But like I said. Im pretty sure im just being paranoid

Hi Guys,

Once again, getting back on topic: what is the current work being done on both the 3985 and the 5511? How far did the overhaul on the challenger progressed before the UP decided to go for the big boy, and what work needs to still be done. Did the UP start the work overhauling the running gear? Also, what is the condition and status of the DD40?

Have fun everyone and play nice!

David Notarius, an ex Black River and Western shovel jockey now stuck in the UK

I know for a fact that UP had done a lot of appliance work on 3985, because so many standard parts fit all three excursion engines. Once they had set up to do that work on 844 & 4014, it wasn't much extra expense to run off one more of everything at the same time. I'll get a chance to talk to Ed this weekend, I'll let you know if I find out anything beyond this, for example whether or not all those spares are being held in UP inventory or did they accompany 3985 when she was donated.

In general, there will be posts to the UP Steam Club web site of whatever the company wants the public to know regarding all of the above. Regardless of what juicy information I dig up, it will only be posted here if I'm told it's OK to do so. I hope this is helpful.

Go to www.rrhma.com and click on latest news. While you're there sign up to be on their email list and you'll be kept up to date on what they're doing. They've been very transparent on their activities and I expect they'll continue to be so.

Ross Rowland

I rode behind both 6936 and 3985 on the same trip.

3985 was still a coal burner and Colorado had had enough of the lineside fires, so we had 6936 in Colorado (with a photo stop) and 3985 in Wyoming where we dutifully stomped out fires at every photo stop.

Phil Mulligan

Could you share some of the differences you observed between riding behind locomotive 6936 in Colorado (with a photo stop) and locomotive 3985 in Wyoming (where fires were being stomped out at every photo stop)?

Both engines could make track speed. 6936 was the last operating DDA40X and was the longest single-unit diesel ever (8 feet longer than half of a PRR BP60 Baldwin Centipede.)

3985 had plenty of power to acceleratel the all-lightweight train over Sherman Hill to track speed between photo stops. She could turn on the wye at Laramie (844 was restricted) showing the articulation.

3985 did start lineside fires as a coal burner, but I suspect that was not the fault of 3965: 90 years of coal burning steam over Sherman had probably burned all the combustible brush, but with diesels it grew back.

Phil Mulligan

As a UP employee it used to be possible to look up, on the company computer, all the current maintenance info on every locomotive in their fleet. It'd show the dates of all the different periodic inspections and tests, it's operating status and storage location. It also detailed any problems or issues reported by engineers.

They didn't bother updating any info on the steam fleet... but they did update the info on the 6936 and the roundnoses... 949, 951 and the B-unit.

The 6936 came through my terminal a long time ago... I think in tow... so I went to the computer to look and see where it was destined. As I scrolled through the info... I read the issues reported by engine crews. Several crews had reported the unit as "rough riding"....and a follow up inspection noted that they had remedied the rough ride after working on the trucks....

Over the years, though, the company's changed their computer system and a lot of stuff I used to be able to access, that was kept current... has fell by the wayside and is not viewable by us out in the field. There were no tests or inspections on the diesel fleet... and it looked to have not been used in years... just sat stored in Cheyenne, I guess.

I could get on there and look at all the info on the heritage car fleet there and in Council Bluff... look up the interesting stuff stored in Roseville.. all the snow fighting equipment... see when it was being assembled into trains and etc.... but, being recently retired... no more access to that stuff, lol.

.

The part I like is being nice and warm and dry during those nasty blizzards. Several of us call each other at times like that, just to ask if we're glad we don't work for the railroad any more... those direct deposits are nice, too.

.

Dig this: Guess what the guys who gripe the most about working in lousy weather do on their rest days ??? Anybody can see this coming... OF COURSE THEY LOVE TO SKI.