Orange Empire is restoring its UP E8A #942 to as close to new condition (1953) as possible. The picture shows the pre-painting prep. The mechanical work is also coming along well.

The engine was run by CNW, RTA, and METRA in Chicago suburban commuter service as #510 during the late 70s and the 80s.

For us railfans who were teens in the 50s, this is really neat. Can't wait to talk my way into running her!

Marty Bernard
Perris, CA

That's gonna be quite nice when she's finished. Can't wait to see those pics.

Ryan

Thanks for sharing. Keep us posted.

Way to go!

Not to be confused with UP's current set of E9's, but so easy to confuse, one might wonder if a different livery would've attracted more attention.

Here's UP E9 #951 in Philadelphia in July of 2000 during the republican convention.



/Mitch

Mitch wrote "...one might wonder if a different livery would've attracted more attention." By spring the Museum will have 4 UP passenger cars in Armour Yellow with two more needing renovation. There is only one way to paint a UP E-unit. What other museum will have a UP passenger train? That's been one of the dreams here for a long time and it will come true!

Does anyone have drawings of the fuel tank skirting the UP E8s had? Although the skirting is not planned to be a part of the first phase of this engine's restoration, the museum does intend to make new ones eventually.

There is also a strong interest in finding As-Delivered 1953 photos of UP E8s.

Also, that is UP 6-6-4 Pullman "National Scene" in the background of Marty's photo. It is getting repainted into UP colors with the E8.

Thanks

Yeah, but look at the bright side... If done correctly, and I have no doubt that OERM will, this locomotive will be frozen in time, an artifact of how it was when delivered. Meanwhile, the UP business fleet will very likely continue to get modifications to keep it current; they already have ditch lights, just wait until they add alignment control couplers like the job the BN did on the business train F's now at IRM. Yuck! Count your blessings.

And to the crew at Perris, Good Job!

Lookin Good.
Please let me know if/where you can acquire a set of the original wings. I was unable to locate Union Pacific, like 951 (not Union Pacific Railroad) Scotchlite decals for IRM’s turbine.

Wasn't the 942 one of two E's that were at Pacific Rail dismantling several years ago? If so, where did the other one go?

Greg

There are significant visual differences between UP E8A's and E9A's, most noticeably on the nose. The E8A has a headlight in the nose door. UP's E9A's have no nose door headlight-- or nose door for that matter! Careful observers aren't likely to confuse the two.

As mentioned above, the UP trio aren't really restorations and will likely undergo more modifications as necessary for future main line operation. It will be nice to have one that's really restored to original condition.

Very nice! Reminds me of another 1953 E8 getting similar treatment down at TVRM.

ETA

Yes, it was. But, I don't know what happened to the other one.

The other one had been fixed up to some extent for a Southern California area project that never happened. Then it went off somewhere else

LOVE IT!
Can't wait until I see it in action.

As a diesel service volunteer, I bet I'll end up working on the guts of this thing. That and the UP cars are worth attending to every so often.

Please continue to keep us updated on this great project. One thing that obviously helps this restoration is you have a nice enviroment, out of the elements, to get work done.

Jim Barton