Union Pacific Locomotive Fleet Changes
September and October 1996
(as of 19 November 1996)
The big news for September was the successful merger of Union Pacific and Southern Pacific, finalized on September 11, 1996. Work is already under way on developing an integrated numbering plan that will accommodate the locomotive fleets of the two railroads. The official quantities are 4,171 units for UP and 2,333 units for SP, making a combined fleet 6,504 units.
During September and October, Union Pacific received 12 new SD90s. UP 8060, 8063, 8065-8072 (10 units) were delivered between September 1st and 26th, as model SD90/43ACs. UP 8073 and 8074 were delivered on October 1st and 3rd, carrying new model designations. UP now calls these GMLG units SD9043AC, showing that they are units built with 4,300 horsepower, to be converted to 6,000 horsepower with the availability of GMLG's new engine. The "/" was removed from the model designation to facilitate for computer data entry.
General Electric delivered 34 new 4,390 horsepower model C44/60ACs. In September, 20 units, carrying road numbers 7010-7012 and 7048-7064 were delivered between September 7th and 28th. Fourteen additional C44/60ACs, with numbers 7065 to 7078, arrived on UP property between October 1 and 15.
Prior to the merger, SP had completed arrangements for leasing from Helm Financial, several previously retired SW1500s from both SP and Norfolk Southern. With the merger, UP continued with the arrangements, and during late September, the first 10 units arrived on UP property. These 10 units include: UP 1000 (ex-SP 2656), UP 1001 (ex-SP 2573), UP 1002 (ex-SP 2555), UP 1003 (ex-SP 2516), UP 1004 (ex-SSW 2522), UP 1007 (ex-SP 2504), UP 1009 (ex-2684), UP 1010 (ex-SP 2473), UP 1012 (ex-SP 2619), and UP 1013 (ex-SP 2676). During October, three additional units were delivered by Helm: UP 1005 (ex-NS 2291), UP 1006 (ex-NS 2322), and UP 1011 (ex-NS 78). The former numbers for these units are from UP records. The number block 1000-1035 has been set aside as a home for these units that have been reconditioned by Helm prior to their delivery to UP. The first four, UP 1000-1003, are owned by UP as part of a like-kind unit exchange with Helm. The remaining units are on a long-term operating lease.
The short-term lease fleet grew by 10 units during August and September as 10 GP38-2s came from Helm's HATX Helm Atlantic lease fleet. These units, with road numbers HATX 200-209, are all ex-MP units in the 2074-2110 group which UP had turned back after the expiration of their original lease in March 1994.
The SD40-2 Life Extension program, which began in late 1990, continues with the completion of seven more units in September and October. UP 3337 was released from Jenks Shops in North Little Rock on 9/11/96; UP 3369 was released on 9/3/96; UP 3370 was released on 9/24/96; and UP 3406 was released on 9/20/96. During October, UP 3385 was released on 10/7/96; UP 3401 was released on 10/25; and UP 3457 was released on 10/19. The completion of these three units brings the total to 218 SD40-2 units rebuilt in the Life Extension program. UP 3401 and 3457 are the first of the 1977 to 1980-built group between 3400 and 3808 to enter the rebuild program. No ex-MP, MKT, or C&NW units have been selected as candidates for the program.
UP's 4-8-4 steam locomotive was re-instated to the roster on 9/20/96, after the completion of a through rebuilding by Union Pacific's Steam Team at Cheyenne, Wyoming.
During August, 17 leased EMDX SD40s were returned to EMD. The units were numbered in the EMDX 6400-series units.
A total of 37 units were retired during October 1996, all on the 7th, and include C30-7 2459, leased GP40 861, and SW10s 1241, 1272, and 1273. Also retired on October 7th were two ex-C&NW F-units, F7B 315 and F7A 402, along with SD18s 6630, 6635, 6638, and ex-C&NW SD45 954. Two GP9Rs (C&NW 4552 and 4559) and 24 GP7Rs (C&NW 4108, 4110, 4113, 4122, 4136, 4142, 4145, 4148, 4150, 4152, 4155, 4156, 4161, 4164, 4168, 4170, 4182, 4186, 4192, 4198, 4199, 4200, 4203, 4314) were also part of the group retired on the same day.
