Union Pacific Locomotive Fleet Changes
April and May 1997
(as 26 June 1997)
During April and May, General Electric delivered 42 new C44ACs. Numbers 6570-6581 were delivered between 7Apr1997 and 29Apr1997. Numbers 6575-6612 were delivered between 1May1997 and 28May1997.
General Motors delivered 29 new EMD SD9043ACs. Twenty-two units, to number 8139, arrived between 3Apr1997 and 25Apr1997. An additional 17 units, to number 8156, arrived between 9May1997 and 30May1997.
On 1May1997, Union Pacific took formal ownership 140 ex-D&RGW units (134 freight and six switch units). This total includes four GP30s, 24 GP40s, 35 GP40-2s, three GP60s, three SD45s, 55 SD40T-2s, 10 SD50s, three SW1200s, and three SW1000s. This 1May total does not include three GP40s, 13 SD40T-2s, and seven SD50s previously repainted to SP. At the time of the UP/SP merger in September 1996, there were 201 former D&RGW units on SP, including: five SW1200s; five SW1000s; eight GP30s; two GP35s; 41 GP40s (including two already repainted to SP); 35 GP40-2s; three GP60s; 11 SD45s; 71 SD40T-2s; 17 SD50s (including seven already repainted to SP); and the three cab units, D&RGW 5762, 5763, and 5771. The current renumbering plan includes number slots for 153 former D&RGW units, including: 29 GP40s (UP 718-745); 69 SD40T-2s (UP 4000-4068); 17 SD50s (UP 5095-5111); 35 GP40-2s (UP 5242-5272; 5345-5348); and three GP60s (UP 5700-5702). The reason for the three different totals, 140, 153, and 201 is not known at this time.
The GP38-2 long-term lease fleet was increased by 12 units; four in April and eight in May. Four delivered in April (UP 1834, 1835, 1837, 1837) and four delivered in May (UP 1830, 1831, 1843, 1844) are ex-HATX (Helm Atlantic) 200-class units, and were all originally Missouri Pacific units, most of which received UP numbers prior to being returned to the lessor in March and April 1994. These eight units brings the total to nine units received from an eventual total of 17 ex-HATX units. The second group of four units delivered in May (UP 1918, 1930, 1951, 1960) are the first of an eventual total of 61 units that are being leased from EMD. These 61 units in the EMD 700- and 800-series, are all ex-CR/PC, and are a part of a 100-unit fleet seeing nationwide lease service since 1987.
Six additional GP38-3 leased units arrived from the rebuild program at Motive Power Industries (formerly MK Rail) at Boise, Idaho. UP 2511-2514 arrived in April, and UP 2411 and 2412 arrived in May. UP 2511 and 2512 are ex-CSXT GP40s 6544 and 6806. UP 2513 and 2514 are ex-D&RGW GP40s 3069 and 3083. UP 2411 is rebuilt from ex-CSXT GP38-2 9652, and UP 2412 is rebuilt from ex-CSXT GP38-2 2027. MPI's model designation for these units is GP38M-3.
Four more leased SW1500s in the 1000-class were delivered during April. As with 11 of the earlier-delivered units, these four newest units (UP 1022, 1024, 1025, 1026) are also ex-Norfolk Southern units, reconditioned by Metro-East Industries of East St. Louis, Illinois
A third former California Northern GP15-1 also arrived in April. UP 1544 is said to formerly be CFNR 103, ex-C&NW 4414 prior to that unit's return to lessor GMAC in March 1992, and subsequent lease to CFNR in October 1993.
As mentioned in the most recent issue of Diesel Era (Vol. 8, No. 4, pg. 2) Union Pacific has received 10 General Electric C44ACs from General Electric (GECX) as warranty protection units. GECX 4000-4009 were delivered between 7Apr1997 and 19Apr1997. These units are fully painted in UP yellow and gray, with red GECX lettering, and immediately entered service in Wyoming's Powder River basin.
The SD40-2 Life Extension fleet was increased by one unit when UP SD40-2R 3537 was completed on 15April1997.
The SD50M program continues with UP 5005 completed on 7Apr1997 and UP 5061 (ex-C&NW 7001) was completed on 5May1997.
Much of UP's short-term leased units were returned to their lessors on 30Apr1997. Included were EMD SD70Ms 7000-7024 (25 units), GECX SC30-7s 3000-3010 (11 units), GECX (ATSF) C30-7s 8001-8095 (17 units), GECX (CR) C39-8s 6000-6019 (15 units), LMS (CR) C40-8Ws 700-714 (15 units), and CR C30-7s 500-568 (35 units) and 6600-6609 (7 units). A total of 115 units.
Possibly the most news-worthy item in this report is UP's retirement of 58 ex-SP, SSW, and D&RGW units. Twenty-six units were retired on 28Apr1997, including: D&RGW GP30s 3007 and 3008; D&RGW SD45s 5323 and 5328; SP SD7 1508; S3-2B road slugs 1602 and 1610; GP9s 3194, 3338, 3421, 3800, and 3842; SD9s 4338, 4390, 4407, 4415, 4436, 4450; GP35s 6307, 6333, 6343, 6351, and 6354; SD45T-2 9257; and SSW SW1200s 2251 and 2293. Another 32 units were retired during May, including: D&RGW GP40 3081; SP SD7s 1503, 1519, and 1524; SW1200 2277; SD35M 2966; GP9s 3789 and 3880; SD9s 4313 and 4371; GP35 6359; SD45T-2s 6794, 6817, 6835, 9195, 9242, 9313, and 9348; SD40Rs (called SD45-2s by UP) 7410, 7418, 7448, 7464, 7509, and 7522; B36-7s 7755, 7757, 7760, 7761, 7767, 7768, and 7769; and SSW SD45T-2 9374.
