Is there a specific reason KATO did number 8444 (SD70Ace) with the Heritage series. My friend believes this number is apart of their series. Is he true?
Prolly because of the 844 (steam 4-8-4 Northern type) that is in the UP Steam program. UP 844 was renumbered to 8444 in '62 to allow that number to be used for a batch of neaw GP30's. When the GP30 844 was retired in the 80's, 8444 got her rightful number back. 8444 just happens to be a generic UP loco on thair monstrous roster. The number does have a symbolism.
One additional tidbit - when UP unveiled all the heritage fleet units for a photo op in Salt Lake City in 2007 (used on the Kato poster), the 8444 was the unit chosen to be washed and posed with the rest of the locomotives. So it's sort of a celebrity in this regard and seen in a lot of photos...
What Hemi wrote pretty much said it all, which is the reason she was pick to be photograh when all the heritage units were brought together for the family picture. Trains October 07 has the story and photo. Also when possible 8444 travels with 844 when she comes out to play.
I consider it to be part of the Heritage fleet. Every time I've seen the other six all together the 8444 is also there. But the road number is in series with the other standard ACes, just a happy accident, I guess.
I can't really add anything to the discussion other than UP donated the GP-30 that forced the number change, #844, to the Nevada State Railroad Museum's Nevada Southern Railway in Boulder City, NV. NSRM operates the locomotive today (still in full UP #844 paint) on their short excursion runs out of Boulder City. Jeff Moore Elko, NV
