Union Pacific's Ex Missouri Pacific C36-7s

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This page was last updated on June 21, 2009.

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Overview

Total of 60 units, numbered as MP 9000-9059

Built in September-December 1985.

Total of 60 units went to UP at merger

MP 9000-9059 was the second group of new units delivered after the December 1982 merger with UP; delivered with yellow and gray paint and Missouri Pacific lettering (MP's SD50s were the first group, delivered in 1984)

The following history was written by Mark Hemphill and originally appeared as part of Union Pacific, 1992 Annual, published in 1992 by Hyrail Productions:

In 1981, the UP placed an order for 30 C36-7s. Negotiations and specification review meetings were held that year and into early 1982. The quantity was increased to 50 units, then decreased to 20. Finally, the ongoing recession permanently decided the quantity issue: none. The order was canceled in late 1982; the UP proper would not buy another new locomotive from EMD until 1986, and GE until 1987.

Following the Missouri Pacific's 1984 order for 60 SD50s, the MP, now heavily influenced by merger partner Union Pacific, placed an order for 60 C36-7s in early 1985. These locomotives were built closer to UP specifications than any previous MP locomotives. Because of technological improvements to the GE FDL engine, these locomotives were rated as-delivered at 3,750 horsepower, a precursor to the upcoming improved ratings in GE's DASH 8 series.

Of all GEs so far delivered to the MP or UP, this order was the most diverse. First, the MP requested the application of a larger-than-standard 4,500-gallon fuel tank, which required the relocation of the air reservoirs from below the platform to inside the radiator compartment. Second, the railroad requested the application of four different types of air compressors. Units 9000-9029 and 9045-9049 were equipped with Wabco air-cooled machines, 9030-9041 had Triangle water-cooled versions, 90429044 had Ingersoll-Rand air-cooled models, and 9050-9059 had Gardner-Denver water-cooled air compressors. Externally these variations were indistinguishable as GE chose to standardize on the air-cooled arrangement for the radiator compartment.

An interesting external difference of the last 10 C36-7s is because they were built on modified C30-7 platforms originally earmarked for Nacionales de Mexico's C30-7 kit program. They were never delivered due to that country's mid- 1980s financial woes. The major visible difference in these C36-7s is the presence of anti-climbers, which the other C36-7s do not have. A non-visible difference is that the last 20 locomotives used remanufactured truck bolsters from MP U30C trade-ins.

One of the high-tech features of the C36-7 fleet is their use of GE's microprocessor-controlled Motor Thermal Protection panel (MTP). This device analytically calculates the temperature of each traction motor's windings, using the ambient air temperature, amperage levels, and the motor's recent operational demands, and uses this data to establish the maximum current that can be fed to each motor should it enter its short-time rating. The MTP panel alleviates the need for the engineer to keep a close eye on the ammeter to avoid motor burnout.

An example of the advantages of this system is if the locomotive is operating in heavy grade territory in cold weather, say on Sherman Hill in January, the MTP would allow substantially longer short-time ratings because of the cold traction motor cooling air, permitting full horsepower and higher speed on the grade. Conversely, if the locomotive was on Cima Hill in the Mojave Desert on a 115-degree day in July, the MTP would allow the motor much less of a short-time rating.

All C36-7s were delivered with provisions for the installation of CCS equipment. Shortly after arriving on the property the first 30 were so equipped and soon began frequenting UP territory on hot TOFC trains and UP's developing double-stack trains. The other 30 broke in on Illinois and Missouri coal traffic for their first year until they too received CCS equipment and were allowed into system-wide service. The C36-7s immediately turned in monthly mileages approaching those of the Centennials in their prime years. Their stellar performance paved the way for the first large DASH 8-fleet in the U.S.

UP 9000 Series

All 60 units were renumbered to UP 9000-9059 beginning in February 1988 as they were upgraded by UP at North Little Rock. The upgrade program included rebuilt trucks, rebuilt engines (done by GE at Grove City, Pennsylvania), new radiators, and new UP lettering, except nine units (MP 9013, 9015, 9018, 9022-9026, 9028) which were upgraded and released without UP lettering. These nine units retained their Missouri Pacific lettering and were later relettered to Union Pacific. The upgrade program was completed in March 1989. (UP 9005 was the first, completed on 10 February 1988, and UP 9023 was the last, completed on 15 March 1989.)