A total of 52 units have been traded to Helm Financial, including 37 in May (UP 1203, 1208, 1227, 1258, C&NW GP7Rs 4109, 4117, 4123, 4134, 4137, 4154, 4162, 4175, 4176, 4183, 4184, 4202, 4207, 4208, 4322, 4344, GP9Rs 4527, SDCAT 6000, SD45 903, 6481, 6482, 6500, 6523, 6537, 6539, 6544, 6567, 6584, SD18s 6631, 6633, 6643, 6644, 6647). Two units went to Helm in September (C&NW 4553, 6645), and 13 units went to Helm in October (C&NW 950, 4105, 4106, 4153, 4181, 4168, 4179, 4187, 4193, 4550, 4556, 4557, 4558).
The lease has expired on 18 GP38s in the 1982-1999 series (ex-MKT 325-343) and all 18 units were purchased on 10/23/96. Included in this group is UP 19, the former UP 1996. This unit was renumbered to UP 19 to make way for Olympic SD40-2 1996, and now that 1996 has been renumbered back to UP 3101, UP 19 will most likely be returned to its original number.
Renumbers for September and October include (in order of new UP numbers):
| New Number |
Old Number |
Model | Date | Notes |
| UP 445 | UP 2447 | C30-7 | 10/28/96 | |
| UP 448 | UP 2450 | C30-7 | 10/30/96 | |
| UP 601 | UP 9001 | C36-7 | 10/31/96 | (ex-MP 9001) |
| UP 606 | UP 2606 | C36-7 | 10/28/96 | (ex-UP 9006, nee-MP 9006) |
| UP 608 | UP 2608 | C36-7 | 10/28/96 | (ex-MP 9008; renumbered from UP 9008 to UP 2608 on 10/15/96) |
| UP 619 | UP 9019 | C36-7 | 10/25/96 | (ex-MP 9019) |
| UP 622 | UP 2622 | C36-7 | 10/25/96 | (ex-MP 9022; renumbered from UP 9022 to UP 2622 on 9/30/96) |
| UP 645 | UP 2645 | C36-7 | 10/28/96 | (ex-MP 9045; renumbered from UP 9045 to UP 2645 on 10/11/96) |
| UP 2603 | UP 9003 | C36-7 | 10/15/96 | (ex-MP 9003) |
| UP 2615 | UP 9015 | C36-7 | 10/12/96 | (ex-MP 9015) |
| UP 2729 | UP 350 | GP39-2 | 9/11/96 | (ex-D&H/B&M 350) |
| UP 2733 | UP 354 | GP39-2 | 9/16/96 | (ex-D&H/B&M 354) |
| UP 2734 | UP 355 | GP39-2 | 9/5/96 | (ex-D&H/B&M 355) |
| UP 2736 | UP 357 | GP39-2 | 9/11/96 | (ex-D&H/B&M 357) |
| UP 2737 | UP 358 | GP39-2 | 9/13/96 | (ex-D&H/B&M 358) |
| UP 2741 | UP 362 | GP39-2 | 9/11/96 | (ex-D&H/B&M 362) |
| UP 2742 | UP 363 | GP39-2 | 9/11/96 | (ex-D&H/B&M 363) |
| UP 2748 | UP 369 | GP39-2 | 9/13/96 | (ex-D&H/B&M 369) |
| UP 2983 | C&NW 6851 | SD40-2 | 9/5/96 | |
| UP 2984 | C&NW 6852 | SD40-2 | 9/11/96 | |
| UP 3035 | C&NW 6870 | SD40-2 | 10/4/96 | |
| UP 3081 | C&NW 6918 | SD40-2 | 10/31/96 | |
| UP 3101 | UP 1996 | SD40-2R | 10/20/96 | (former Olympic unit) |
| UP 5084 | C&NW 7024 | SD50M | 10/31/96 | |
| UP 5520 | C&NW 5063 | GP50 | 10/11/96 | |
| UP 5521 | C&NW 5064 | GP50 | 9/26/96 | |
| UP 5537 | C&NW 5092 | GP50 | 9/9/96 | |
| UP 5541 | C&NW 5098 | GP50 | 9/19/96 | |
| UP 5546 | C&NW 5083 | GP50 | 9/10/96 | |
| UP 5551 | C&NW 5076 | GP50 | 10/10/96 | |
| UP 5554 | C&NW 5088 | GP50 | 10/21/96 | |
| UP 5945 | C&NW 8055 | SD60 | 10/14/96 | |
| UP 5949 | C&NW 8007 | SD60 | 10/31/96 | |
| UP 5969 | C&NW 8054 | SD60 | 10/10/96 | |
| UP 5973 | C&NW 8005 | SD60 | 10/31/96 | |
| UP 5985 | C&NW 8027 | SD60 | 10/28/96 | |
| UP 6736 | C&NW 8834 | C44AC | 9/16/96 | |
| UP 9777 | C&NW 8673 | C44-9W | 10/11/96 |
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