I spent today in Bailey Yard, around the Golden Spike Tower and trackside, watching the largest freight yard in the world, in action. No pictures of that here, but a solid recommendation for train hounds to go and see for yourselves, as it is beyond description.
I drove through the N. Platte Community College campus, and discovered four freight cars, ex-UP, MP, and C&NW, permanently placed alongside the classrooms for teaching Diesel repair, along with a retired SP SD40-2, mostly intact, for training students and U.P. employees. One shop worker told me, once a student has completed the program at this school, they are virtually guaranteed a job at the shops in Bailey Yard. Pretty smart of U.P. to provide equipment for specialized training of future employees, alongside current employees.
Elsewhere in a public park, a retired U.P. Consolidation is displayed, in immaculate condition. Once more, the park is patrolled, the locomotive is illuminated, and painted. I've also noticed that children have a role in decorating the parks in N. Platte, so they take on some "ownership" of what happens there. Of course, Union Pacific also employs their parents and grandparents, so respect may be higher than normal. I have to admire N. Platte, the city with not only a park display of a Challenger and DD-40X, but also a second park with a small Consolidation, each locomotive looking like it could be run at a moment's notice.
Tonight, I'm in Cheyenne, going to check out the Big Boy tomorrow.