the ATSF GP 20s, this Mopac transfer also was waiting for the Eagle in the rain at Tower 55.
Photo Date:  3/11/1984  Upload Date: 8/20/2011 3:36:52 AM
Location:  Fort Worth (Tower 55, TX
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  MP 1652(GP15-1) MP 1656(GP15-1)
Views:  567   Comments: 0
Rawlins rambler
Title:  Rawlins rambler
Description:  The UP-MP merger was two years prior, so this is now a UP unit. Seeing off line power all over UP was never a big deal, though, since they ran through with just about everyone. This is a coal service SD40, 6000 series, with dynamics, coupled to a very dirty C30-7, seen from the Cal Zephyr.
Photo Date:  3/17/1984  Upload Date: 5/24/2014 2:07:49 AM
Location:  Rawlins, WY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MP 6019(SD40-2)
Views:  395   Comments: 0
Cotton Belt pigs
Title:  Cotton Belt pigs
Description:  In 1984, Cotton Belt was using this yard next to I 55 in Memphis for its intermodal faciity. Three SP family units wait for their call. Note the Golden Pig trailer head out.
Photo Date:  10/2/1984  Upload Date: 7/10/2014 2:25:00 AM
Location:  Memphis, TN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  SP 9223(SD45T-2) SSW 7654(GP40-2) SP 7412(SD45R)
Views:  718   Comments: 1
DRGW 3015
Title:  DRGW 3015
Description:  DRGW 3015 switches at C‘morado Springs. View is outside the Depot Restauarant, whicn occupies(or it did in 1984) the former passenger station.
Photo Date:  10/8/1984  Upload Date: 10/8/1984 12:00:00 AM
Location:  Colorado Springs, CO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Action
Locomotives:  DRGW 3015(GP30)
Views:  524   Comments: 0
Getting out of town
Title:  Getting out of town
Description:  A westbound train has departed Neff yard and is working its way through the east side of KC behind a pair of MP lettered yellow SD40s.
Photo Date:  2/18/1986  Upload Date: 11/14/2014 2:59:48 AM
Location:  Kansas City, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  MP 3291(SD40-2) MP 6002(SD40-2)
Views:  504   Comments: 0
SP transfer
Title:  SP transfer
Description:  A pair of SP MP15s pull a transfer from Armourdale to UPs Neff Yard on a gloomy day in February
Photo Date:  2/18/1986  Upload Date: 1/29/2012 1:32:40 AM
Location:  Kansas City, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  SP 2747(MP15AC) SP 2740(MP15AC)
Views:  612   Comments: 0
Arriving at Neff
Title:  Arriving at Neff
Description:  UPs ex Mopac Neff yard was just to the south of the KCS Knoche yard, and you could see trains from both near Southwest Jct. This train coming off the ex Mopac was arriving while I was checking out the power at Knoche.
Photo Date:  2/18/1986  Upload Date: 11/12/2014 2:56:44 AM
Location:  Kansas City, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  MP 2248(GP38-2)
Views:  325   Comments: 0
CNW in Kansas City
Title:  CNW in Kansas City
Description:  The CNW had a minor presence in KC, coming in via the ex Chicago & Great Western, which it acquired in 1968. I was fortunate to catch this SD 50 at the KCS Knoche yard as it was between drop and pick up on a transfer. The Knoche yard tower is in the background.
Photo Date:  2/19/1986  Upload Date: 11/12/2014 2:37:30 AM
Location:  Kansas City, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 7004(SD50)
Views:  367   Comments: 0
Trackage rights
Title:  Trackage rights
Description:  One of the concessions for the UP-MP-WP merger was that the Rio Grande get rights into Kansas City. They ran over the ex Mopac from Pueblo, entering the area at Paola, where the line crossed the MKT-which would also soon get gobbled up by the yellow monster-and the BN. Heres a wfstbound train passing Paola en route to home rails at Pueblo.
Photo Date:  2/19/1986  Upload Date: 11/10/2014 2:24:09 AM
Location:  Paola, KS
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  DRGW 3130(GP40-2) DRGW 3099(GP40-2)
Views:  638   Comments: 0
DRGW train leaves Joint Agency
Title:  DRGW train leaves Joint Agency
Description:  A DRGW train running on Mopac trackage rights starts its trip to Pueblo Colo, passing Southwest Jct on its way out of Joint Agency yard.
