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  • Union Pacific passenger trains

  • Discussion about the Union Pacific operations past and present. Official site can be found here: UPRR.COM.
Discussion about the Union Pacific operations past and present. Official site can be found here: UPRR.COM.

Moderator: GOLDEN-ARM

 #1318869  by Gadfly
 
theseaandalifesaver wrote:So far in my travels to Portland and Oakland, I've seen different sets of passenger cars sitting in yards. I believe they're UP, but I could be wrong.

Any idea what they're used for?
They many be used for inspection trains. private tours, and for the steam specials hauled by #844 and #3985.
 #1328178  by jstolberg
 
Seen today 4:20 pm in Naperville, IL at 103rd Street on former EJ&E, now CN.
http://jrrr.net/images/UPBusiness.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sorry for the slight blur. It was moving southbound at about 45 mph and I didn't have time to get my camera ready.

8825 was running smooth and quiet.
 #1331547  by John151
 
The photo above looks exactly like the train I saw parked at Ogilvie Transportation Center (OTC) in Chicago one morning earlier this week. There were 2 or 3 cars painted in UP Yellow and brown with lettering 'Union Pacific Limited" on the sides. There were two UP locomotives parked in front of the cars but were not connected to the cars. It is common to see UP locomotives around OTC terminal but not actually in the passenger loading area, but I have never seen the cars before.

Does anyone know why these cars would have been at OTC? Perhaps a charter or UP staff?
 #1335494  by eolesen
 
There are usually two or three passenger specials each year that visit OTC. Some are Operation Lifesaver trains for safety professionals, some are employee specials, and a few are inspection trains.

Here's a video of the train you saw on the 14th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArzwXfvB_2g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It was a special inspection train for the Metra Board of Directors, ran out to Woodstock, turned on the wye at Crystal Lake, and then returned to Proviso via the cutoff at Seeger in Des Plaines.

"Pacific Limited" is a sleeper car used by the Heritage Fleet crew that brought the train out from Council Bluffs. Usually, a cook and a passenger car mechanic accompany the train. Operating crew in the engines were all from the Chicago Service Unit, and the SD40-2N leader was there specifically because of the ATS signalling used on the Harvard Sub.

Engineering specials usually depart from West Chicago or Proviso. Employee specials that head up to the IRM usually leave directly from West Chicago.
 #1335559  by chrisf
 
John151 wrote:eolesen - Thanks for the info and the link to the video. Very cool.

Any idea why two locomotives? Seems like extreme overkill.
Would you want to be the guy who has to go back and apologize to the VIPs that they're stuck because the engine failed? :-D
 #1335966  by eolesen
 
John151 wrote:eolesen - Thanks for the info and the link to the video. Very cool.

Any idea why two locomotives? Seems like extreme overkill.
I thought I already told y'all --- the Harvard Sub has ATS, and needs a locomotive that has ATS equipment on it. UP 1972 was chosen because it was a pre-merger CNW unit that happened to have ATS.

SD70ACe 8855 stayed with the cars for its entire trip out of Council Bluffs -- the trip in Chicago was just one of several done after leaving CB.

Had the special been run on the Geneva Sub, Belvedere, or New Line (Milwaukee) Sub, they would have gone with just 8855.

The norm is one unit *unless* there's a need to do a backup move, and then they'll put a unit at both ends to avoid a shove.


Now.... If you think a SD40-N & a SD70Ace was overpowered, you should have been on the OLS special back in May 2011 --- it had C45AC-CTE UP 7400 (Komen Unit) on one end, four cars, and C45AC-CTE UP 2010 (BSA Unit) at the other.

And then there was a special I was on in August 2010 --- SD70ACe's UP 1995 (CNW heritage) in front of the cars, and C45AC-CTE UP 2010 (BSA) at the rear, plus four cars. For its run on the Harvard and the Kenosha Subs, they had a pair of road C41-8W's out of Proviso (UP 9442 on the point, UP 9452 at the rear) bookending the train (again for ATS).

With four engines, I don't think we dropped below 70 between Barrington and Harvard....
 #1337770  by Pj
 
Couple of corrections. The former CNW is ATC, not ATS. There is a difference. UP original lines, where equipped, is ACS. Yep, another difference there.

