Union Pacific Locomotive Fleet Changes
July and August 1996
A single GE C44AC, number 6836, was delivered from GE on July 1, 1996.
Twelve new SD90/43Ms from EMD (UP 8027, 8028, 8029, 8031, 8033, 8035, 8037, 8039, 8043, 8044, 8046, and 8048) were delivered to UP between July 7th and July 28th.
Eighteen more SD90/43Ms came from EMD in August, including UP 8041, 8042, 8045, 8047, 8049-8059, 8061, 8062, and 8064. The units were delivered to UP throughout August 1996.
Twenty ex-D&H/B&M GP39-2s came to UP in July 1996 on a long term lease from Connell Leasing. The lease to B&M expired in December 1995. The units were delivered with UP initials, with their former B&M numbers, 350-369, and Guilford dark gray paint. These units will be renumbered to the UP 2729-2748 series by VMV Enterprises as that company completes a refurbishment effort to bring them up to UP's standards. UP began receiving the units on July 8th, and they have all subsequently been sent to VMV. The reconditioned units began arriving back on UP in late August, with 12 units having been delivered by month's end: UP 351, 352, 353, 356 to UP 2730, 2731, 2732, 2735 on 8/28/96; UP 359 to UP 2738 on 8/26/96; UP 360, 361, 364 to UP 2739, 2740, 2743 on 8/28/96; UP 365 to UP 2744 on 8/26/96; UP 366, 367, 368 to UP 2745, 2746, 2747 on 8/23/96.
Two additional GP39-2s have been received from Helm Financial on another long term lease. The two units, Helm (HLCX) 3950 and 3951, are ex-Kennecott Copper 795 and 797, which have had their extra-height cabs (26 inches higher) replaced by standard cabs. The two units were returned to owner Helm from lease to Kennecott during August 1995 and operated as part of Helm's national lease fleet after having their cabs replaced. HLCX 3950 became UP 2749 on 8/25/96. HLCX 3951 will be renumbered to UP 2750 at a later date.
Nineteen units were traded to Helm in May 1996 as part of a unit exchange program. The traded units were all ex-C&NW, including GP9 4553, SDCAT 6000 (rebuilt by C&NW from an SD45), SD45s 903, 950, 6481, 6482, 6500, 6523, 6537, 6539, 6544, 6567, 6584 (11 units), and SD18s 6631, 6633, 6643, 6644, 6645, 6647 (6 units). Delivery to Helm took place May, July and August 1996.
The SD40-2 Life Extension program continues, with five units completed during July and August. UP 3395 was completed on July 19, 1996. During August, UP 3324 and 3342 were completed on 8/22/96, UP 3371 was completed on 8/30/96 and UP 3372 was completed on 8/29/96.
Three standard SD50s have been rebuilt to SD50Ms, including a reduction of horsepower from 3,600 to 3,500. UP SD50 5015 was completed on 7/16/96; UP 5011 was completed on 7/27/96; and UP 5009 was completed on 8/5/96.
Morrison-Knudsen MK50Cs 9901-9903 were returned to M-K on March 3, 1996.
C&NW 4333 was sold in July 1996.
UP 1264 was sold in July 1996.
Renumbers include (in order of new UP number):
| New Number |
Old Number |
Model | Date | Notes |
| UP 568 | UP 2915 | GP40 | 7/8/96 | (ex-UP 913, nee-WP 3558) |
| UP 638 | C&NW 5507 | GP40 | 7/3/96 | |
| UP 2631 | UP 9031 | C36-7 | 8/23/96 | (ex-MP 9031) |
| UP 2638 | UP 9038 | C36-7 | 8/30/96 | (ex-MP 9038) |
| UP 3030 | C&NW 6850 | SD40-2 | 8/14/96 | |
| UP 3079 | C&NW 6916 | SD40-2 | 7/12/96 | |
| UP 5513 | C&NW 5054 | GP50 | 8/15/96 | |
| UP 5517 | C&NW 5060 | GP50 | 8/6/96 | |
| UP 5518 | C&NW 5061 | GP50 | 7/23/96 | |
| UP 5535 | C&NW 5086 | GP50 | 8/5/96 | |
| UP 5549 | C&NW 5069 | GP50 | 7/15/96 | |
| UP 5550 | C&NW 5071 | GP50 | 8/27/96 | |
| UP 5553 | C&NW 5087 | GP50 | 8/22/96 | |
| UP 5972 | C&NW 8004 | SD60 | 7/17/96 | |
| UP 6724 | C&NW 8822 | C44AC | 7/17/96 | (first ex-C&NW C44AC to be renumbered) |
| UP 9031 | C&NW 8509 | C40-8A | 8/23/96 | |
| UP 9061 | C&NW 8539 | C40-8B | 8/2/96 |
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