Union Pacific's Two-Tone Gray 4-8-4 Northerns
This page was last updated on January 16, 2012.
All of UP's FEF class 4-8-4 Northern locomotives received the two-tone gray paint scheme between 1946 and the mid 1950s. The road numbers of the three classes were as follows:
- UP 800-819, Class FEF-1, 20 locomotives
- UP 820-834, Class FEF-2, 15 locomotives
- UP 835-844, Class FEF-3, 10 locomotives
Dick Harley wrote this summary for the use of Two-Tone Gray on UP's FEF class 4-8-4s:
- No coal burning FEFs had TTG.
- All single stack FEF-2s were coal burners.
- All double stack FEF-2s had TTG.
- A few FEFs were painted TTG with silver gray lettering in the Spring and early Summer of 1946.
- A few more FEFs were painted TTG with Armour Yellow lettering in the late Summer and Fall of 1946.
- The official TTG loco drawing was issued 12-26-46 with Armour Yellow lettering.
- All FEFs received this scheme.
- The official TTG loco drawing was changed 6-2-49 to have silver gray lettering.
- All FEFs received this scheme.
- TTG applied to locos ended March 1952. They were quickly repainted to standard Black.
After completing extensive photo research, on May 17, 2007, Dick Harley wrote this summary of UP's FEF 4-8-4s with TTG and wind wings (smoke lifters):
- Very few FEF-1s in TTG had wind wings.
- Terry Kolence found photos of 806 and 812 in TTG with wind wings.
- A few FEF-2s in TTG had wind wings; these include:
- 821 in late 1951.
- 822 (date?) (American Steam, by Le Massena, pg 128.)
- 823 in summer 1950 (Union Pacific Through Passenger Service in Color, by Greg Stout, page 9)
- 827 in June 1952 (Otto Perry OP-17672)
- 828 in late 1952.
- 830 in mid-1951.
- 831 in early 1952.
- All FEF-3s in TTG had wind wings.
Below is an incomplete list based on photographic research:
| Road Number |
Striping Color |
Smoke Wings |
Photo Date |
Source (see below) |
Location/Train |
| UP 801 | - | 20 Jul 1948 | (7) p. 20 | Denver/Train 9 | |
| UP 801 | - | Jun 1951 | (15) back plate | Near Boise, Idaho/Train 26 | |
| UP 804 | silver gray | - | (14) p. 18 | Henderson, Colorado. | |
| UP 805 | - | 1946 | (15) p. 92 | Los Angeles | |
| UP 805 | silver gray | - | 4 Feb 1950 | (10) p. 27 | Council Bluffs (silver gray stripes, yellow lettering) |
| UP 806 | yellow | 17 Jun 1947 | (11) | Denver/City of St. Louis Train No. 9 | |
| UP 806 | 2 Sep 1946 | (6) | Boise, Idaho | ||
| UP 807 | - | 17 Apr 1948 | (3) p. 85 | Granite Canon, Wyoming. | |
| UP 807 | - | 5 Jan 1951 | (4) p. 34 | near Boise, Idaho/Train 18, Portland Rose | |
| UP 808 | - | 25 Jun 1950 | (5) p. 52 | Granite Canon, Wyoming/Utahan | |
| UP 811 | - | 13 Aug 1949 | (5) p. 54 | Sherman, Wyoming/Gold Coast | |
| UP 811 | silver gray | - | (14) p. 18 | Denver | |
| UP 812 | - | 15 Aug 1948 | (5) p. 54 | Red Buttes, Wyoming/San Francisco Overland | |
| UP 813 | silver gray | - | 25 Mar 1950 | (10) p. 72 | Valley, Nebraska. ("freshy repainted") |
| UP 813 | - | 25 Jun 1950 | (5) p. 52 | Granite Canon, Wyoming/Utahan | |
| UP 813 | - | 8 Dec 1951 | (3) p. 162 | Hugo, Colorado/Pony Express | |
| UP 813 | - | (15) p. 112 | Sherman Hill/Train 24, Gold Coast | ||
| UP 814 | - | Nov 1947 | (15) p. 97 | Cajon Pass | |
| UP 815 | - | 23 Apr 1950 | (5) p. 50 | Sherman, Wyoming/Utahan | |
| UP 816 | - | 27 Sep 1947 | (8) p. 28 | Cheyenne | |
| UP 816 | - | 21 Oct 1949 | (1) p. 52 | Otto, Wyoming/Train 27, San Francisco Overland | |
| UP 816 | - | 15 Jul 1950 | (15) p. 111 | Hermosa, Wyoming/Train 4, Utahan | |
| UP 816 | - | 8 Dec 1951 | (3) p. 176 | Hugo, Colorado. | |
| UP 819 | - | 2 Aug 1947 | (12) p. 86 | Buford, Wyoming/Train 105, City of Portland (helper) | |
| UP 820 | - | 28 Sep 1947 | (15) p. 109 | Cajon Pass/ Train 201 | |
| UP 820 | - | 25 Jun 1949 | (1) p. 64 | Sherman, Wyoming/Train 2, Los Angeles Limited | |
| UP 821 | - | 1946 | (15) p. 92 | East Los Angeles | |
| UP 821 | - | 27 Aug 1946 | (16) p. 101 | Ogden, Utah/Train 1, Los Angeles Limited | |
| UP 821 | - | 2 Aug 1947 | (3) p. 86 | Sherman, Wyoming/Utahn | |
