Friday, June 9, 2006 - Once again, it has been awhile since the last news update. I added the "Recent Photo Updates" section to the homepage above to make it easier for all of you to see the last 10 updates (as well as recent contributor updates). The side effect of having that is that I no longer need to post a news story to announce new photo updates!
Since the last photo update, UP 1989 (Search Photo Gallery) (the GP60, that is) has been reunumbered to make way for the DRGW Heritage Unit. The GP60 was renumbered on May 26. The next day, UP 8521 (SD70ACe) was delivered to the Wisconsin Southern (in primer gray) to be taken to the Horicon, WI paint shops. The unit was there for about two weeks, until yesterday when it was release and sent back to Union Pacific. So far, one picture of the unit (with a tarp covering everything above and including the running boards) has been posted on Railpictures.net. You can click here to be taken directly to the picture. Even though the unit is mostly covered, everything below the anti-climbers is clearly Aspen Gold, and the trucks and fuel tank are silver. That would imply some version of the one or four stripe schemes...however, if the other three heritage units taught us anything, it is that these units are very creative and do not directly resemble any paint scheme the railroads every actually used. The unit will be unveiled in Denver on the west side of North Yard (at an event for UP employees and their families) next Saturday (6/17). The event should run from 11:30am to 3:30pm.
In the spirit of the late-great Rio Grande, I also thought I would mention that UP 5245, the first ever Rio Grande unit (DRGW 3122) to be patched and, subsequently painted in UP colors has been working the Rocky / South Local for the last several weeks. I got a picture of it on the Rocky Local heading east out of Leyden yesterday afternoon. The Rocky Local was rolling very slowly due to five bad order hoppers that were in the consist.
Also, an Operation Lifesaver Passenger Special (SDVPH-08) went west on the Moffat yesterday, headed for Steamboat Springs, CO. The train consisted of SKTX 242 (the normal lead unit on the Ski Train) plus five cars from the Ski Train. The cars included a coach car (didn't catch which one), both lounge cars (North Park and Winter Park), and the Utah and Kansas. I just happened to be heading for work when I saw the train rounding Big Ten. I stopped near the crossing at Blue Mountain and shot the five car special rounding the curves and climbing up toward Tunnel One.
That's it for right now...you can count on seeing pictures of the Rio Grande Heritage Unit right here on drgw.ws sometime next weekend after it is unveiled. It also sounds as though the unit will primarily run between North Yard and Roper on the MNYRO/MRONY.
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