Named UPRR Locomotives, 1864-1867

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This page was last updated on April 3, 2013.

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Union Pacific's Named Locomotives

Research suggests that Union Pacific Railroad did not begin applying road numbers to its locomotives until sometime in early 1867, using locomotive names up until that time.

The first 14 engines had names-only until early 1867. The 39 engines delivered in 1867 (both new and secondhand) received numbers instead of names. At the same time, likely in April 1867, the previous 12 locomotives (two had been sold as surplus) had numbers added. It is unknown if they retained their names.

Similar research for Kansas Pacific suggests similar changes between named locomotives and numbered locomotives. It is possible that KP's predecessor Union Pacific Railway Eastern Division only named all 30 of its first engines delivered through early 1868, and when Kansas Pacific took over UPED in early 1869, numbers were applied.

UPRR's first five locomotives were built in mid 1864, but no tracks were laid until July 1865. Two of the original five locomotives were sold as surplus in December 1864, and on December 19, 1864 the remaining three locomotives were sold to H. M. Hoxie, the railroad's construction contractor. Three additional locomotives were delivered in 1865, along with nine locomotives in 1866. It was these original 12 locomotives that were named and not numbered. In 1867 a total of 37 locomotives were delivered new and 10 were purchased secondhand from the construction contractor, including the three that were sold in 1864.

Union Pacific's first locomotive, "Gen. Sherman", arrived in Omaha and was operated for the first time in mid July 1865. The earlier locomotives sold as surplus may not have actually been located on UPRR property at the time of their sale.

The following comes from Condensed History of the Construction of the Union Pacific Railway, by Joseph Nichols, 1892, pages 81-82 (Google Books):

"R. Thomas Jordan, was the first engineer on the Union Pacific R. R. He brought the first engine, "Gen. Sherman," here, and run her. Two weeks after she came, Mr. Luther O. Farrington, brought engine, "Gen. McPherson," and put her together and run her. The reader will find the biography of Mr. Farrington, very interesting, from his own pen.

"I came to Omaha, on July 30, 1865, was employed as a Locomotive Engineer. I brought engine "Gen. McPherson," from St. Joe, to Omaha on steam boat "Colorado." This was the second engine that was brought to Omaha. I put this engine together and on track, and commenced running August 3, 1865. At this time there was but one and one-half miles of track built out of Omaha. I have been continually in the employ of the Union Pacific Railway Company since August, 1865, with the exception of two years, from 1879 to 1880, when I was running on the C. B. & Q. between Galesburg and Quincy, Illinois. I am at present [1892] running Passenger between North Platte and Grand Island on the Nebraska Division of the Union Pacific."

A newspaper item dated September 22, 1865 showed that there were four locomotives being used by Union Pacific, along with "30 platform cars, 4 or 5 box freight cars, several passenger cars,..." (The Illustrated History of Nebraska, 1906, page 107, Google Books)

Hoxie Sale

Hoxie Sale -- Information about the locomotives sold to contractor H. M. Hoxie in December 1964, and "recovered" by UP in 1867

Prince Research

Richard E. Prince Research -- A transcription, and scans of the original handwritten notes by Richard Prince concerning UP's earliest locomotives (courtesy of Gordon McCulloh)

Roster Listing

(All locomotives were 4-4-0 wheel arrangement, except "Bellevue" UPRR 12, which was a 2-6-0.)

Original
Name		 1867 UPRR
Number		 Builder Builder
Number		 Date
Built		 Date To
UPRR		 Date
Vacated		 Later
Number		 Notes
(unknown) (none) Manchester 50 Jul 1864   Aug 1864   1
Lt. General Grant (none) Danforth, Cooke [383] Aug 1864   Dec 1864 UPED 3 2
Major General Sherman UPRR 1 Danforth, Cooke [381] Sep 1864 Jul 1865 1880 O&RV 4 3
Major General McPherson UPRR 2 Danforth, Cooke [382] Sep 1864 Jul 1865 1872 CC 2 (2nd) 4
(unknown) UPRR 3 Manchester 51 Aug 1864   1868 CC 1 5
Major General Sheridan UPRR 4 Norris [1187] 1865   1882 OSLRy 29 6
Vice Admiral Farragut UPRR 5 Norris [1188] 1865   1882 OSLRy 24 7
Black Hawk UPRR 6 Hinkley & Williams 752 Aug 1865 Jun 1866 1871 CC 3 8
Omaha UPRR 7 Schenectady 411 Mar 1866     UPRy 7 9
Idaho UPRR 8 Schenectady 418 Apr 1866     UPRy 8 10
Osceola UPRR 9 Rogers [1025] Jul 1862 1866   UPRy 9 11
Denver UPRR 10 Danforth 447 May 1866     UPRy 10 12
Colorado UPRR 11 Danforth 448 May 1866     UPRy 11 13
Bellevue UPRR 12 Danforth 449 Aug 1866   1880 USRRE 12 14

General Notes:

