Union Pacific Steam Locomotives

Index For This Page

This page was last updated on November 21, 2024.

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Roster Listings

Union Pacific Steam Locomotive Roster -- A full and complete roster listing of Union Pacific's steam locomotives from 1864 to 1962. (Gordon McCulloh and I have pooled our resources and put together an all-time roster listing of Union Pacific's steam locomotives, from 1864 to 1962, including all of the road's predecessors and subsidiaries of the same time period.)

Heritage Fleet Steam Locomotives -- Information about the steam locomotives UP has kept to honor its heritage, includes information about UP 844, 3985 and 4014.

Union Pacific Heritage Fleet Steam Schedules, 2003-2013 -- Information about Union Pacific's excursions and trips with its historic steam locomotives, UP 844 and UP 3985; covers 2003 through 844's removal from service in July 2013, including 3985's removal from service in September 2010. (No updates after 2013)

Union Pacific Common Standard Steam Locomotives -- A listing taken from two UP drawings of 1940 and 1942, showing all classes of steam locomotives on Union Pacific and its OSL, OWRR&N and LA&SL subsidiaries.

Union Pacific Not In Utah -- Information about the subsidiaries and predecessor companies and branch roads not in Utah. Includes roads in Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Nebraska, and Kansas, including Kansas Pacific.

Union Pacific Shay Locomotives -- An article about UP's Shays, assigned to the Tintic (Utah) Subdivision

Last Steam In Regular Freight Service

Big Boy 4015 departed Laramie with an eastbound train (74 loads, 2 empties, 4,930 tons) at 4:10 p.m., and arrived at Cheyenne at 7:55 p.m. on July 21, 1959, ending the use of Big Boy steam locomotives on Union Pacific.

The end of steam on Union Pacific came the next day, July 22, 1959, when Challenger 3713 arrived at Cheyenne, and Challenger 3703 arrived at North Platte.

(Read more about the end of steam on Union Pacific, in 1959)

Painting and Lettering

Union Pacific Steam Locomotive Painting and Lettering -- An index page for paint schemes used on UP's steam locomotives.

Other Information

Big Boy Differences -- Information about the differences between the 1941 order of 4-8-8-4 Big Boy locomotives, and the 1944 order.

Burning Coal On The San Pedro -- An article about the use of coal on the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad.

Burning Coal On The Oregon Short Line -- Brief comments about burning coal on the OSL. Initially written in answer to an email question.

Overfire Combustion Tubes -- Information about the overfire combustion tubes used by UP, instead of overfire jets used by D&RGW.

Smoke Stacks -- Information about the large exhaust stacks unique to many of Union Pacific's steam locomotives; designs that accompanied the use of annular port "Sweeney" nozzles in the 1930s, and multiple jet nozzles in the 1940s.

Smoke Deflectors -- Information about the use of smoke deflectors on Union Pacific steam locomotives. Includes a link to photographs and drawings.

Smoke Lifters -- Information about the use of smoke lifters ("Wind Wings") on Union Pacific steam locomotives. Includes a link to photographs and drawings.

Streamlined Steam Locomotives -- Information about Union Pacific's two Streamlined steam locomotives, 4-6-2 no. 2906 and 4-8-2 no. 7002.

Super 800s -- Information about the proposed designs for new 4-8-4s in 1942, 1945, and 1947.

Two-Tone Gray Challengers -- Information about the 10 UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger locomotives that received UP's two-tone gray paint scheme.

Union Pacific 2-8-0 Consolidations -- Information about Union Pacific's 2-8-0 Consolidations, including quantities if individual classes and timelien of new deliveries.

Union Pacific's 2-8-2 Mikado Locomotives -- Information about Union Pacific's 2-8-2 Mikado and MacArthur steam locomotives.

Union Pacific 9000-Class Locomotives -- A brief history of Union Pacific's 9000-class 4-12-2 locomotives, including the eight (of 88 total) "Bald Faced Nines."

Union Pacific After 1936 -- A brief review of changes in Union Pacific's organization that took effect on January 1, 1936.

Union Pacific Articulateds -- An article by Richard Cole, originally presented in Western Prototype Modeler, May-June 1975.

Union Pacific MP&M Men -- Brief biographical information about the men in UP's Motive Power & Machinery department (under construction).