UP 9025 was actually the first to be relettered from Missouri Pacific to Union Pacific, completed on 12 May 1988 during wreck repairs from a wreck at Nugget, Wyoming; released from North Little Rock shops on 17 June 1988, nine days after the first unit on 8 June 1988.

UP 2600 Series

Assigned UP 2600-2659 in September 1995, 27 units were renumbered in September 1995 through October 1996 (UP 2653, ex UP 9053, was the first, completed on 18 September 1995, and UP 2603 and 2608, ex UP 9003 and 9008, were the last, both completed on 15 October 1996).

Of the 27 units renumbered into the 2600-2659 group, a total of 12 units were renumbered into the later 600-659 group in October 1996 through December 1999 (UP 622, ex UP 2622, was the first, completed on 25 October 1996, and UP 656, ex UP 2656, was the last, completed on 9 December 1999); two units were retired as UP 2600s: UP 2655 was retired in July 1999, and UP 2638 was retired in September 1999.

UP 600 Series

Assigned UP 600-659 in October 1996; 34 units were renumbered, 12 units from the UP 2600-2659 group, and 22 units from the 9000-9059 group

A total of 22 units were renumbered direct from the 9000-9059 group to the 600-659 group in October 1996 through October 1999 (UP 619, ex UP 9019, was the first, completed on 25 October 1996, and UP 629, ex UP 9029, was the last, completed on 28 October 1999).

UP 7942 Series

Two units were retired prior to the December 1999 renumber plan. UP 2638 (ex MP 9038, UP 9038) was retired on 30 September 1999; UP 2655 (ex MP 9055, UP 9055) was retired on 30 July 1999

The other 58 units were assigned UP 7942-7999, including 34 units from the 600-659 group, 13 units from the 2600-2659 group, and 11 from the 9000-9059 group.

UP 7968 (ex UP 9026) was the first unit in this group to be renumbered, completed on 8 February 2000 (to clear the UP 9026 number for use by an ex C&NW C40-8).

Service in Estonia

Estonia (Eesti Raudtee - EVR) received 58 overhauled and repainted ex MoPac C36-7 locomotives (EVR 1500-1557) regauged from standard gauge to Russian 5-feet gauge along with 19 ex CR C30-7A locomotives (EVR 1558-1576)

Ed Burkhardt's Rail World purchased the units through a broker. GE modified them for use on the Estonia Railway, of which Ed was an investor and board chairman .

The first units arrived in Estonia beginning in September 2002; delivery continued through November 2002.

They were modified for use with the Russian track gauge (new trucks, Williston couplers) and reclassified as C36-7 i units, the "i" designating that they were for International service. Most are still in service in Estonia.

Roster Listing

GE C36-7 -- 60 units
3600 horsepower; C-C trucks; 391,000 pounds operating weight

