Nice catch, John. Looks like they are saving the open hole in the nose of this E8 - maybe one day it will be added back to the in service E's! Glad UP thought ahead to keep their fleet of nostalgic engines in service well into the 21st century!
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Ouch - #928 ran as late as 1980 in excursion service. Looks like the unit was donated, vandalized and eventually returned to UP as a parts source. Brave soul - he served his company best he could. RIP's #928.
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#928 was originally part of company museum in North Platte. It got vandilized heavily and was moved to Omaha to get re-restored sometime in the 90's.
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This must have been one of the earliest E-models because it does not have ditch lights.
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No E units had ditchlights when built, they were added for excursion service. Neat shot John!
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How about that Centipede tender to the left, what engine is that from?
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In the interest of accuracy the applicable FRA rule for auxiliary lights on locomotive is §229.133; "Interim locomotive conspicuity measures—auxiliary external lights." Were this E8 still in service the upper headlight (a Gyralight) would be compliant. UP's E9 units (looking through the photo database as far back as 1979 did not have secondary headlights in their nose doors (in fact the nose doors were recently sealed up to increase crew safety) so they require "ditch lights" or other acceptable forms of auxiliary light.
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