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  Union Pacific Railroad

 

July 7, 2001 - A rare catch in Lincoln. B23-7 UP 129 (ex-Mopac) and SD40-2 UP 3553 rest side by side, sunning in the dying rays this summer day.

Originating in Omaha as the state's first railway, the Union Pacific Railroad operated 1,358 route miles through Nebraska before the massive mergers with the Missouri Pacific, Western Pacific, KATY, the Rio Grande, Southern Pacific and Chicago & North Western.

Chartered by act of Congress in 1862,
the company completed construction across Nebraska, Wyoming, and part of Utah in May 1869, connecting with Central Pacific Railway at Promontory, Utah. The road consolidated with Kansas Pacific Railway and Denver Pacific Railway & Telegraph Co., in January 1880 to form Union Pacific Railway.

Today the UP has the largest rail system in U.S. stretching from the Gulf Coast to California.

Local History of the Union Pacific, Lincoln and the Beatrice Branch
The Union Pacific is the other major player in Lincoln besides BNSF, though with a smaller role.

UP's access to Lincoln is by what was once the Beatrice Branch of UP's Nebraska Division. Built by the Omaha & Republican Valley, the branch reached Lincoln in 1877 as part of UP's Omaha - Kansas City route. The Beatrice Branch leads from Valley through Lincoln, then south to Beatrice (this segment south of Lincoln was closed in 2000, making Lincoln the end of the line).  From Beatrice it connected to the Council Bluffs Sub and then Marysville, Kansas, part of the Marysville Sub. Traffic has fallen over the years from the four through-traffic freight trains a day to irregular runs.

For a time, after the big MoP-UP merger of 1981, UP had a second access route from the east by the MoPac's Lincoln-Union Branch . This branch connected to MoPac's KC-Omaha mainline(today known as the Falls City Sub). But Mother Nature and the UP's fondness for branchlines had different plans for the new route.

Floods in 1984 caused a bridge washout west of Weeping Water. It was decided that the costs to repair would be excessive, so UP abandoned the line west from Weeping Water to 32nd Street in Lincoln.

The Weeping Water connection from Union was kept for it's importance -- the region is known as the world's #1 producer of lime products. Back in Lincoln, the University continued to press for control of the land divided by the remainder of the Mopac right-of-way, which UP continued to use to reach some lumber industries and interchange with the Omaha, Lincoln & Beatrice, just northeast of the University. As of 2000, the University had finally won-out and the remaining line was being pulled up. Rumors blew around that either UP was negotiating with BNSF for trackage rights on it's Omaha Line between 9th Street and 17th Street, or giving-up entirely the routine switching service it had taken from the MoPac. By the close of 2000, new track was laid beside the BNSF's Omaha line for UP access to OL&B (though I've yet to see any UP yellow run on the new track... maybe business is slow?). As of this summer, the industrial spur that ended at the old Lincoln Journal loading dock is gone as well.

UP 2334 (ex-MoPac) paired with UP 2000, both GP38-2's, drag grain hoppers across the Salt Creek bridge northwest of the Union Pacific's yard at Lincoln, Nebraska. 6/27/85

Routinely, a morning UP local, and maybe some extra grain trains, drops off /picks up cars at the Lincoln yard, and on sidings west of Salt Creek and Muni Airport, then heads back to up Valley. Switcher power is assigned to Lincoln as well, consisting of a GP38-2, usally two, (many times ex-MP w/o dynamic brakes) stationed at the yard to perform daily duties of swapping cars among the industries. Twice recently a B23-7 has been added for a change to the switching assignment. Traffic is mostly grain and lumber products.

My favorite place to photograph UP power was along the former MoPac line as twin Geeps interchanged with OL&B... it had a casual small-town railroading style you don't get from trains passing by at 50mph. This option is gone, but you can still get some decent views of the yard from the 'O' Street overpass, or side views of the power seen from the industries' just to the west.

 

Click on the thumbnails to see a larger image

UP 3985 - crosses the diamonds at Valey Junction near Hearne, TX in October 2001. The UP Challenger visited the rails in Texas for a week, and pulled an excursion train on October 27, 2001 as a fundraiser for the Houston Grand Opera. The fundraising event was sponsored by former United States President and First Lady, George and Barbara Bush. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo. Jay has also produced a video of the Callenger's visit, see Renegade Entertainment Group for more details.

UP Challenger - sits at a red block signal at the South switch of Harrison Siding in October 2001. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo.
Jay has also produced a video of the Callenger's Texas visit, see Renegade Entertainment Group for more details.

UP 100 - a B23-7, originally delivered new as MoPac #4600. 6/01

UP 129 (ex-Mopac, a B23-7) and UP 3553 (SD40-2) - seen again in another nice shot. This time see the State capital building, shrouded in scaffolding, can bee seen standing in the distance just the the left of the B-boat's nose. 7/7/01

UP C36-7 #650 - in San Antonio in May 2000. - Steve Rude Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection.