Photo Date:  2/19/1986  Upload Date: 7/20/2011 2:03:02 AM
Location:  Kansas City, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  DRGW 3148(GP40) DRGW 3152(GP40) DRGW 3147(GP40)
Views:  766   Comments: 0
MP 5037
Title:  MP 5037
Description:  MP 5037 leads a coal train on the former MP with three MP SD 50's in the short lived UP colors with MP lettering.
Photo Date:  2/19/1986  Upload Date: 2/26/2011 3:00:14 AM
Location:  Osawatomie, KS
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  UP 5037(SD50) UP 5016(SD50) UP 5059(SD50)
Views:  876   Comments: 0
Coal west
Title:  Coal west
Description:  UP was still running through trains to Colorado on the ex MP in 1986, and there was a fair amount of traffic on the line. This coal train was working back to the Colorado mines as it made its way through Paola behind a pair of MP lettered SD 50's
Photo Date:  2/19/1986  Upload Date: 11/10/2014 2:27:38 AM
Location:  Paola, KS
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Signal,Action
Locomotives:  UP 5047(SD50) UP 5017(SD50)
Views:  499   Comments: 0
Piece of the Rock
Title:  Piece of the Rock
Description:  Just before the Rock Island went under in 1980, SP acquired the Golden State Route east of Santa Rosa NM, where ownership had changed from SP to Rock island. Along with that, they got RI's trackage rights into Kansas City over UP from Topeka. Heres one of the SPs trains on Rock Island trackage rights on the last leg into KC behind a trio of tunnel motors.
Photo Date:  2/19/1986  Upload Date: 11/10/2014 2:35:02 AM
Location:  Bonner Springs, KS
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SP 8493(SD40T-2)
Views:  217   Comments: 0
Double whammy
Title:  Double whammy
Description:  This shows two UP predecessors in one, although the line was already UP by then. This is a Rio Grande trackage rights train approaching Wagstaff Kansas on the ex Mopac line to Colorado, which DRGW used to access connections at KC as part of the conditions of the UP-MP-WP merger. The scene is one that epitomizes prairie railroading-long view, long train, long line of code line poles into the distance.
Photo Date:  2/20/1986  Upload Date: 11/12/2014 2:41:15 AM
Location:  Wagstaff, KS
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  DRGW 3101(GP40-2) DRGW 5344(SD40T-2) DRGW 3135(GP40)
Views:  538   Comments: 1
Mopac turns yellow
Title:  Mopac turns yellow
Description:  Union Pacific had some units delivered in the UP paint scheme, but lettered MP in the early days of the merger. Here we see three of them. a GE an a pair of SD 50s
Photo Date:  2/20/1986  Upload Date: 8/20/2011 3:30:07 AM
Location:  Wagstaff, KS
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  MP 9035(C36-7) MP 5015(SD50)
Views:  454   Comments: 0
High priority
Title:  High priority
Description:  MKT was trying to make a dent in the KC-Texas intermodal market using short, fast trains. This was their daily effort, which I caught as a grab shot along US 169. He was moving pretty fast, judging by the blur on the first unit. The leader is one of the ex Kennecott Copper GP 39's.
Photo Date:  2/20/1986  Upload Date: 11/12/2014 2:45:36 AM
Location:  Spring Hill, KS
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  MKT 386(GP39-2) MKT 197(GP40)
Views:  500   Comments: 0
Working industry
Title:  Working industry
Description:  I caught this GP 15 working a local customer on the east side of KC, deep in an industrial district.
Photo Date:  2/20/1986  Upload Date: 11/12/2014 2:49:40 AM
Location:  Kansas City, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  MP 1621(GP15-1)
Views:  345   Comments: 0
Transfer
Title:  Transfer
Description:  This MP lettered SD 40 was working transfer runs in the area. I saw it two days rolling across town with short cuts of cars.
Photo Date:  2/20/1986  Upload Date: 11/12/2014 2:54:14 AM
Location:  Kansas City, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  MP 3008(SD40)
Views:  362   Comments: 0
Armour Yellow MP unit
Title:  Armour Yellow MP unit
Description:  For a short period, UP repainted units acquired in the merger with MP in its standard Armour Yellow scheme, but lettered them Missouri Pacific. Here is one, seen at Kansas City on a transfer.