| UP 821 | silver gray | X | 11 Nov 1951 | (10 p. 130 | Sherman, Wyoming/City of San Francisco (helper) |
| UP 823 | - | 13 Aug 1949 | (5) p. 54 | Sherman, Wyoming/Gold Coast | |
| UP 823 | silver gray | X | (14) p. 20 | Denver | |
| UP 830 | - | 30 Sep 1947 | (15) p. 118 | Los Angeles/ Train 4, Utahan | |
| UP 831 | - | 21 Sep 1946 | (16) p. 105 | Ogden, Utah | |
| UP 832 | - | 21 Oct 1949 | (1) p. 54 | Granite, Wyoming/Train 105, City of Portland (helper) | |
| UP 834 | - | 1950 | (3) p. 110 | Rawlins, Wyoming. | |
| UP 835 | silver gray | X | 9 Feb 1952 | (10) p. 61 | Omaha |
| UP 835 | silver gray | X | Jun 1952 | (10) p. 124 | Otto, Wyoming/Idahoan |
| UP 836 | X | Winter 1946 | (15) p. 106 | Pocatello, Idaho/Train 17, Portland Rose | |
| UP 836 | X | Jun 1946 | (15) p. 108 | Victorville, California/Transcon | |
| UP 837 | X | (15) p. 80 | |||
| UP 839 | X | 10 Oct 1946 | (13) p. 34 | Uintah, Utah/Train 2, Los Angeles Limited | |
| UP 840 | X | 4 Sep 1947 | (16) p. 107 | Salt Lake City/ Train 38, Pony Express | |
| UP 840 | silver gray | X | 1950 | (14) p. 7 | Green River, Wyo/Train 28 |
| UP 840 | X | 15 Jul 1950 | (15) p. 101 | Hermosa, Wyoming/Train 28, San Francisco Limited | |
| UP 841 | X | 2 Sep 1946 | (5) p. 51 | Sherman, Wyoming. | |
| UP 841 | X | Jun 1947 | (15) p. 105 | Omaha | |
| UP 841 | X | 2 Aug 1947 | (12) p. 87 | Train 103, City of Los Angeles (helper) | |
| UP 842 | X | 26 Jul 1948 | (4) p. 115 | La Grande, Oregon. | |
| UP 842 | X | Jul 1952 | (1) p. 115 | East of Green River, Wyoming. | |
| UP 843 | X | (15) p. 92 | |||
| UP 844 | X | Nov 1947 | (15) p. 97 | Cajon Pass | |
| UP 844 | X | 9 Jun 1952 | (9) p. 20,21 | Archer, Wyoming/Train 24, Gold Coast | |
| UP 844 | X | 9 Apr 1954 | (9) p. 19 | Cheyenne/Train 5 | |
| ?? | X | 1946 | (2) p.128 | Green River, Wyoming/Transcon | |
| ?? | - | 1949 | (2) p. 201 | Boise Cutoff/Idahoan | |
| ?? | - | 25 Jun 1949 | (5) p. 53 | Sherman Hill/Utahan | |
| ?? | - | Jun 1949 | (15) p. 115 | Sherman Hill/Train 2, Los Angeles Limited |
Notes:
- Striping color is shown when source photograph is in color; all other photographs are black & white, with the striping color being difficult to determine.
Photo Sources:
- Drury, George. Union Pacific Across Sherman Hill (Kalmbach, 2000)
- Kratville, Wm. Golden Rails (Kratville Publications, 1965)
- Ehernberger, James L. and Francis G. Gschwind. Union Pacific Steam, Eastern District (E&G Publications, 1975)
- Ehernberger, James L. and Francis G. Gschwind. Union Pacific Steam, Northwestern District (E&G Publications, 1977)
- Ehernberger, James L. and Francis G. Gschwind. Sherman Hill (E&G Publications, 1973)
- Grenard, Ross B. "Greyhounds of the Overland Trail" Railfan & Railroad, January 1988, Volume 7, Number 1, pages 48-53
- Grenard, Ross, and John Krause. The Overland Route (Carstens Publications, no date)
- Schumacher, David. The "Overland" Union Pacific Overland, Service Cars and Their Paint Schemes". Prototype Modeler, Volume 4, Number 1, August 1980, page 24.
- Olmstead, Robert. The Big Guys (Robert P. Olmstead, 1998)
- Pfeifer, Jack. West From Omaha (Pacific Fast Mail, 1990)
- Vanishing Vistas postcard
- Metcalfe, Terry. Union Pacific Modeler, Volume Four (Metcalfe Publications, 1998)
- Stagner, Lloyd. Union Pacific Motive Power In Transition (South Platte Press, 1993)
- Austin, Ed. Union Pacific Diesels In Color (Morning Sun, 2003)
- Kratville, William. The Mighty 800 (Kratville Publications, 1967)
- Watson, James. Union Pacific Small Steam Power (Motive Power Services, 1985)
Sources without Two-Tone Gray Northern photos:
- Asay, Jeff. Union Pacific Northwest (Pacific Fast Mail, 1991)
- Schmitz, Lou. UP Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment, Volume 2 (Morning Sun, 1996)
- Stagner, Lloyd, and Robert Yanosey. UP Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment (Morning Sun, 1993)
- Schmitz, Lou. Union Pacific Trackside with Lou Schmitz (Morning Sun, 1998)
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