The two former Chicago & North Western C44-9W locos that had been "stored" at the Illinois Ry. Museum for several years still in original C&NW paint as the last two un-repainted/"patched" examples, C&NW 8646 and 8701, have apparently finally been pulled back out by Union Pacific, reported to be headed to North Little Rock for both installation of PTC (which is reportedly why they turned up in the computer after years of clandestine efforts by ex-C&NW UP staff to keep them "hidden" to preserve their paint) and repaint into UP yellow and gray.

Reports elsewhere indicate that UP is power-short enough to be taking various stored Dash 9's, GP60's, and other stored locos from storage lines, including the infamous "abandoned locos in the desert" line near Pantano, AZ. Some older GE Dash 8's are headed to GE as trade-in for a new purchase, while others are being reactivated.

As was said elsewhere, "It was fun while it lasted...."

Photo below by yours truly, Easter Sunday 2017 at Union, Ill.

Too bad. UP would have been better off keeping a single unit from each of the railroads it took over in its original scheme instead of the ugly, unloved "heritage" paint schemes it came up with.

They just -stored- them there for the while? Probably in time they may come back as a donation as time goes as a thank you. Just don't let them touch the paint job....

I thought they left back in February?

UP has a couple of ex-CNW F's at Cheyenne, to show the flag, still keeping one pair of the originals would have been a nice touch.

I shot them in mid-April, so if they left, they came back, presumably for the C&NW Historical Society gathering they had there (and for which the locos were obviously posed).

I will believe the rumors of their CNW demise when I see them come out of Jenks in Armor Yellow. It's been almost 23 years since the demise of the CNW, and these rumors of their imminent retirement/repaint/etc. have been following them for much of that time. Unless you can verify the rumors, all that can be said is that they are being pulled from storage.

Also remember many of the people who kept this little conspiracy going have retired or are no longer in a position to keep it going. It was fun while it lasted.

UP has already picked them up, per reports from IRM.

There is only 1, cannibalized exCNW F7 at Cheyenne. Unless another is stored inside.

We did see the one in Cheyenne yesterday while driving through.

It's a bit off topic, but the talk of the C&NW F unit has me wondering if anyone knows how the rebuild of the Rio Grande F9B in West Colton is going? She was removed from her longtime home at Cheyenne earlier this Fall to be rebuilt into a power car for snowplow service.

Glad to see that one. While I think she should've went with her two sisters to be displayed together, that never happened and I was starting to think this one was a goner. Wood cancer had really done a number on her side panels and I figured Union Pacific would quietly scrap her, so it's nice to see that she's coming back as a working unit of sorts.

This C&NW F unit must've had her side panels replaced (Perhaps during one of C&NW's 1970's era rebuild programs?), since she's holding up well to 25+ years of neglect and looks much better.

Hopefully this will lift some sad spirits.

Thomas

How can something be portrayed as lost when they (IRM) never owned them to begin with?