  1. UPRR's first five locomotives were delivered in August and September 1864, but the first rail was not laid until July 1865.
  2. Mancehster 51 and Danforth, Cooke 383 (named "General Grant") were sold as surplus in August and December 1864, respectively.
  3. Individual locomotive specifications:
  1867 UPRR
Number		 Builder Date
Built		 Wheel
Arrangement		 As Built
Specs.
  (none) Manchester Jul 1864 4-4-0 60-14x22
  (none) Danforth, Cooke Aug 1864 4-4-0 60-14x22
  UPRR 1 Danforth, Cooke Sep 1864 4-4-0 60-14x22
  UPRR 2 Danforth, Cooke Sep 1864 4-4-0 60-14x22
  UPRR 3 Manchester Aug 1864 4-4-0 60-14x22
  UPRR 4 Norris 1865 4-4-0 60-16x24
  UPRR 5 Norris 1865 4-4-0 60-16x24
  UPRR 6 Hinkley & Williams Aug 1865 4-4-0 60-14x22
  UPRR 7 Schenectady Mar 1866 4-4-0 60-16x24
  UPRR 8 Schenectady Apr 1866 4-4-0 60-16x24
  UPRR 9 Rogers Jul 1862 4-4-0 56-15x22
  UPRR 10 Danforth May 1866 4-4-0 63-16x24
  UPRR 11 Danforth May 1866 4-4-0 63-16x24
  UPRR 12 Danforth Aug 1866 2-6-0 54-18x22

Notes:

  1. Built for UPRR in July 1864, shipped without name or number; cost $14,700; sold in August 1864 by U. P. agent Davis to Kilbourne Lighting Company for $20,000 (from R. E. Prince data; one of UP's first locomotives; sold as surplus prior to start of construction in July 1865)
  2. Built as "Lt. General Grant" in 1864; cost $15,450; sold in December 1864 to commission merchant M. K. Jessup Company for $21,000; to Union Pacific Railway Eastern Division number 3. (from R. E. Prince data; one of UP's first locomotives; sold as surplus prior to start of construction in July 1865)
  3. Built as "Major General Sherman" in 1864; sold to UPRR contractor in December 1864; sold back to UPRR in early 1867 as UPRR 1; to Omaha & Republican Valley 4 in 1880; to O&RV 315 in 1885; vacated after 1897 (new boiler in August 1882) (O&RV to UP in 1898)
  4. Built as "Major General McPherson" in 1864; sold to UPRR contractor in December 1864; sold back to UPRR in early 1867 as UPRR 2; to Colorado Central 2 (2nd) in 1872; to CC 331 in 1885; off roster by 1897; further disposition unknown (Kratville says "scrapped in 1888")
  5. Built for UPRR in 1864, shipped without name or number; sold to UPRR contractor in December 1864; sold back to UPRR in early 1867 as UPRR 3; to Colorado Central 1 in 1868; gone by June 1885 system renumbering (G. M. Best says "gone in 1866")
  6. Built as "Major General Sheridan" in 1865; to UPRR 4 in 1867; to UPRy 4 in 1880; to OSLRy 29 in 1882; to OSLRy 551 in 1885; to OSL&UN 551 in 1889; to OSL 201 in 1897; vacated in 1898
  7. Built as "Vice Admiral Farragut" in 1865; to UPRR 5 in 1867; to UPRy 5 in 1880; to OSLRy  24 in 1882; to OSLRy 550 in 1885; to OSL&UN 550 in 1889; to OSL 200 in 1897; scrapped by OSL in December 1899 (from OSL account books, per Pitchard research)
  8. Built as "Black Hawk" in 1865 (owner unknown); to UPRR 6 in June 1866; to Colorado Central 3 in 1871; to Colorado Central 1391 in 1885; rebuilt in May 1886 and numbered as Colorado Central 825; Colorado Central became part of UPD&G in 1890, sold to independent UPD&G in 1893; to UPD&G 34 in 1896; to C&S 144 in 1899; dismantled by C&S in 1906. (Read more about the locomotive named "Black Hawk")
  9. Built as "Omaha" in 1866; rebuilt as first Omaha Shop Goat as UPRR 7 in 1866, named "Omaha"; to UPRy 7 in 1880; to UPRy 574 in 1885; vacated in 1896
  10. Built as "Idaho" in 1866; to UPRR 8 in 1867; to UPRy 8 in 1880; to UPRy 575 in 1885; to UP 575 in 1898; vacated in 1902; sold to F. M. Hicks Locomotive and Car Company, Chicago, Illinois
  11. Built as U.S. Military Railroad "Osceola" in 1862; to UPRR 9 in 1866, named "Osceola"; to UPRy 9 in 1880; to UPRy 300 in 1885; to Kearney & Black Hills RR 1 in 1890; condemned at Kearney in 1894 (K&BH sold to UP in 1898)
  12. Built as "Denver" in 1866; to UPRR 10 in 1867; to UPRy 10 in 1880; to UPRy 553 in 1885; to UP 553 in 1898; vacated in 1902
  13. Built as "Colorado" in 1866; to UPRR 11 in 1867; to UPRy 11 in 1880; to OSLRy 26 in 1882; to OSLRy 552 in 1885; to OSL&UN 552 in 1889; to OSL 202 in 1897; vacated and scrapped by OSL in October 1898
  14. Built as "Bellevue" in 1866; to UPRR 12 in 1867; to Utah Southern Railroad (Extension) 12 in 1880; to Utah Central Ry 14 in 1881; to OSL&UN 1206 in 1889; vacated between 1889 and 1894

More Information

UP Timeline, 1864-1880 -- A timeline of major events in UP history for the years 1864-1880

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