What Locomotives will be at Rail Fest 2012?

For the first time ever presented to the general public, all six Union Pacific 'Heritage' Units will be assembled in the same place at the same time.

• UP 1996 Southern Pacific heritage unit
• UP 1995 Chicago and NorthWestern heritage unit
• UP 1989 Denver and Rio Grande Western heritage unit
• UP 1988 Missouri-Kansas-Texas heritage unit
• UP 1983 Western Pacific heritage unit
• UP 1982 Missouri Pacific heritage unit

In addition to the six Heritage Unites the "Living Legend, No. 844 steam locomotive and the 7400 is the "Race for the Cure" locomotive will be in North Platte for Rail Fest.

While the line up of locomotives that will be on display at Rail Fest is subject to change it looks like the follow locomotive will be in North Platte for Rail Fest. You will find a printable (PDF) summary of the locomotives that will be at Rail Fest and train watching site suggestions here.

Union Pacific's "Living Legend," No. 844

Steam Locomotive No. 844 is the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad. It was delivered in 1944. A high-speed passenger engine, it pulled such widely known trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger.

Many people know the engine as the No. 8444, since an extra '4' was added to its number in 1962 to distinguish it from a diesel numbered in the 800 series. The steam engine regained its rightful number in June 1989, after the diesel was retired.

When diesels took over all of the passenger train duties, No. 844 was placed in freight service in Nebraska between 1957 and 1959. It was saved from being scrapped in 1960 and held for special service. Read more here.

UP No. 1995 Chicago & North Western Railroad

The Chicago & North Western was a road of contrasts — serving Chicago commuters, Michigan iron mines and Illinois coal fields. It amassed a sprawling network of branch lines throughout the Midwest and established the industry’s first safety campaign by coining the phrase "Safety First."

The line also was a key link between Chicago and the West. Chicago & North Western was the first railroad to connect with Union Pacific at Council Bluffs in 1867, and in 1984, partnered with UP to open a connector line to the coal fields in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin – enabling the region to become a major U.S. energy source. The Chicago & North Western and Union Pacific merged in 1995.

The Chicago & North Western locomotive is the fifth unit in the heritage fleet and was unveiled at the Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago on July 15, 2006.

 Press Release: "New Union Pacific Locomotive Honors Men and Women of Chicago & North Western Railroad" – July 17, 2006

Locomotive, UP No. 7400

Omaha, Neb., September 28, 2010 – Union Pacific Railroad today unveiled its Pink Ribbon Locomotive, UP No. 7400, created as a tribute to the company's support of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and the many lives – employees, community members, friends and family – affected by breast cancer.

"Union Pacific is proud of our thousands of employees, spearheaded by LEAD, our professional woman's group, who have helped raise awareness and funds that go toward breast cancer awareness," said Jim Young, Union Pacific chairman and chief executive officer.

"This is truly an exciting day for Susan G. Komen for the Cure," said Judy Adams, managing director, affiliate relations for Komen for the Cure. "LEAD and many other Union Pacific employees have done so much for our organization. It's a great honor for our promise to end breast cancer forever to be recognized in this very special way." The Pink Ribbon Locomotive primarily will pull automotive and intermodal trains and will travel throughout Union Pacific's 23-state, 7,000-community network.  More information here.

Locomotive 1982

Union Pacific 1982 is an EMD SD70ACe locomotive owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. It is one of six SD70ACe locomotives referred to as the UP's Heritage units, units painted to pay tribute to predecessor railroads acquired by Union Pacific. UP 1982 is painted in Missouri Pacific colors. The locomotive was unveiled together with number 1983 (painted in honor of Western Pacific Railroad) in a private ceremony on July 30, 2005, in Omaha, Nebraska, after which it entered regular revenue service. More information here.

UP 1989

June 19, 2006 – Union Pacific has introduced the latest addition to its Heritage Series of locomotives – the Denver & Rio Grande Western locomotive. Incorporating historic colors and graphic elements of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, the new locomotive pays tribute to the men and women of the railroad that "went everywhere the hard way." Union Pacific unveiled the locomotive during a special employee event in Denver Saturday.

"Union Pacific gained more than track and territory from the many railroads that have joined us through the years, we also gained the expertise and knowledge of the many people who worked for those great lines," said Bob Turner, senior vice president-Corporate Relations. "The creation of our Heritage Series is just one way we can honor the generations of men and women who helped to build a great nation and the foundation for our future."

The Denver & Rio Grande Western locomotive joins the Missouri Pacific and Western Pacific locomotives unveiled in July 2005, and the Katy locomotive rolled out in September 2005. Two more Heritage Series locomotives, the Chicago & North Western and Southern Pacific, will be introduced this summer. All honor the people and the railroads that have made Union Pacific what it is today. More information here.

UP No. 1988 Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad

The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, affectionately referred to as the Katy, was created in 1865. By the time it joined Union Pacific in 1988, the Katy served six midwestern states with more than 3,377 miles of track. It was an important north-south link between the Midwest and Texas, especially for the growing coal business. The Katy had primary operating centers in Denison, Texas; Bellmead, Texas; and Parsons, Kan.; and was headquartered in Dallas.
The new Katy Heritage Series locomotive is numbered 1988 to reflect the year its namesake joined Union Pacific, and the locomotive will initially operate within territory served by the Katy. The Katy locomotive was unveiled Sept. 20, 2005

UP No 1983 Western Pacific railroad

From 1910 until merging with Union Pacific Railroad in 1982, the Western Pacific was one of the West's most popular railroads. Attracting fans from all over the world, the WP's short but diverse route featured everything from urban industrial trackage in the thriving metropolis of the San Francisco Bay area to the scenic splendors and sleepy mountain communities of the famous Feather River Route and on through the desert wastelands of Eastern Nevada and Utah
In 1970, a solid green paint scheme with orange lettering was introduced, followed by the addition of an orange nose in 1979, the final WP color scheme. The heritage locomotive was unveiled in Omaha, Neb., in July 2005.

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