UP GP35 #793 - in San Antonio in 1990. - Steve Rude Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection

UP GP30 #849 - on display at the Feather River Railroad Museum in Portola, California in 1989. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo

UP 907 - One of the four ex-Western Pacific GP40's. 12/2/95

UP GP40-2 #909 - was built as Western Pacific #3554 in April 1980. It was renumbered into the UP series first as 909, then later became UP 2911 and then to UP 5318. It now works the rails as UP #5364. UP 909 is at Albina Yard in Portland, Oregon in 1990. - Steve Schuman Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection

UP GP40-2 #911 - was built as Western Pacific #3556 in 1980. It was renumbered as UP 911 in 1984. It is scheduled to be renumbered as UP 5365 in 2001. It is seen here on a northbound MP freight in 1988. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo

UP GP40-2 #913 - was built as  Western Pacific #3558 in April 1980. It was renumbered to UP 913 in 1985. It later became UP #2915 in April 1996, then again was renumbered to UP 568 in July 1996, and then to its final number as UP 5368 in 1999. The 913 is seen here pulling a Family Days passenger special in San Antonio in 1986.- Steve Rude Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection

Union Pacific GP40X - was built in March 1978 as UP 9005. It was renumbered to UP #95 in June 1985. It was later renumbered as UP #959 in 1990. Today, this GP40X works the rails as UP #5505. The UP 95 is seen at the Missouri Pacific's Settegast Yard in Houston, Texas in 1986. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo



UP GP40X #959 - (Ex-UP 95, same unit as above) is seen in San Antonio, Texas in 1991. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo

UP 949 - parked in Union Pacific's huge North Platte yard, Nebraska. UP's North Platte yard has been called the largest rail yard in the world.

The biggest and busiest, Bailey Yard is located in North Platte, Nebraska. The yard stretches 7 miles end to end has two large classification yards, one for eastbound trains and one for westbound trains, a flat yard for switching, a car repair shop, a huge locomotive facility, main line westbound and eastbound locomotive servicing and fueling racks. 8/26/95

 

A UP 2059 - (GP38-2) this train crosses Salt Creek on it's way to the Lincoln yards. 8/12/95

UP 2087 - (ex-MoPac) a GP 38-2. 1/13/96
UP 2163 - (ex-MP) a GP38-2 at Falls City, Nebraska. 5/3/97
UP 2263 (GP38-2) leads another former MoPac loco, #9020 (C36-7) and former Southern Pacific #5397 (SD40T-2) on the rails cutting through the university campus to drop off grain cars at OL&B. Since theses rails now lead to a dead-end, the locos will later push the cars out instead of pulling. 5/1/97.
UP 2295, a GP38-2, still wears the Little Rock block-style lettering. 11/16/95.
A greasy GP38-2 UP 2320 changes cars on a hazy Saturday afternoon. 6/3/95
UP 2325 and #2309, both GP38-2's, back some grain hoppers onto the OL& B track. 3/24/96
UP 2325 - Rear detail of #2325, caught again, this time parked at Union, Nebraska, 4/13/97. Note the spare set of coupler knuckles.
UP 2328 - (GP38-2). For this shot I had to climb a non-operational block signal standing where the Rock Island and MP once crossed. 3/11/97

UP 2176 (SD60), 9146 (C40-8) & 9624 (ex-SP, C44-9W) - a string of locos are parked at the front door of the UP's freight office. A BN coal train heading east from Wyoming is on the mainline in the background.

UP 2511 - (U33C). Looking a bit like something the cat dragged-in. 9/26/95

UP GP40-2 #2911 - (ex-Western Pacific #3554, UP#909) is seen in San Antonio in 1998. - Steve Rude Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection

 

UP 3134 - an SD40-2, with a Norfolk Sourthern B 33 at UP's yard. 3/29/96

UP 3298 - an SD40-2 sleeps through a late snowing in UP's Lincoln yard. 3/26/96
UP 4205 - (SD40-2, ex-MP) sports the North Little Rock-style block lettering. Built in August, 1975 as MP 3205, now converted to a "B" unit, rides into UP's yard. under the Sun Valley Blvd. bridge in Lincoln. The best spotting feature for former MoPac and some M-K-T owned, EMD-built units are their lack of dynamic brakes. 6/27/95
UP 4205 - It's a hot, muggy Independence Day as #4205 is found again, parked outside Lincoln Station platform in downtown Lincoln. 7/4/95
UP 4154 - (SD40-2, ex-MP) throttles through Union on it's run to Omaha, Nebraska from Kansas City. 4/13/97

UP GP40-2 #5318 - (same unit as above) is ex-Western Pacific #3554. It was renumbered as Union Pacific 909, then to UP 2911. The unit was renumbered to UP 5364 in 2000. The 5318 is seen in San Antonio in June 1999. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo

