SILVIS, Ill. — The Iowa Interstate Railroad is moving the first five passenger cars Union Pacific donated to the non-profit Railroading Heritage of Midwest America to the RRHMA shop in Silvis. The cars moved on a special train powered by GP38-2 No. 715, departing Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Thursday, Aug. 25. The train was expected to reach Silvis in the early-morning hours of Friday, Aug. 26.
In April, Union Pacific and RRHMA and announced an agreement that included the donation of Challenger No. 3985, 2-10-2 No. 5511, DDA40X No. 6936, and other equipment from UP’s Heritage Fleet to RRHMA, which plans to restore both steam locomotives to operating condition [see “Railroading Heritage of Midwest America, Union Pacific agree …,” Trains News Wire, April 28, 2022]. Included in the donation ex-Southern Pacific business car Stanford, originally the 1928 SP Sunset No. 140 (renamed in 1955) and four UP coaches built by American Car & Foundry in 1954: Katy Flyer, built as UP 5468; Portland Rose, built as No. 5473; Sunshine Special, ex-UP 5480; and City of Salina, former UP 5482. These cars were included in the special train move across Iowa via IAIS’s ex-Rock Island main line.
Other equipment, including the two steam locomotives, will be moved this autumn in another special move that RRHMA and Union Pacific are planning to publicize, much like when Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 was moved from California to Wyoming in 2014.
RRHMA is seeking donations for the upgrading and repainting of the cars at www.rrhma.com, 261.com, and Support RRHMA | Railroading Heritage of Midwest America.
— Updated at 12:30 p.m. CDT on Aug. 26 to add photo of cars at Silvis, at bottom.
It still bothers me that UP gave Challenger 3985 away. The 2-10-2 would have never run for UP and the 6936 DDA40X is not really a historic locomotive in the preservation sense. But the Challenger only needed a new burner set-up to be returned to use. I am afraid this is the first step to “rationalization” of the heritage fleet and perhaps a minimization of the whole legacy operation. I expected Ed Dickinson to fight harder to keep it going but as an outsider the fight is not in him now he has the Big Boy 4014 and 844 as his sole charges. Wonder when he will rid himself of the E8 and E9 passenger units as well. It is so disappointing to this lifelong UP Fan…