Union Pacific Railroad, together with Feld Entertainment, Inc., is staging a major public relations coup by having the largest operating steam locomotive on Earth, U.P. "Challenger" No. 3985, pull the 61-car Blue Unit Circus Train on the second day of its 2-day run from Salt Lake City UT to Denver CO. This is to take place Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010 -- with major new media covering the event.

See information on the "Challenger 3985" HERE:

From the Union Pacific Railroad's official web page:
http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/steam/locomotives/3985.shtml

"Challenger 3985" on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_3985

Watch in awe as the "Challenger 3985" pulls a massive, 13,000-ton double-stack container train without any diesel locomotive help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhgHrDbN4EU

The Blue Unit's 140th Edition is to close in Salt Lake City on Sunday night, Sept. 26, and begin its train-run to Denver using U.P. through Green River, Wyoming on Monday, Sept. 27. That evening, the train is to be held overnight in Speer WY (just east of Cheyenne, where U.P.'s public excursion fleet is maintained), to prepare for the "event" the following morning. Between midnight and dawn, Tuesday, Sept. 28, they'll add the Challenger - and perhaps some other coaches from the U.P. excursion fleet - to the Blue Unit's train (we presume for the major news network, and specially-invited guests, to ride aboard).

At some point between 7am and 8am that morning (give or take, depending on freight traffic one presumes) they'll depart Speer, heading south to Denver. Tens of thousands of railfans, news media, Circus fans and the general public are expected to follow along or come to trackside to witness this event - and a chase helicopter is supposed to be on hand to film this second day of the train-run.

I am scheduled begin working for the Blue Unit's CONCESSIONS DEPT. starting in Salt Lake City, so my reports may be sporadic at best: internet connections on the Circus Trains are not always available. But I'll make every attempt to keep posting the up-coming moves each weekend as I have been doing for the past several years, here and on Trainorders.com

With the Blue Unit already the single, longest passenger/mixed train in Earth History, the addition of any other passenger cars belonging to Union Pacific Railroad should easily make this train-run (on Sept. 28, 2010) one eligible for the Guinness Book of World Records!

If you are out west, or can get out there that day, COME AND SEE US! And, be sure to visit 'The Greatest Show On Earth' when it's in your home town.