Friday, July 7, 2006 - Well, much to the surprise of everyone, UP 1989 (Search Photo Gallery) (the Rio Grande Heritage Unit) won't be coming back to Denver quite as quickly as originally anticipated. Instead, UP is going to send it south(east) on the North Fork Sub. Coal trains bound for the mines on the North Fork use "shuttle power". Two units (typically) are placed on the coal empty to run with the train out of the mines. Once at the mine, the power runs around the train and the train is loaded. Then, the train departs back for Grand Junction where the shuttle power is dropped. Power for the run back east is then added in Grand Junction and the shuttle power is used on the next train that needs to go to the mines.
Depending on how long UP decides to keep UP 1989 (Search Photo Gallery) on coal trains, it could remain out west for as long as 2 1/2 months! That approximately how long it will be before the unit will have to come back to Denver for its 92-day inspection. Anybody out west, good luck getting some shots!!
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