All UP motors (original, not merger inherited motors) are cab signaled equipped for ACS, unless the equipment is removed or taken out of service. All of the ex-CNW survivors are ATC, or have been upgraded to ATC/ACS combination cab signals. All UP engines built new since the merger (again, unless taken out of service) are equipped with ATC/ACS cab signals. UP1972 shows that is it equipped with UP CCS equipment.

SP and DRGW motors never had cab signals installed, and will not lead on cab signal equipped lines. Rarely they will - and typically only if a cab signal equipped leader and tested cannot be found/placed. In that case they will run with "Absolute Block" issued to the train.

3985 and 844 are UP ACS equipped.

The UP heritage fleet is stored/maintained in Council Bluffs, IA. The larger OCS trains are usually big wigs or special trains (Cheyenne Frontier Days, UP150 Year Special, etc). Smaller sets are put together for customers, company events, special events, etc. A car here or there is usually just stored out of the way and is typically not in service unless it has shiny paint. The practice of having a "superintendents" car went away many years ago. They typically see the railroad from their company vehicle unless the big bosses are in town.

--Looking deeper, those subdivisions are ATS (Automatic Train Stop). There are provisions for UP ACS (Automatic Cab Signals) for business trains as well.

An except from the ATS rules would allow a non-ATS equipped train to operated fast there:

ATS Device Cut Out, Not Equipped, or Not Working

Within ATS limits, if the ATS device on an engine controlling the trains air brakes fails or is cut out enroute, or if the engine
on a train being detoured is not equipped with a working ATS device, the following will apply:

-The train dispatcher must be notified promptly by radio or telephone.
-The train may proceed according to signal indication, but cannot exceed 40 mph until an absolute block is established in
advance of the train.
-If an absolute block is established in advance of the train as provided in Rule 11.1 (Establishing Absolute Block), the
train may proceed according to signal indication, but cannot exceed 79 MPH

GE AC engines are rated for 75mph, EMD 70, but the UP Rules state AC locomotives are limited to 70MPH. Steam engines are good for 82 IIRC
 #1340613  by drifter001
 
Pj wrote:Couple of corrections. The former CNW is ATC, not ATS. There is a difference. UP original lines, where equipped, is ACS. Yep, another difference there.

All UP motors (original, not merger inherited motors) are cab signaled equipped for ACS, unless the equipment is removed or taken out of service. All of the ex-CNW survivors are ATC, or have been upgraded to ATC/ACS combination cab signals. All UP engines built new since the merger (again, unless taken out of service) are equipped with ATC/ACS cab signals. UP1972 shows that is it equipped with UP CCS equipment.

SP and DRGW motors never had cab signals installed, and will not lead on cab signal equipped lines. Rarely they will - and typically only if a cab signal equipped leader and tested cannot be found/placed. In that case they will run with "Absolute Block" issued to the train.

3985 and 844 are UP ACS equipped.

The UP heritage fleet is stored/maintained in Council Bluffs, IA. The larger OCS trains are usually big wigs or special trains (Cheyenne Frontier Days, UP150 Year Special, etc). Smaller sets are put together for customers, company events, special events, etc. A car here or there is usually just stored out of the way and is typically not in service unless it has shiny paint. The practice of having a "superintendents" car went away many years ago. They typically see the railroad from their company vehicle unless the big bosses are in town.

--Looking deeper, those subdivisions are ATS (Automatic Train Stop). There are provisions for UP ACS (Automatic Cab Signals) for business trains as well.

An except from the ATS rules would allow a non-ATS equipped train to operated fast there:

ATS Device Cut Out, Not Equipped, or Not Working

Within ATS limits, if the ATS device on an engine controlling the trains air brakes fails or is cut out enroute, or if the engine
on a train being detoured is not equipped with a working ATS device, the following will apply:

-The train dispatcher must be notified promptly by radio or telephone.
-The train may proceed according to signal indication, but cannot exceed 40 mph until an absolute block is established in
advance of the train.
-If an absolute block is established in advance of the train as provided in Rule 11.1 (Establishing Absolute Block), the
train may proceed according to signal indication, but cannot exceed 79 MPH

GE AC engines are rated for 75mph, EMD 70, but the UP Rules state AC locomotives are limited to 70MPH. Steam engines are good for 82 IIRC
very nicely put! we had the UP VP visit our service unit last week. they pulled into the yard in Nampa as we were cutting some helpers into a soda ash train...luckily we started pulling as they pulled in so we didn't deal with them