Alco RSC2

When Alco learned that UP was planning to dieselize; it was quick to introduce
the railroad to the new 1500-hp RSC2 road-switcher. The six-axle puller impressed management
sufficiently to purchase the demonstrator #1190 as well as to place multiple orders for additional
RSC2s along with a small number of the four-axle version. (Note: Photo is of sister unit #1282. -
Joe McMillan photo)
Ex-Alco RS27 DL640-4

RS27 Demonstrators polished UP rails during 1960. Although no orders
for additional Alco units resulted, UP elected to purchase four of the five demos (#DL 640-2 to
640-5) and numbered them 675 to 678. The remaining demonstrator DL 640-1 was upgraded by
the builder to a Century 424 and sold to the Pennsylvania RR. (F.H. Worsfold photo **)
| |
BLW DRS 64-1500

The program to fully dieselize the UP roster shifted into high gear during
1947 /48 and witnessed the purchase of 362 passenger, freight and switcher locomotives. All
of the major builders participated, including Baldwin which had been showcasing its new
six-axle (four powered) DRS 64-1500 #1250. (RR wallin collection **)
EMC NW2

During 1939, two EMC-built demonstrator switchers worked on the UP; they
were SW1 #911 and NW2 #899. At the end of the six-month demo period, the 600-hp SW1 was
returned to LaGrange. As for 1000-hp the NW2, it was purchased along with an order for an
additional 14-like models. (Note: hoping to find an image.)
| |
EMD E7A: Train of Tomorrow

The four-car GM Train of Tomorrow spent 29-months touring North American
railroads; it also inspired the construction of 232 more passenger dome cars. The last stop
on the train's 65,000-mile journey was the Union Pacific where it donned standard UP attire
and road number 988. (Todd Schannuth’s photo collection: ThemeTrains.com)
| EMD F7A

UP's ranks of ex-demonstrators included three F7As; two of which were #1481
and 1482 (ex-EMD 459A & 459D respectively). F7A #1483 (ex-EMD 5040) was lesser known because
most of its time had been spent demonstrating on the Norfolk & Western, which by-the-way never
purchased any EMD freight cabs. (Photographer not known)
|
EMD SD24

SD24 Demonstrator #5579 was the first six-axle 2000+ horsepower freight
locomotive to appear in an EMD catalogue. Built with a high short hood during the summer of
1958, it was acquired by UP in September 1962 and give road number 448. Photographer George
Cockle caught the turbo-charged locomotive at Omaha, NE in June 1976.
EMD GP30

GP30 Demonstrator #5629 was purchased in July 1962 one year after it
left EMD's McCook plant on a nation-wide tour. Initially, the new EMD model was going to be
called a GP22, however EMD marketers chose GP30 in an effort to strategically outpace GE and
its recently introduced U25B. (Craig Walker photo)
| |
EMD GP35

UP 762 was built as EMD 5652, one-fourth of a 15,000-hp GP35/DD35 set that
took to the rails in September 1963. The snazzy red/white demo was also exhibited at the
American Railroad Progress Exposition in Chicago during mid-October that same year. (Craig
Walker photo at Los Angeles in October 1974.)
EMD DD35

EMD's DD35 was in essence two GP35s sharing a common frame. Besides the lack
of a cab, the double-diesel was unique for its two four axle flexi-coil trucks. By late
September 1964, the UP roster included the two ex-demos and 25 additional DD35s. (Ed
Fulcomer photo)
| |
EMD SD40X

Today's SD70-ACe-T4 measures 76'-8" (app.). In contrast, EMD's first group of
SD40X demonstrators were were built on SD35 frames at 60'-8" in length. Beyond the armour
yellow and harbor-mist gray, the only constants perhaps are the UP shield and flared radiators.
#3044 is ex-EMD 434E. (Deane Motis photo)
EMD GP40X (of 1977)

The high-adhesion trucks featured on EMD's first GP40X prototypes made the
locomotives unique, as well as distinctive. UP purchased six of the 3500-hp model, including
the #9002 which was recorded in Cicero, Illinois enroute to its new owner on 4 March 1978.
(Jim Claflin photo **)
| |
FM H20-66

Fairbanks-Morse's lone H20-44 demonstrator was built in 1947; the unit's end cab
design made it unique among most road-switchers. Retired by UP in 1963, it went to Southwest
Portland Cement where it worked until 1987. The loco now resides at the IRM. (Creative Commons
photo).
GE 4500-hp Turbine

Although it was carried on the roster, GE's 4500-hp GTEL proto-type was never
actually owned by UP. However, the dual-cab turbine was instrumental in the later development
of the railroad's second and third generation (8500-hp) GTELs. (Bulder photo / Craig Garver
collection)
| |
GE UM20B A & B

GE's four-unit UM proto-type set (two 1600-hp cabs and two 1200-hp boosters
worked on the Erie RR from 1954 to 1959. Each was rebuilt with a 2000-hp powerplant and
sold to the UP as #620, 620A, 621B, 621A. Their tenure on the "Uncle Pete" lasted until
1963. (Dick Rumbolz photo / Chuck Zeiler collection)
GE U25B

GE's last of three U25B demonstrator sets took to the rails in early 1962.
The 2501 seen here in this Emery Gulash photo taken in Detroit while on the Chesapeake & Ohio
was the only low-nose unit in the quartet. The entire set was acquired by the UP in 1963 with
2501 renumbered 633. (Dave Jakubiac collection)
| |
GE 44-Tonner

A forgotten demonstrator? This small 44-Ton industrial-type loco spent
27 years on the UP, primarily in various forms of shop service. It was built in February 1947 as
a GE Demonstrator, but probably never spent time on any other rails until leaving the UP in
1974. (Don Ross collection).
Notes and Credits
Sources:
- Diesels of the Union Pacific: 1934 to 1982 by Don Strack
- UP Motive Power Review 1968-1977 (F. Hol Wagner, editor)
- Extra 2200 South (issues 67-71)
- Flickr.com
- Train Orders.com
(If you know name of The UP #1482 photographer (above), please contact me.)
| |