Union Pacific 844

Infobox Locomotive
name = Union Pacific 844
powertype = Steam


caption = UP 844 at Del Rio, Texas
gauge = RailGauge|ussg
railroad = Union Pacific
whytetype = 4-8-4
disposition = operates in occasional excursion service
roadnumber = 844
builder = American Locomotive Company
serialnumber = 72791
driversize = convert|80|in|abbr=on
wheelbase = locomotive and tender: 98 ft 5 in (30 m)
weight = convert|486340|lb|abbr=on
weightondrivers = convert|266490|lb|abbr=on
locotenderweight = convert|907890|lb|abbr=on
fueltype = No. 5 fuel oil, originally coal
tenderc

boiler = 86 frac|3|16 in (2189.2 mm) diameter
boilerpressure = convert|300|psi|abbr=on|lk=on
firearea = convert|100|sqft|abbr=on (grate removed in 1945)
tubearea = convert|2204|sqft|abbr=on
fluearea = convert|1578|sqft|abbr=on
fireboxarea = convert|442|sqft|abbr=on
totalsurface = convert|4224|sqft|abbr=on
superheaterarea = convert|1400|sqft|abbr=on
cylindersize = convert|25|in|abbr=on bore × convert|32|in|abbr=on stroke
tractiveeffort = convert|63800|lbf|abbr=on|lk=on
factorofadhesion = 4.18
railroadclass = FEF-3
deliverydate = December 1944
retiredate = Never retired

Union Pacific 844 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive owned by Union Pacific Railroad. It was the last steam locomotive delivered (in 1944) to Union Pacific and is unique in that it is the only steam locomotive never retired by a North American Class I railroad. It was designed as a passenger engine and pulled such trains as the "Overland Flyer", "Los Angeles Limited", "Portland Rose" and "Challenger". It was reassigned to freight service when diesel-electric locomotives took over passenger service and operated from 1957 to 1959 in Nebraska. It was saved from being scrapped in 1960 and is now used on company and public excursion trains, along with revenue freight during ferry moves.

From 1962-1989, this locomotive was numbered UP 8444 due to a conflict with the railroad's numbering plan for the EMD GP30 locomotives that UP owned at the time. After the conflicting GP30 was retired from service in June 1989, 8444 was renumbered back to 844. Interestingly, the GP30 is preserved and operable and there is now an EMD SD70ACe in UP's roster numbered 8444. [cite web|url=http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=161040|title=UP 8444 Union Pacific EMD SD70ACe at Laramie, Wyoming|accessdate=2008-09-18]

A second 4-8-4 of the same class, UP 838, is kept in the shops at Cheyenne, Wyoming as a source of spare parts.

The UP 844 appears in the opening and closing credits of the 1989-1995 PBS show "Shining Time Station".

ee also

Union Pacific FEF Series

References

External links

* [http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/excurs/up844.shtml UP Steam Locomotive No. 844 - official website] maintained by Union Pacific Railroad
* [http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/history/loco/locohs01.shtml UP historical locomotives]
* [http://www.upsteam.com/ Union Pacific Steam Shop] Information on locomotives and excursion schedules.
* [http://photoswest.org:8080/cgi-bin/cw_cgi?resultsScreen+13953+1+10+0 The Otto C. Perry Collecton of UP 844]
* [http://www.eastsiderailnow.org/844/sl_0.html Just For Fun . . .] Photos of UP 844's May 2007 visit to the Seattle area
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoU_9uVvQ_Y Video footage of UP 844 traveling coupled to the UP DDA40X Centennial 6936]