Union Pacific Diesel Locomotives

Index For This Page

This page was last updated on January 6, 2023.

Roster Listings

Diesel Locomotive Roster -- An index page for the Union Pacific diesel locomotive roster, with full and complete coverage of the period of 1934 through 2001, including all merger.

Heritage Fleet Diesel Locomotives -- Information about the diesel locomotives UP has kept to honor its heritage, includes information about UP 949, 951, 963B and 6936.

General Information

Union Pacific Switchers and Slugs -- Edited versions of the original text used in 1996 for the publication of "Union Pacific Switchers and Slugs", published by Withers Publishing Co. The book has 116 pages; 238 black and white photos; 37 color photos; and full rosters of all of UP's EMD, Alco, Baldwin, and GE switchers, plus its yard slugs and road slugs, and is still available from the publisher.

"Serves All The West" -- A history of Union Pacific dieselization, from 1934 to 1982. An edited and updated version of the text used in Diesels of the Union Pacific, 1934-1982, The Classic Era, Volume 1 (ISBN 1-881411-24-9), and Diesels of the Union Pacific, 1934-1982, The Classic Era, Volume 2 (ISBN 1-881411-29-X), both by Don Strack (Withers Publishing Co., 1999 and 2005)

Dieselization of the LA&SL, 1947 -- Added a new PDF document of a March 1947 95-page study by EMD, for the dieselization of UP's LA&SL subsidiary. Includes data and figures for partial dieselization and full dieselization, as well as a narrative of the then-current steam operations. (PDF; 95 pages; 34.7MB)

Union Pacific MP&M Men -- Brief biographical information about the men in UP's Motive Power & Machinery department (under construction).

UP Diesel Locomotive Painting Lettering & Numbering -- An index page to pages about Union Pacific's diesel locomotive painting, lettering and numbering.

UP Diesel Locomotive Features -- Information about internal and external features that have been added to UP locomotives.

UP Diesel Locomotive AFEs (1940-1957) -- The text for research notes taken from Union Pacific Authorities For Expenditures, corporate-level funding authority for changes and improvements to Union Pacific's fleet of diesel locomotives in the period 1940 to 1957. This is raw UP locomotive history at its best.

UP Diesel Locomotive Company Rosters, 1968-1980 -- A single PDF of UP's internal, computer-generated roster of locomotives, from 1968 to 1980. (PDF; 19 pages; 22MB)

Locomotives Leased By UP (1987-1991) -- An unpublished narrative and roster listing of locomotives leased by UP for its own use during 1987 to 1991. Prepared as part of the Union Pacific 1992 Annual, but not included due to space restrictions.

Locomotives Leased To Mexico (1987-1992) -- An expanded version of the original text used used as part of the book Union Pacific - 1990 by George Cockle and Paul Withers. The text covers the SD40s and GP40s leased to Mexico from 1987 to 1992.

Locomotives Wrecked While In Service On UP (1974-2006) -- A unpublished group of research notes about locomotives wrecked while in service on UP, between the years 1974 and 2006, including locomotives repaired and returned to service, and locomotives retired due to wreck damage.

Bunker 'C' -- Information about Union Pacific's use of heavy-grade residual fuel, known as Bunker 'C', in its steam locomotives, Gas Turbines, and turbocharged GP9s.

Fuel Tenders -- Information about the tenders used in UP's natural gas program, and the diesel fuel tender program; includes information about UP's natural gas program.

GTE Tenders -- Information about tenders that Union Pacific used on its 4500 and 8500 horsepower GTE locomotives.

Miscellaneous Notes -- Random information concerning Union Pacific's fleet of diesel locomotives.

Union Pacific Locomotive Directories (1998-2000) -- A page of information about the UP diesel locomotive roster books published in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

UP's Diesel Roster Changes (1996-2000) -- An index page for changes to UP's diesel locomotive roster, from 1996 through 2000. (Please note that all of these changes have all been incorporated into the roster listings themselves.)

Bibliography -- A partial listing of references for Union Pacific diesel locomotives.

Motive Power Timeline

Full chronologies for Union Pacific's motive power, from 1862 to 2001:

1862-1914 -- Pioneer Steam Era (Steam only)

1915-1933 -- Early Steam Era (Steam only)

1934-1982 -- Late Steam and Classic Era (Steam and Diesel)

1983-2001 -- Early Merger Era, Late Merger Era, and Modern Era (Diesel only)

UP Diesel Articles

(Listed alphabetically)

Miscellaneous

UP's Baldwin AS-616s -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Union Pacific's AS-616s" in The Streamliner, Volume 12, Number 4, Fall 1998

Demonstrators on Union Pacific -- A listing of diesel demonstrators that Union Pacific purchased either before their demonstrator runs on other roads, or after; all units were usually sold to Union Pacific at reduced sale prices, with new warranties.

UP's Double Diesel DD35s -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Union Pacific DD35s" in Diesel Era, Volume 12, Number 1, January/February 2001

UP's DDA40X Centennials -- An edited version of the original text used as part of an article published as "Union Pacific's DDA40X Centennials" in Diesel Era, Volume 13, Number 6, November/December 2002.

UP's E8s and E9s -- Information about UP's fleet of 46 E8 units, and 69 E9 units, including the three units (UP 949, 951, 963B) still in service.

