Best Ever UP Locomotive

[Colonel]

OK all you UP fans what locomotive do you think was or is the best ever used by UP?
I'd have to say the SD40 or the infamour Bigboy

I look forward to any comments

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http://members.optusnet.com.au/~pcassar/index

[Alan]

Definitely the SD40-2, those are my favourite locomotive, don't know why - they just look great, probably those long porches http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif And engineers speak highly of them.

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Alan

The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale!

www.ac-models.com (http://www.ac-models.com)
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[Patrick]

I'll second the SD40-2's

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Residing in BNSF's St. Croix Subdivision near Trempealeau, WI

[friscoluvr]

The 8500 hp turbine locomotives. UP had them exclusively and they were awesome!!!

Dale

[george78]

SD40-2's for me as well.

speaking of them, i saw USA Trains' new model of the SD40-2's....the UP engine???? it was beautiful. i ordered one right on the spot. he said they shop next week, so hopefully i'll get it really soon after.

[friscobob]

For sheer sound, fury, and power, the Big
Blow.
For everyday freight service, the SD40-2
(close second, the C30-7)
For my first exposure to branchline power,
the RSC2.
For just flat-out coal train lugging, the
AC4400W.
I may get disagreements from the steam folks,
but I was born too late to see steam, so I'm
basing my faves on the diesel era.
And yes, I've seen 844 and 3985 in service,
and was blown away.........:O



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Ship IT on the Frisco!
Bob T.

[Kermit]

I'm a man of simple tastes. I'll go for the good old GP20. A true classic. Can't be beat.

[rail_fan]

Definitely the SD60`s and the SD90`s.

Railfan http://mypage.bluewin.ch/Railfan/

[Ron Carlisle]

Both locomotives, the SD40/SD40-2 and the Big Boy are worthy of the title "best UP locomotive" Both have worked hard for Union Pacific and have worked almost everything that was hitched on the back.
In this family, I am for the SD40's but my wife, a new convert to model railroading says that the Big Boy and Challenger should have the credit.
I can see a few family arguments here!

[Chessie_SD50_8563]

SD9043MMAC
SD90MAC
SD90MAC-HII
SD70M
DDA40X


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Theres no such thing as having to many coal hoppers or GP40-2 when you model Chessie System
LONG LIVE THE KITTEN!!!
LONG LIVE BIG BLUE!!!

[BC Rail King]

I second what Chessie SD50 said, and I am also a DD lover (not literally) http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif

Happy Railroading!!

Dane N.

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TAMR2860-AKA BC Rail King
TAMR2860@Canada.com for TAMR info.
To send a general TRAIN! E-Mail send to
BCRailKing@Canada.com
AIM me at TAMR2860!

[Colonel]

If you guys are like me I love new technology so the SD90's are certainly up there with the best. I have noticed though not many GE units are mentioned. I have a model of the C30's and think they were one of the better GE locomotives

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http://members.optusnet.com.au/~pcassar/index

[friscobob]

If you want up-to-date heavy-haul UP power, we got it here in Grand Junction! AC4400Ws and AC6044s are used on coal trains off the Montrose branch, and every once in a while
SD9043MACs sneak in.
BNSF runs everything six-axle from the SD40-2s to the now-leased C30-7s to the C44-9Ws in both ATSF Super Fleet colors and BNSF
Heritage I and II paint.


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Ship IT on the Frisco!
Bob T.

[E-8]

DD40AX

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Ship It On The FRISCO! (http://www.frisco.org)

[upguy]

I'll have to say the SD40-2's. I was really estatic when Kato finally got around to making them. Like the Union Pacific, I think that I will own a lot of them. http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

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Rett

[Dash]

LOOOVE AC60CW and AC6044CWs!!!!!!!! This probably comes from seeing #7063 wearing

We will deliver!!!!!!

I like the way the overhang goes over the rear deck too!!!!!

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Cya own the line!

The one and ONLY Dash!!

[AFN]

GP-30 and SD-24 with or without cabs.

[pray59]

Challengers hed to be the best...IMHO http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif

[Craig Martyn]

On this one I am going to have to say SD90MAC's.........yes, thats right, MAC's........the ones that were pleaged with problems.

