UnionPacific #3985 Towed Backward by U.P. E9's

OMAHA, NE- On September 9, 2000, the 3985 left Omaha going west. It traveled to Valley, NE where it met up with UP's E9 A-B-A diesel set. After the 3985 and her train pulled on to the wye, the E9's coupled on to the back of the train, and towed the train backward to Fremont. There, the E9's detatched and the 3985 pulled the train onto the former CNW line which she then traveled eastward on.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Union
• Pacific
• 3985
• Challenger
• heritage
• units
• E9
• E9's
• 951
• 949
• A-B-A
• Passenger
• train
• Omaha
• Fremont
• Valley
• Nebraska
• Steam

[SP9330]

UP sure knows how to put on a show

[OmahaTom]

You got that right... Thanks for watching!

[OmahaTom]

I believe the main reason was economics. Shaping the nose into that round shape was more expensive than just hammering some sheet metal together as they do with modern locomotives.

[hadiazful]

@OmahaTom U sure u love trains?(reply to my comment)

[TheRedzGuy]

Thank You so very much with this Union Pacific Locomotives!!!!!! :-D

[TurbinePower69]

@staydput Your right about using the E9's as a safety call...however, the E9's are used quite a bit,

pulling the " Executive Train " (self explanatory) and other functions. As far as " use to be two-stroke " and " now they've shifted to turbo'd four-strokes "...is NOT entirely correct. GE, the " other " builder....uses

a four cycle (German...Deutz, built under license)...However, EMD's principle prime mover is STILL,  the venerable 710 series..2cycle.

[SkipW]

Oh man that is so fine, & the last run by was like a rocket launch out of Omaha

[trainguy3]

That6 number shall live in fame forever-3985

[MrZkr123]

listen to that horn i could fall asleep to that

[staydput]

BTW, using diesels to pull her in reverse was a pure safety call.

While steam can run backward as fast as forward -- just like diesels...

The caboose is GONE.

Hence, so much safer to use a 'yard' engine.

In this case ANOTHER beast from history...

These older diesels usually stay in the barn/ await the museum.

Diesels used to be two-stroke massive cubes...

Now they've shifted to turbo'd four-strokes -- and A/C motors with smart controls.

[staydput]

@OmahaTom

No...

It was MARKETING ...

Streamlining was ALL the rage.

However such locos make for poor 'consists'...

See 'Runaway Train' ....

[fernando93540]

UP, minha ferrovia preferida!

[bluesguitardude]

@Austocracy interesting... :)

[Austocracy]

@bluesguitardude On a railroad, a wye is a track configuration that allows a train to flip/ reverse the direction it's facing. It's called a "wye" because its shaped like the letter 'Y'. If you picture a straight RR track from above going left to right, the wye would be a Y shape below it. A train would pull onto one "leg" of the wye until the rear was passed the bottom switch, then backup back onto the mainline using the other leg. When it's back on the mailine, it's facing the other direction.