Union Pacific Steam Locomotive Assignments in 1949 -- A listing of Union Pacific steam locomotive assignments as of January 31, 1949, based on a list published more than 20 years ago in The Streamliner in 1985.

Union Pacific Steam Locomotive Assignments in 1950 -- A listing of Union Pacific steam locomotive assignments as of January 1, 1950, based on a list published more than 20 years ago in The Streamliner in 1986.

Union Pacific Steam Locomotive Bibliography -- A listing of Union Pacific books and magazine articles.

Union Pacific Steam Locomotive Notes -- General information about UP's steam locomotives.

Union Pacific Steam Locomotive Wheel Arrangements -- Information about the wheel arrangements of Union Pacific steam locomotives.

Union Pacific Steam Tenders -- Roster listings and other information about some of UP's steam locomotive tenders.

Union Pacific Steam Tests -- PDF documents (total of 22) covering various tests by Union Pacific on some of its steam locomotives in 1940 and 1947-1949. These test reports and other items come from Richard Flebbe, whose father was Paul Flebbe, UP's Engineer of Road Tests during this period. Included are tests comparing single stacks, double stacks, and various nozzle and front end designs, along with comparing steam injectors. Also included are a series of horsepower curves and tonnage ratings charts across UP's fleet of steam locomotives. Along with the test reports and other items from the Paul Flebbe papers, this series of documents includes Richard Flebbe's biographical notes, "150 Years With Uncle Pete," documenting his grandfather's career from 1898 to 1947, his father's career from 1929 to 1974, and his own career with Union Pacific, as well his own separate history of UP's Omaha shop where he was employed from 1973 to its closing in 1989.

UP 800-class 4-8-4s On Cajon -- Information about the use of Union Pacific 800-class steam locomotives on Cajon Pass in southern California.

UP Mechanical Instructions, 1947-1953 -- A compiled set of mechanical instructions for the inspection and maintenance of Union Pacific's steam locomotives. Sheet L-99 shows the correct cab side stenciling. (PDF; 167 pages; 7.1MB)

UP's Shay Locomotives -- Information about Union Pacific three Shay locomotives, assigned to the Tintic mining district in central Utah.

UP Steam Locomotive Diagrams, 1925 -- The 1925 book includes the remaining examples of UP's turn-of-the century locomotive fleet. Presented through the courtesy of Richard Flebbe, whose father was UP's Research and Mechanical Engineer at the time of his retirement in 1974 after 44 years of service.

UP Steam Locomotive Diagrams, 1936 -- The 1936 book includes the FEF-1 4-8-4s and the earliest Challengers. Presented through the courtesy of Richard Flebbe, whose father was UP's Research and Mechanical Engineer at the time of his retirement in 1974 after 44 years of service.

War Babies -- Information about Union Pacific's ex C&O and ex N&W locomotives, known as "War Babies," purchased at the end of World War II to ease the handling of wartime traffic.

Photos

UP Steam DDR -- Union Pacific steam locomotives, photos from the collections of Dave England, Dean Gray, and Ralph Gochnour (955 black & white photos)

UP Steam Locomotives -- Photos by Union Pacific Railroad; gathered from numerous sources from 1972 to 1988, with additional prints acquired during 2014 (207 photos).

Steam Locomotive Chronology

General Steam Locomotive Information

Steam Locomotive Builders -- An index page for information about steam locomotive builders.

Steam Locomotive Sounds -- An index of steam locomotive sounds, including Union Pacific steam locomotives.

More Information

Newspaper Items -- Brief summaries of locomotive information taken from Salt Lake City, and Utah and Idaho regional newspapers, 1877-1900

Random Notes

March 28, 1954
"UP Diesel Conversion Now Tops 99 Per Cent" "Union Pacific freight trains are now 99 per cent converted to diesel, C. C. Larkin, Idaho division superintendent, reported yesterday." "The railroad is going to continue changing to diesel the remaining passenger and mail trains not yet dieselized, Larkin said." "Engines are being sent to Portland to change to diesel the Portland-Pocatello trains, Larkin said." "Only two local freight trains are still steam powered, Larkin said. They are the Ashton-Victor train and the Shoshone-Ketchum-Hill City train." "There are about 110 steam engines stored here. 'This is more than have ever been stored here or any other place I know,' Larkin said." (Idaho State Journal [Pocatello], March 28, 1954)

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