UP's Fairbanks-Morse Erie-builts -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Union Pacific's Fairbanks-Morse Erie-builts" in The Streamliner, Volume 15, Number 1, Winter 2001

UP's F3s, F7s, FP7s, and F9s -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Union Pacific's F-units" in Diesel Era, Volume 2, Number 6, November/December 1991

UP F3, F7, F9 Carbody features -- A compiled list of the carbody features of UP's EMD F units.

UP's 500 Series F9s -- A discussion of what these were called: F9 or F9M.

EMD's FG9 Locomotive -- An article about EMD's FG9 gasifier free-piston locomotive of 1959, and UP's involvement in the project. (Includes a photo and an illustration of the planned UP unit)

UP's Genset Units from B23-7s and B30-7s -- A list of the 83 UP B23-7s and B30-7s rebuilt to UPY Genset units.

UP Gas Turbines At The End -- Information about the ten UP gas turbines that were sold to Continental leasing in 1971.

EMD GP Locomotives

UP's GP7s -- An unpublished discussion of Union Pacific's unique GP7 locomotives, with their high stack, special signal lights, and lowered number boards.

UP's Turbocharged GP9s -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Omaha GP20s: Union Pacific's GP9 Turbocharging Program" in Diesel Era, Volume 7, Number 6, November/December 1996; a reprint of a previous article that appeared in The Streamliner, Volume 4, Number 3, November 1988

UP's GP20s -- An edited version of the original text used as part of the book  The GP20 and SD24, EMD's Turbocharged Duo by Diesel Era (Withers Publishing Co., 1998, ISBN 1-881411-19-2)

UP's GP30s -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Union Pacific's EMD GP30s" in Diesel Era, Volume 10, Number 2, March/April 1999

UP's Ex Rock Island GP40s -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Rock Island's Union Pacific-financed GP40s" in Diesel Era, Volume 4, Number 5, August/September 1993

UP's Ex MP GP50s -- The text of a letter to the editor of Diesel Era magazine about UP's former MP GP50s. Originally the basis for an intended article, the letter was printed in Diesel Era, Volume 5, Number 2, March/April 1994.

EMD SD Locomotives

UP's SD24s and SD24Bs -- An edited version of the original text used as part of the book  The GP20 and SD24, EMD's Turbocharged Duo by Diesel Era (Withers Publishing Co., 1998, ISBN 1-881411-19-2)

UP's Life Extension SD40-2s -- Information about UP's SD40-2R locomotives, rebuilt by them at their Jenks Shops in North Little Rock, from late 1990 through late 1999.

UP's High Speed SD40-2s -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Union Pacific's Fast Forties" in Diesel Era, Volume 9, Number 1, January/February 1998

UP's Final Four SD40-2s -- Information about Union Pacific's last four SD40-2s, numbered as 3805-3808 and delivered in late 1980.

UP SD40-2 Nose Length -- Information about the variations EMD used during the production history of its SD40-2 locomotive.

UP SD40-2 Measurements -- A set of measurements comparing a Union Pacific SD40-2 with other comparable locomotives.

Union Pacific SD40N Locomotives -- A brief description of the features of UP's on-going SD40-2 Modernization Program, started in 2011.

UP's SD45s (co-authored with Steve Orth) -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Union Pacific SD45s" in Diesel Era, Volume 11, Number 2, March/April 2000

UP's SD70M Fleet -- Information about UP's fleet of SD70M locomotives, delivered in 2000-2004.

GE Locomotives

UP's Ex MP C36-7s -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "The MoPac/UP C36-7 Fleet" in Diesel Era, Volume 9, Number 4, July-August 1998

UP's Dash 8 C40-8s -- An edited version of the original text used for an article published as "Union Pacific GE Dash 8 Locomotives" in The Streamliner, Volume 11, Number 2, 1997; and as part of the book  GE's Dash - C Series (Withers Publishing Co., 1994, ISBN 1-881411-03-6)

Source Material

UP Locomotives, Cars and MOW, November 1971 -- A 48-page PDF of purchases, modifications, and retirements in November 1971 (PDF; 48 pages; 21MB)

UP Locomotive Maintenance, 1956 -- A 17-page PDF of locomotive maintenance actions during 1956 (PDF; 17 pages; 6.7MB)

UP Locomotive Maintenance, 1955 -- A one-page PDF of locomotive maintenance actions in 1955 (PDF; 1 page; 3MB)

Six Million Miles with Gas Turbines, 1956 -- An 11-page PDF of Ross Hill's presentation at the August 1956 West Coast meeting of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). (PDF; 11 pages; 7.2MB)

What Did You Do For Me Today -- D. S. Neuhart's narrative tale of the development of UP's DDA40X locomotive, told at the September 1969 meeting of the Locomotive Maintenance Officers Association

UP GP7s Renumbered, 1953 -- A 4-page PDF of the dates that UP renumbered its GP7s in 1953. All were assigned to the South-Central District at the time. (PDF; 4 pages; 1.5MB) (Read more about UP's GP7s)

Tomorrow Is Here, UP GTEL, 1956 -- An 8-page PDF of a color brochure about UP's gas turbine locomotives. (PDF; 8 pages; 7.7MB)

Gas Turbines Make History -- A 20-page PDF reprint of a three-part article in Diesel Progress magazine (January, February, March 1955) about UP's gas turbine locomotives. (PDF; 20 pages; 14.3MB)

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