MP
Number
Builder
Date
Builder
Number
9000 Series
Number
Date To
UP Number
2600 Series
Number
Date To
2600 Series
600 Series
Number
Date To
600 Series
7900 Series
Number
Date To
7900 Series
Date
Retired
Estonia
Number
MP 9000 Sep 1985 45040 UP 9000 18 Nov 1988             8 Mar 2001 EVR 1555
MP 9001 Sep 1985 45041 UP 9001 9 Nov 1988     UP 601 31 Oct 1996     19 Apr 2001 EVR 1528
MP 9002 Sep 1985 45042 UP 9002 28 Sep 1988     UP 602 25 Sep 1999     18 Jun 2001 EVR 1508
MP 9003 Sep 1985 45043 UP 9003 13 Jul 1988 UP 2603 15 Oct 1996 UP 603 23 Apr 1997     31 Jul 2001 EVR 1539
MP 9004 Sep 1985 45044 UP 9004 14 Dec 1988             12 Jul 2001 EVR 1512
MP 9005 Sep 1985 45045 UP 9005 10 Feb 1988         UP 7947 26 Apr 2000 8 Mar 2001 EVR 1545
MP 9006 Sep 1985 45046 UP 9006 2 Nov 1988 UP 2606 18 Oct 1995 UP 606 28 Oct 1996 UP 7948 27 Aug 2000 27 Apr 2001 EVR 1546
MP 9007 Sep 1985 45047 UP 9007 5 Oct 1988     UP 607 18 Feb 1997     28 Jun 2001 EVR 1529
MP 9008 Sep 1985 45048 UP 9008 12 Oct 1988 UP 2608 15 Oct 1996 UP 608 28 Oct 1996     29 Mar 2001 EVR 1506
MP 9009 Sep 1985 45049 UP 9009 8 Jul 1988 UP 2609 31 May 1996         23 May 2001 EVR 1516
MP 9010 Sep 1985 45050 UP 9010 11 Aug 1988 UP 2610 6 Jan 1996 UP 610 24 Oct 1997     29 Mar 2001 EVR 1510
MP 9011 Sep 1985 45051 UP 9011 15 Nov 1988         UP 7953 3 Mar 2001 29 Mar 2001 EVR 1552
MP 9012 Sep 1985 45052 UP 9012 18 Aug 1988             8 Mar 2001 EVR 1524
MP 9013 Sep 1985 45053 UP 9013 7 Dec 1988     UP 613 21 Oct 1998     8 Mar 2001  
MP 9014 Sep 1985 45054 UP 9014 16 Nov 1988             19 Jun 2001 EVR 1517
MP 9015 Oct 1985 45055 UP 9015 7 Feb 1989 UP 2615 12 Oct 1996         8 Mar 2001 EVR 1538
MP 9016 Oct 1985 45056 UP 9016 13 Sep 1988     UP 616 16 Jan 1998     29 Mar 2001 EVR 1549
MP 9017 Oct 1985 45057 UP 9017 4 Aug 1988     UP 617 20 Jun 1997     31 Jul 2001 EVR 1500
MP 9018 Oct 1985 45058 UP 9018 2 Mar 1989 UP 2618 27 Feb 1996 UP 618 4 Jun 1997     28 Jun 2001 EVR 1511
MP 9019 Oct 1985 45059 UP 9019 28 Jun 1988     UP 619 25 Oct 1996 UP 7961 18 Apr 2000 24 May 2001 EVR 1525
MP 9020 Oct 1985 45060 UP 9020 16 Dec 1988             27 Apr 2001 EVR 1513
MP 9021 Oct 1985 45061 UP 9021 28 Jun 1988 UP 2621 10 Feb 1996         27 Apr 2001 EVR 1502
MP 9022 Oct 1985 45062 UP 9022 3 Mar 1989 UP 2622 30 Sep 1996 UP 622 25 Oct 1996 UP 7964 17 Jul 2000 29 Mar 2001 EVR 1522
MP 9023 Oct 1985 45063 UP 9023 15 Mar 1989     UP 623 8 Feb 1999     8 Mar 2001 EVR 1536
MP 9024 Oct 1985 45064 UP 9024 15 Feb 1989     UP 624 9 Jul 1997     29 Mar 2001 EVR 1551
MP 9025 Oct 1985 45065 UP 9025 12 May 1988     UP 625 25 Nov 1997 UP 7967 24 Oct 2000 29 Mar 2001 EVR 1526
MP 9026 Oct 1985 45066 UP 9026 3 Feb 1989         UP 7968 8 Feb 2000 8 Mar 2001 EVR 1548
MP 9027 Oct 1985 45067 UP 9027 1 Jul 1988     UP 627 2 Jun 1997     8 Mar 2001 EVR 1541
MP 9028 Oct 1985 45068 UP 9028 11 Mar 1989     UP 628 19 Jan 1998     12 Jul 2001 EVR 1501
MP 9029 Oct 1985 45069 UP 9029 5 Oct 1988     UP 629 28 Oct 1999 UP 7971 7 Sep 2000 27 Apr 2001 EVR 1557