UP 5610 - (B40-8) at Union, NE. 3/31/01

UP GP60 #5777 - is former Cotton Belt #9675. It is seen here in Kirby, Texas in 2001. - Steve Rude Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection

UP 7314 - (9C44/60AC) after a snowy trip to Lincoln. February 2001

UP 6876 - with a C&NW and a UP sister at Lincoln. 1/13/96

View inside the cab of UP SD90MAC #8041 in 1997. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo

View of the desktop controls of SD90MAC #8041 in 1997. - Jay Glenewinkel Photo

UP 9020, a powerful C36-7 leads a Southern Pacific SD40t-2 engine. These locomotives were delivered to MoPac in UP yellow paint after the 1982 merger. Lincoln, Nebraska, 5/1/97


UP 9143 - (C40-8) From out of the morning fog - a UP frieght materializes like a ghost at Lincoln Station. 12/13/95

UP 9296 - (C40-8) leads a five-unit string pulling out cars from OL&B. 11/11/95

UP 9907 - (SD40-2, ex-MP) with Little Rock block lettering on its hood pauses at Union, Nebraska. It has been newly re-numbered by Union Pacific. 3/31/01

UPY 545 - (GP15) at the Boone, Iowa yard, deep in C&NW territory. Notice the lightning stripe red trim now being applied by the company. 9/8/01

UP 24552 - the caboose waits for it's train on the old MoPac rails. It will lead a dozen or more grain hoppers as the two locos push from behind into the UP's rail yard. 8/3/95

 

Union Pacific caboose 24552 leads a train of grain cars as the loco's push along the old MoPac rails into the UP's yard. 8/3/95

UP 24552 - seen from the "O" Street overpass. Today it sits unused in the UP yard. 5/12/01

UP 25506 - cab and NCRC 4205 at the UP's Grand Island, NE yard; 9/3/97

UP 25892 - a CA-11 class caboose at Council Bluffs Iowa, 8/11/01

UP ARDEN - Business car at Union, Nebraska. 3/31/01

UP #437 - is on permanent display at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Nebraska.

See more steam-era UP equipment at Stuhr Museum's Gallery.

 

GP 38-2 #2323 picks up cement cars at the Ready-Mix plant near the state fair grounds, Lincoln, Nebraska. 1/9/96

The Merger Era - Say Farewell (1983-2000)
Union Pacific acquired control of Missouri Pacific Railroad and Western Pacific Railway on December 22, 1982. Missouri Pacific was merged into Union Pacific on January 1, 1997. The delay in full merger came from MP's long term corporate bonds using MP's property as collateral. To renegotiate those bonds, UP would have had to pay a much higher interest rate, so they just left the bonds as they were, and instead controlled MP 15 years until they were all paid off.

Between January and March 1980, UP purchased 87 percent of the stock of Western Pacific Railway. Upon ICC approval of UP control of WP in December 1982, the remainder of WP's stock was sold to UP.

The board of directors for both Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific approved the prospective merger of the two roads in late April 1980. The formal application for UP to control MP and WP was filed with the ICC on September 12, 1980.

Union Pacific was granted control of Missouri Kansas Texas Railroad on August 12, 1988. MKT was leased to UP-controlled Missouri Pacific until all of MKT's legal matters could be settled. MKT’s subsidiaries, San Antonio Belt & Terminal, and the Oklahoma, Kansas, & Texas (which MKT had organized to purchase its former CRI&P lines) were merged with MKT on November 30, 1989. MKT was merged into Missouri Pacific on December 1, 1989.

Union Pacific was granted control of Chicago & Northwestern Railway on April 12, 1995, after having purchased minority control on December 13, 1994. C&NW was merged into UP on June 23, 1995. On August 1, 1995, UP merged with Western Railroad Properties (WRPI) which C&NW had organized to build its line into the Wyoming Powder River Basin.

Union Pacific was granted control of Southern Pacific on September 11, 1996. At the time, Southern Pacific also controlled Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) and St. Louis Southwestern (SSW, Cotton Belt).

D&RGW was merged into UP on June 30, 1997.

UP 754 (GP38-2, ex-MP 2254) pauses between jobs at its Union, Nebraska yard. The GP38-2 has been newly re-numbered by Union Pacific. 3/31/01

SPCSL (Southern Pacific Chicago St. Louis) Corporation was merged into UP on June 30, 1997.

SSW was merged into UP on September 30, 1997.

SP was merged into UP on February 28, 1998. The full name for the Southern Pacific was the Southern Pacific Transportation Co., organized and incorporated in Delaware. To benefit from this corporate location, Union Pacific Railroad, previously a Utah corporation, was merged with SPT on February 28, 1998, and on the same day, the SPT name was changed to Union Pacific Railroad Co.


Go to Screaming Eagles-
'From Bluebirds to Canaries'
for MoPac Units on the UP

 



Snoot-nose SD40-2, UP 3311 at Union Nebraska, 3/31/01

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Latest update: Wednesday, 28 November, 2001

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Contributing Photographer:
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