Remarks: A Santa Fe westbound rounds the curve on its approach to Cajon Pass's Blue Cut on a snowy January 1988 day. The power on this train is a pair of SD40-2s, and SD45 and an F45.
Remarks: Carrying a full load of coal for the day's trip to Ogden, the crew of Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 3985 is making sure everything is ready to go before they head out of Salt Lake City's engine facility on June 27, 1982. The numerous lineside fires started by this engine on this weekend prompted the UP to convert the Challenger to oil firing. That evening, on the local newscasts, there were pretty much just two stories: All the fires started by the 3985 and Marie Osmond's wedding (not in that order, of course).
Remarks: Like a beached whale being picked apart by scavengers, one of Southern Pacific's three huge U50 diesels is dismantled at a scrapper at Pacific Terminals scrap yard in Long Beach, California. "Born" at General Electric's Erie, PA, factory in May of 1964 (as SP 8500, then SP 9550), the behemoth "died" just 14 years and one month later. Here is a shot of an SP U50 in happier days: SP 9952.
Remarks: A Union Pacific eastbound departs North Platte's Bailey Yard on an August 1991 morning. This is a scene repeated several times per hour all day long on the UP's increadibly busy line across Nebraska.
Remarks: Burlington Northern maintains a small engine facility at McCook, NE, about halfway between Denver and Omaha. On this August 1991 morning, GP39M 2803 (built as a Cotton Belt GP30, originally 757 and then 5007) and SD40-2 6847 (originally Frisco 957) are among the small group of power here this day.