I have a friend who works for EMD and is a mechanic (15 years now) and said that there was never any problems with the 6000 horsepower engine, the problem was with all of the electronics. He said most, if not all problems are taken care of. I asked him why RR's don't buy a bunch of them then, he said that they now have a bad reputation.....which is true.

Next would be the SD70M's. I like EMD locomotives WWWWWAAAAAYYYY better than GE, so there you go.

(heres a little something, GE as far as I know has had a lot more problems with the C60 than EMD has had with the SD90MAC......though I gotta ask.

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Craig Martyn

BLMA(best looking models around)
Custom painting and detailing

AND N scale detail parts!!!

[poohdawg10]

Although I am not a die-hard UP fan compared to others out there, I gotta say that the Challengers are my favorite!

[This message has been edited by poohdawg10 (edited 22 June 2000).]

[Gats]

the experimental turboed GP-9's - funky looking with all the add-ons.
As for the AC6000, there are more in operation than their EMD counterparts. Their twin exhaust is an interesting feature from up high.

Yep, I like GE's http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

Gary.

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Gary A. Rose
The Unofficial TC&W page (http://www.pnc.com.au/~audiosat/)
N to the Nth degree!

[LCSO_927]

Best engine ever used by UP? Anything that's still in SP paint.

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Mike Smith
Eugene, Oregon

www.angelfire.com/or/LCSO927
SP FOREVER!!!!

[MRL Mick]

SD40-2 was superb
GP40-2 can do anything
AC6000W can pull anything
The centennial was amazing
The Challenger was inspiring
The Big Boy was Estimable

Union Pacific...The proof is in the Pulling

[Chessie_SD50_8563]

Craig. I too have heard the same thing. but I also heard form EMD techs about the engine problems being true.

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Theres no such thing as having to many coal hoppers or GP40-2 when you model Chessie System
LONG LIVE THE KITTEN!!!
LONG LIVE BIG BLUE!!!
I looked at DCC... and stayed DC!

[tunnel88]

There's a reason the UP had more SD40-2s than anybody else...

Some of those other units may be neat(Big Blows, DD40, etc), but there's a reason they're not around today- not cost effective. The C30-7 as a choice? http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif Up didn't even want the latest rebuilt ones!

Of course that huge order for SD70Ms may somewhat weaken my argument for sheer #s having to do with 'the best'! http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif


Forgot to mention the SD90MAC-H also has twin exhaust-

[This message has been edited by tunnel88 (edited 01 September 2000).]

[caseyboy94@aol.com]

gp-30s for sure---ugly and lots of room in the cabs---best for the mainline

[friscobob]

Maybe I'm crazy, but am I the only one that's
starting to get nostalgic for a solid power consist of SD40-2s?
The SD70Ms are neat, but I shot a potload of SD40-2s on UP freights in Topeka, KS back in the 1980s. Even the U30Cs/C30-7s scattered here & there have a soft spot in my heart.



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Southeast....Southwest..
Ship IT on the Frisco!
Bob T.
http://hometown.aol.com/slsf1630/myhomepage/profile.html

[tunnel88]

I hear you...

[StickyMonk]

<font color="336633">Big blow</font>

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Matthew
wheres all the C636's????
stickymonk.com (http://www.stickymonk.com)
Matts Photo gallery (http://monkhome.homestead.com)

[Ron Carlisle]

Bob T.
Got to agree with you about the SD40/SD40-2s and U30C/C30-7s diesel types.
No matter what the railroad, but especially on the Union Pacific, the sight of a bunch of these diesels on the front of a long freight is really awesome.

These new modern types (SD60s/70s/90s) do not do a thing for me at all.

We shall see if the new diesels are able to perform or last as long as their sturdy predecessors.

Ron C.

Rio Grande, Mainline thru the Rockies

[watash]

If any of you had ever ridden in the cab of 1,300,000 pounds of 4-8-8-4 pure brute horse power, and feel it start a train all by its lonesome as if that mile and a half of cars were no more than a couple, well.....

There really isn't any more words to describe it, than the feel of a BIG70MAC under you, you just have to be there.

There was the times you got the old girl up to her dancing speed, breathing easy, and she settles into that syncopated rythum when you could just hug her neck, and you knew she loved you too. That was steam! I think diesel is exciting, like trying to hang on to a screeming clawing cat that would have you for lunch.

Both great, just different.

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Watash