All of UP's 6000 HP locomotives have been assigned new number series, to keep their number series above the growing fleet of convertible units. The SD90ACs from EMD will be delivered in the new 8500 series, and the new C60ACs from GE will be delivered in the 7500 series. The ten C60ACs currently on the property (UP 7000-7009, delivered in November and December 1996) will be renumbered to the 7500 series.
Renumbered units for April and May include (in order of new UP numbers):
| New Number |
Old Number |
Model | Date | Notes |
| UP 415 | UP 2415 | C30-7 | 16May1997 | |
| UP 469 | UP 2472 | C30-7 | 14May1997 | |
| UP 509 | UP 2515 | C30-7 | 29May1997 | |
| UP 603 | UP 2603 | C36-7 | 23Apr1997 | (ex-UP 9003, nee MP 9003) |
| UP 635 | UP 9035 | C36-7 | 7May1997 | |
| UP 1074 | SP 2468 | SW1500 | 14May1997 | |
| UP 1077 | SP 2471 | SW1500 | 22May1997 | |
| UP 1090 | SP 2493 | SW1500 | 7May1997 | |
| UP 1095 | SP 2499 | SW1500 | 18Feb1997 | (reported late) |
| UP 1100 | SP 2507 | SW1500 | 13May1997 | |
| UP 1109 | SP 2523 | SW1500 | 8Apr1997 | |
| UP 1128 | SP 2544 | SW1500 | 15Apr1997 | |
| UP 1133 | SP 2549 | SW1500 | 16May1997 | |
| UP 1135 | SP 2551 | SW1500 | 15Apr1997 | |
| UP 1162 | SP 2591 | SW1500 | 15Apr1997 | |
| UP 1195 | SP 2624 | SW1500 | 18Feb1997 | (reported late) |
| UP 1198 | SP 2654 | SW1500 | 4Apr1997 | |
| UP 1548 | C&NW 4403 | GP15-1 | 29Apr1997 | |
| UP 1796 | UP 19 | GP38-2 | 4Apr1997 | (ex-UP1996, nee MKT 340) |
| UP 1971 | SP 4845 | GP38-2 | 28Apr1997 | |
| UP 2083 | SP 4820 | GP38-2 | 24Apr1997 | |
| UP 2814 | C&NW 6658 | SD38-2 | 29Apr1997 | |
| UP 2957 | C&NW 6808 | SD40-2 | 28Apr1997 | |
| UP 2961 | C&NW 6812 | SD40-2 | 7May1997 | |
| UP 2993 | C&NW 6861 | SD40-2 | 22May1997 | |
| UP 3018 | C&NW 6837 | SD40-2 | 10Apr1997 | |
| UP 3041 | C&NW 6876 | SD40-2 | 16Apr1997 | |
| UP 3054 | C&NW 6889 | SD40-2 | 23Apr1997 | |
| UP 4425 | SP 8364 | SD40T-2 | 13May1997 | |
| UP 4462 | SP 8330 | SD40T-2 | 15Apr1997 | |
| UP 4555 | SP 8291 | SD40T-2 | 15Apr1997 | |
| UP 5090 | C&NW 7030 | SD50 | 9May1997 | |
| UP 5245 | D&RGW 3122 | GP40-2 | 27May1997 | |
| UP 5310 | SSW 7657 | GP40-2 | 19May1997 | |
| UP 5347 | D&RGW 3095 | GP40-2 | 12May1997 | |
| UP 5548 | UP 939 | GP50 | 22May1997 | (ex-C&NW 5066) |
| UP 5583 | UP 985 | GP50 | 13May1997 | |
| UP 5584 | UP 986 | GP50 | 28Apr1997 | |
| UP 5836 | SP 9737 | GP60 | 30Mar1997 | (reported late) |
| UP 5842 | SP 9743 | GP60 | 8May1997 | |
| UP 5946 | C&NW 8001 | SD60 | 11Apr1997 | |
| UP 5957 | C&NW 8026 | SD60 | 9May1997 | |
| UP 5974 | C&NW 8010 | SD60 | 23Apr1997 | |
| UP 5981 | C&NW 8021 | SD60 | 16Apr1997 | |
| UP 9632 | SP 8168 | C44-9 | 15May1997 | |
| UP 9697 | C&NW 8633 | C44-9W | 15May1997 |
Correction: In two separate issues of Diesel Era (Vol. 8, No.1, pg. 5; and Vol. 8, No. 2, pg. 58) reference was made to newly leased SW1500 number 1011 being ex-UP 1315, nee WP 1501. UP SW1500 1011 is the former Norfolk Southern number 78, originally Kentucky & Indiana Terminal 78. The history of UP 1011 was furnished to UP by Helm immediately prior to its lease coming into effect in September 1996. UP 1315, purchased by UP in January 1989 after its original capital lease expired, has never left UP tracks and would not have been available for lease to UP as part of the new 1000-1035 group of units being leased from Helm. UP 1315 has been assigned UP 1040 as its new post-SP merger number.
Correction: In the most recent issue of Diesel Era (Vol. 8, No. 4, pg. 56), in a report of UP's newest C44AC locomotives from GE, a statement was made that UP 6550-6559 are part of a group of 4,390 HP locomotives that will be converted at a later time to 6,000 HP. This is wrong. Only the 70-unit group of C6044ACs, numbered from UP 7010-7979, delivered in November and December 1995, and August and September 1996, are convertible from 4,390 HP to 6,000 HP.
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