Rediscovering the Ames Brothers monument on the Transcontinental Railroad’s Sherman Hill

Transcontinental Railroad: Ames Monument at Sherman Hill in Wyoming.

The Ames Brothers monument along the former Union Pacific and Transcontinental Railroad right-of-way in Wyoming. The monument is on the Sherman Hill grade. Richard Koenig OLD SHERMAN, Wyo. — One of my favorite places on the first Transcontinental Railroad is Sherman Hill. It was the first big obstacle in Union Pacific’s way when the railroad […]

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Law enforcement and road closures on Big Boy No. 4014’s route in Wyoming and Utah NEWSWIRE

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The 2014 deadhead move of No. 4014 through Utah’s Echo Canyon created a long line of chasers in vehicles. Trains: Jim Wrinn CHEYENNE, Wyo. — With only one month before Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 makes its inaugural run from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Ogden, Utah, law enforcement agencies in both states are reminding fans […]

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What’s in a photograph?: Mountain-type F3s on the Union Pacific

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Jerry A. Pinkepank 1 “Mountain Type” F3A. Briefly in 1947, EMD referred to its steam-generator-equipped, passenger-geared F3s as “The Mountain Type.” These units were intended for use on passenger trains that traversed grades for which E7s were not suitable. In September 1947 Union Pacific got eight F3 A-B-B sets, plus three extra A units, all […]

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Tickets still available for Big Boy sendoff in Cheyenne NEWSWIRE

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. – More than 600 tickets have been sold to the christening celebration of Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 at the Cheyenne Depot Museum on May 4. As of Monday morning, Christy McCarthy, executive director of the Cheyenne Depot Museum, tells Trains News Wire that all of the “VIP” tickets have been sold […]

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Union Pacific slows work on new Texas hump yard, no longer has firm completion date NEWSWIRE

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Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz Union Pacific OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has slowed work on the new hump yard it is building near Hearne, Texas, and no longer has a firm opening date for the $550-million Brazos Yard. UP now has about 90 contractors working on the yard, down from 300. Crews were aiming […]

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Taking a fresh look at the transcontinental railroad in photos

The railroad roundhouse is even more an anachronism than the heavy-timber barn, and perhaps even more emblematic of nostalgic times in U.S. history. The Evanston, Wyo., roundhouse stabled Union Pacific steam locomotives for decades, nearly fell to ruin, and is now being converted into a modern convention center, naturally with railroad theme.

FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN The railroad roundhouse is even more an anachronism than the heavy-timber barn, and perhaps even more emblematic of nostalgic times in U.S. history. The Evanston, Wyo., roundhouse stabled Union […]

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Where the Transcontinental Railroad’s replica steam locomotives live

Promontory National Historic Site Union Pacific No 119 steam locomotive

Replica steam locomotive Union Pacific 4-4-0 No. 119 stands outside its modern engine shed in rural Utah in 2018. TRAINS: Jim Wrinn Come May 10, 2019, two locomotives will be in the spotlight for some 12,000 spectators at the 150th celebration of the first Transcontinental Railroad completion: Replicas of Central Pacific Jupiter and Union Pacific […]

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Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, work on restoring washed out bridges in Nebraska NEWSWIRE

Flooding of the Platte River south of Omaha Nebraska has destroyed spans of the BNSF Omaha Subdivision

Flooding of the Platte River, south of Omaha, Neb., has destroyed spans of BNSF Railway’s Omaha Subdivision, along with the Union Pacific’s Fall City Subdivision. On Tuesday morning, a Union Pacific crane was working on removing a log jam on the upstream side of the bridge. Steve Smedley Three truckloads of rock are being dumped […]

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Ask Trains: Is Union Pacific the only U.S. rail carrier to use long rail?

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Union Pacific SD60 No. 2181 is on the point of a welded rail train tucked into the storage siding at Woodford, Calif., for the weekend in March 2002. TEH-12131-6 Howard Ande Question: Is Union Pacific the only U.S. rail carrier to use long rail? What exactly is long rail? Periodically, I see ocean bulk carriers bringing […]

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Ask Trains: Who named 4-8-8-4 steam locomotives, a ‘Big Boy’?

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Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 as it slowly departs Pomona, Calif., in 2013. TRAINS: Jim Wrinn Question: Reportedly, Union Pacific had a name picked out for it’s 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotive but someone at American Locomotive Co. in Schenectady, N.Y., beat them to the punch by writing the name “Big Boy” on […]

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Are Wyoming cities prepared for the Big Boy 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive visit? NEWSWIRE

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Big Boy steam locomotive 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 is in tow between two Union Pacific diesel locomotives in April 2014 near Rock Springs, Wyo. Small cities along the route of the Big Boy this year say they’ve not specifically prepared for tourists. TRAINS: Jim Wrinn EVANSTON, Wyo. — Union Pacific’s move of restored Big Boy No. […]

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Tickets for Big Boy christening in Cheyenne go on sale March 22 NEWSWIRE

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The EventBrite page to buy Big Boy christening tickets on Friday. CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Tickets for a front row seat to see Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 depart Cheyenne on its inaugural run in May are going on sale March 21. The Cheyenne Depot Museum is selling tickets to a special christening ceremony scheduled […]

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