Photo Date:  2/20/1986  Upload Date: 11/12/2011 11:54:47 PM
Location:  Kansas City, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  MP 3008(SD40)
Views:  539   Comments: 0
C&EI action
Title:  C&EI action
Description:  A southbound train rolls through Salem Ill on the ex C&EI behind a mix of MP power, including one each general service(no dynamics) and coal service SD40-2. Note the "eagle" herald on the two lead units. It was still common to find full paint MP units at this time.
Photo Date:  2/21/1986  Upload Date: 11/14/2014 3:03:15 AM
Location:  Salem, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  MP 3281(SD40-2) MP 6009(SD40-2) MP 3212(SD40-2)
Views:  608   Comments: 1
Coal train waiting
Title:  Coal train waiting
Description:  A westbound empty coal train waits on the ex MP at NA to get on the Santa Fe for the last leg into Pueblo.
Photo Date:  10/27/1996  Upload Date: 5/6/2014 2:22:32 AM
Location:  Devine, CO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SP 194(AC44CW) SP 233(AC44CW) SP 125(AC44CW)
Views:  551   Comments: 0
Classic local power
Title:  Classic local power
Description:  A GP 9 and SW 1500 work a local in Denver. I was making a delivery at a nearby warehouse, sitting in my truck at the time.
Photo Date:  10/28/1996  Upload Date: 5/6/2014 2:25:55 AM
Location:  Denver, CO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SP 3827(GP9R) SP 2591(SW1500)
Views:  273   Comments: 0
Big power
Title:  Big power
Description:  Another stop in Houston on the same day yielded this grab shot of a road train rollling past my pick up.
Photo Date:  11/21/1996  Upload Date: 4/23/2014 1:59:45 AM
Location:  Houston, TX
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SP 7464(SD45R)
Views:  214   Comments: 0
Local over the fence
Title:  Local over the fence
Description:  I made a pick up at Riceland in Jonesboro Ark, which was bounded on one side by the Cotton Belt, on the other by the ex Frisco. While I was there the Cotton Belt local showed up. If only the sun had-it was a miserable day there. The area had received 8" of snow the previous night.
Photo Date:  2/13/1997  Upload Date: 4/23/2014 2:04:36 AM
Location:  Jonesboro, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SP 4863(GP38-2)
Views:  361   Comments: 1
Clean SP units!!
Title:  Clean SP units!!
Description:  Two years after the UP took over the SP, I came across these two SP units on a local in Denver while waiting to get a dispatch out of town. Clean SP units were always a find, more so now that the fleet was scattering. Of course, my luck being what it is, I see them on a cloudy day. Figures.
Photo Date:  4/25/1997  Upload Date: 6/13/2012 1:21:22 AM
Location:  Denver, CO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SP 7613(GP40-2) SP 7124(GP40M-2)
Views:  625   Comments: 0
SP 8594
Title:  SP 8594
Description:  SP 8594 leads auto racks on the former Rock Island Golden State route near Greensburg Kan
Photo Date:  2/26/1998  Upload Date: 2/26/2011 2:57:50 AM
Location:  Greensburg, KS
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SP 8594(SD40M-2) SP 9310(SD45T-2)
Views:  646   Comments: 0
SP power west
Title:  SP power west
Description:  A westbound with three unpatched(yet) SP units and a CNW unit head west on the Sunset Route
Photo Date:  6/20/1999  Upload Date: 6/13/2012 1:23:37 AM
Location:  Valentine, TX
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SP 8193(C44-9W)
Views:  230   Comments: 0
Rail train on the former Kansas Pacific
Title:  Rail train on the former Kansas Pacific
Description:  This rail train was parked at Weskan KS on the UPs Kansas Pacific line. The power, despite looking out of place on the high plains, was no stranger to the flatlands, as it routinely ran to KC over the Mopac from Pueblo til that line was discontinued
Photo Date:  7/19/1999  Upload Date: 6/13/2012 1:18:13 AM
Location:  Weskan, KS
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster
Locomotives:  DRGW 5344(SD40T-2) DRGW 5517(SD50)
Views:  954   Comments: 0


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