http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=186330

She looks a little different, is tender font different? Maybe the visor on her Mars light?

Wish I was on the west coast!

Joshua

Yup, I think that's it. Definitely not there last summer when I last shot 844.

http://www.westernsteamphoto.com/Recent/844-bridge-2s.htm

Interesting that you'd point to a shot made just outside of Lava Hot Springs, ID. That's one of the primary areas I'd intended to shoot in on this run before other things intruded and I couldn't make the trip out there.

In other words, I'm jealous too.

Scott

PS - This is my first posting on the "new" interchange. Please add my thanks to all who made the rebirth possible.

S

As a quick followup, I just read somewhere else that is it has been suggested that 4449 is being repainted somewhat, to be revealed soon.

Joshua

So explain to me, please, what does Union Pacific see in a viable steam program, that other big money railroads miss? U.P. must want to enhance their bottom line figures as badly as NS, BNSF, and CSX, yet they not only run the last never retired steam loco in North America, but actively support the restoration of a huge articulated.

Kudos (obviously) to "Uncle Pete", management, the shop and crew forces behind 844 and 3985.

The Union Pacific Railroad has always been very history conscious. At the time that 844 was saved from scrapping, the Reading and the Burlington were both running 4-8-4's in excursion service. When their programs went by the wayside, the Southern stepped in with 4501.

The Union Pacific meanwhile came under the leadership of John C. Kenefick who believed in the program, and who allowed volunteers to restore 3985 between 1979 and 1981. The big difference, and the reason I believe that the UP 's program is still with us is that they have always used their steam locomotives as corporate public relations tools. Public excursions are very much secondary to their raison d'etre.

Southern, and later NS used their steam engines to provide public excursions throughout their system every year. By running so many excursions the program made too many enemies in the operating department. The 40 mph speed limit imposed after the Great Dismal Swamp derailment caused even more headaches to the Operating Department. The derailment of the passenger cars in the yard at Lynchburg gave the anti-steam forces at NS the ammunition they needed. The derailment could not have happened at a worse time. 611 was running out of flue time, and 1218 had already been stripped for an overhaul. If an incident had happened with one or both engines fresh out of overhaul perhaps they would have wanted to recover some of the company's investment.

The Union Pacific program was fortunate that after Kenefick's retirement, Drew Lewis became Chairman of UP Corporation. There were certainly anti-steam forces in UP management especially among the ex- MoPac executives. And with the BNSF merger, the Union Pacific became the last western railroad operating under its original name. That corporate identity is closely guarded, and the steam engines serve to promote that identity. That is why they have been reluctant to operate any non-UP steam on their rails.

I recall that the NS steam program ended not long after the second of the Claytor brothers died. I always attributed their passing from the scene as relieving NS management of any pressure (obligation) to continue the program.

Wesley