MP 9030 Oct 1985 45070 UP 9030 22 Jun 1988 UP 2630 5 Jun 1996 UP 630 6 Aug 1998 UP 7972 27 Sep 2000 8 Mar 2001 EVR 1537
MP 9031 Oct 1985 45071 UP 9031 15 Sep 1988 UP 2631 23 Aug 1996         31 Jul 2001 EVR 1514
MP 9032 Oct 1985 45072 UP 9032 21 Sep 1988 UP 2632 4 Dec 1995         8 Mar 2001 EVR 1527
MP 9033 Oct 1985 45073 UP 9033 11 Aug 1988     UP 633 29 Jun 1998     8 Mar 2001 EVR 1556
MP 9034 Oct 1985 45074 UP 9034 16 Jun 1988     UP 634 12 Dec 1997 UP 7976 31 Jul 2000 27 Apr 2001 EVR 1515
MP 9035 Oct 1985 45075 UP 9035 8 Jul 1988     UP 635 7 May 1997     23 May 2001 EVR 1519
MP 9036 Oct 1985 45076 UP 9036 20 Jul 1988         UP 7978 26 Oct 2000 28 Jun 2001 EVR 1507
MP 9037 Oct 1985 45077 UP 9037 19 Oct 1988 UP 2637 18 Mar 1996     UP 7979 28 Sep 2000 8 Mar 2001 EVR 1550
MP 9038 Oct 1985 45078 UP 9038 25 Jul 1988 UP 2638 30 Aug 1996         30 Sep 1999  
MP 9039 Oct 1985 45079 UP 9039 12 Oct 1988     UP 639 20 Nov 1997     28 Jun 2001 EVR 1505
MP 9040 Oct 1985 45080 UP 9040 8 Jun 1988 UP 2640 18 Nov 1995         28 Jun 2001 EVR 1540
MP 9041 Oct 1985 45081 UP 9041 15 Jul 1988 UP 2641 17 Apr 1996         27 Apr 2001 EVR 1518
MP 9042 Oct 1985 45082 UP 9042 23 Nov 1988 UP 2642 16 Apr 1996     UP 7983 26 Apr 2000 29 Mar 2001 EVR 1521
MP 9043 Oct 1985 45083 UP 9043 1 Nov 1988 UP 2643 6 May 1996 UP 643 17 Mar 1998     8 Mar 2001 EVR 1530
MP 9044 Oct 1985 45084 UP 9044 31 Aug 1988     UP 644 27 Mar 1997     8 Mar 2001 EVR 1531
MP 9045 Oct 1985 45085 UP 9045 29 Sep 1988 UP 2645 11 Oct 1996 UP 645 28 Oct 1996     27 Apr 2001 EVR 1532
MP 9046 Oct 1985 45086 UP 9046 28 Oct 1988     UP 646 4 Apr 2000     12 Jul 2001 EVR 1533
MP 9047 Oct 1985 45087 UP 9047 20 Oct 1988     UP 647 15 Jul 1999     8 Mar 2001 EVR 1534
MP 9048 Oct 1985 45088 UP 9048 22 Nov 1988         UP 7989 15 Jan 2001 7 Feb 2001 EVR 1504
MP 9049 Oct 1985 45089 UP 9049 9 Sep 1988     UP 649 4 Sep 1999 UP 7990 7 Sep 2000 8 Mar 2001 EVR 1547
MP 9050 Oct 1985 45090 UP 9050 9 Dec 1988     UP 650 15 Feb 1997 UP 7991 1 Oct 2000 19 Apr 2001 EVR 1553
MP 9051 Oct 1985 45091 UP 9051 9 Sep 1988     UP 651 14 Dec 1998     8 Mar 2001 EVR 1535
MP 9052 Oct 1985 45092 UP 9052 2 Dec 1988 UP 2652 21 Mar 1996         8 Mar 2001 EVR 1542
MP 9053 Nov 1985 45093 UP 9053 27 Oct 1988 UP 2653 18 Sep 1995         18 Jun 2001 EVR 1503
MP 9054 Nov 1985 45094 UP 9054 26 Aug 1988 UP 2654 4 Dec 1995 UP 654 14 Dec 1998     8 Mar 2001 EVR 1520
MP 9055 Nov 1985 45095 UP 9055 21 Dec 1988 UP 2655 7 May 1996         30 Jul 1999 EVR 1543
MP 9056 Nov 1985 45096 UP 9056 2 Sep 1988 UP 2656 4 Dec 1995 UP 656 9 Dec 1999 UP 7996 8 Jun 2001 28 Jun 2001 EVR 1509
MP 9057 Nov 1985 45097 UP 9057 25 Aug 1988 UP 2657 20 Jan 1996 UP 657 7 Mar 1997 UP 7997 8 Aug 2000 24 May 2001 EVR 1523
MP 9058 Nov 1985 45098 UP 9058 29 Jul 1988 UP 2658 22 Dec 1995     UP 7998 27 Apr 2000 27 Apr 2001 EVR 1554
MP 9059 Nov 1985 45099 UP 9059 17 Aug 1988 UP 2659 28 Jan 1996         8 Mar 2001 EVR 1544

 

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