UPDATE: October 22, 2017 - A new UP Heritage Locomotive #1943 - on the road to New Orleans!

That UP #9026 has already been renumbered to #1943.

This could be really cool...

Ben

Excited!

https://www.facebook.com/union.../?type=3&theater

A C&EI heritage unit under the tarp?

new UP heritage unit.  Hoping its B-17 olive drab with Spirit of Union Pacific nose art.  Actually, it might be a MoPac with the silver and blue colors shown.

https://www.up.com/timeline/in...rit-of-union-pacific

actually, now im thinkin its gonna be a USAF unit similar to the NS 6920 but in AF blue and silver

The "big event", i.e. unwrapping, takes place this afternoon 1:15PM, San Antonio time, Oct 19, 2017.

Any live coverage??

Jeff T posted:

Any live coverage??

Nope.

Wow, that is one awesome loco- thanks for the pics-

Love the front 2/3rds... Wish that camo was done to match the rest of the color scheme...

Jeff T posted:

Love the front 2/3rds... Wish that camo was done to match the rest of the color scheme...

Second that. Sure don't understand the colors at all anyway, especially that dreadful camo green. What does THAT have to do with the U.A.A.F B-17 bomber from 1943 anyway?

I wouldn't have assumed this was a USAF design as such by looking at it, though the 'nose art' name would certainly ring a bell (as I know WW2 history as well as 'Hot Water' knows about steam) if I'd seen it go by without knowing about it ahead of time.

Maybe the color choice in  camouflage is meant to represent a wide timespan of military service.  I could be wrong, have been before, will be again, but I don’t think the POW/MIA flag was around during WWII was it? It’s commonly associated with the Vietnam War.  I think maybe UP was trying to cast a wide historical net with their attempt to pay tribute to the service members.  

Ben 

Confusing design yes.  I think trying to please too many ppl.  I would have preferred an olive drab us army air corps style, but to each his own.  Still unique,  but my OCD is going crazy.

Well, the bottom line is, we ALL should give the Union Pacific management a big ATT-A-BOY for doing this, and supporting all our military branches. I, for one, appreciate it!

NotInWI posted:

Maybe the color choice in  camouflage is meant to represent a wide timespan of military service.  

That's the pattern for the BDU uniforms, which existed from the 80s until the early 2000s (though the USMC stopped using them first in favor of their own pattern and every service followed suit later)

I could be wrong, have been before, will be again, but I don’t think the POW/MIA flag was around during WWII was it?

Nope, that wasn't a thing until the early 70s.

 I think maybe UP was trying to cast a wide historical net with their attempt to pay tribute to the service members.  

I agree fully.

Trainplace posted:

I would have preferred an olive drab us army air corps style, but to each his own. 

When I first heard of this design (from a friend at the USAF museum a while back), I'd thought it would be a heritage unit memorializing the actual B-17 that carried the UP name, as the plane was shot down early on (I think on it's 5th mission, but don't quot  me on that) with some of the crew killed and the remainder captured and thrown into Luft Stalags.

FYI, the plane was a B-17F-120-BO, tail #42-30826. It served with the 571st Squadron of the 390th Bomb Group (Heavy). It was built at Boeing in Seattle and the name was painted on the plane at Boeing Field. UP had trackage rights on the line past Boeing Field (as it does now), so UP trains surely rolled nearby as it was readied for war.

I like it.  Fun and whimsical like a kid came up with it.  I think there is a lot of different elements tied in.  I can see how it won't appeal to all though.

Where was it displayed?  It appears to be surrounded by BNSF units.

ecd15 posted:

Where was it displayed?  It appears to be surrounded by BNSF units.

San Antonio, Texas, which is, and has been, a MAJOR U. S. Air Force town.

Beautiful looking engine! Props to UP for supporting the troops! 

I agree with he comments on the odd color scheme, but still a great tribute and a 66% awesome paint job! Lionel or MTH, we need this soon!

Ugly

Here are a few more pics up close.

Love the tribute, but agree with the first 2/3rds assessment. I'm not certain what camouflage has to do with the USAF. That aside, esthetically, the final third is just too many notes.

It seems that no matter what a company will try to do too pay respect to one thing or another there are always critics, it is to pay respect to our military.  If you don't like it at least respect the effort.  Cheers Jim

I love it and want one.   Doesn't bother me in the least whether anyone else likes it or not.   

Nick

Looks waaaayyyy better in person...pics don't do it justice!

trainnut56 posted:

It seems that no matter what a company will try to do too pay respect to one thing or another there are always critics, it is to pay respect to our military.  If you don't like it at least respect the effort.  Cheers Jim

I agree...but you know that some people will complain about the hole in a donut.

I like it, and very much appreciate UP doing it.   (Appreciate them having a steam program, too)

Another thought .... UP instead doing an engine for each of the 5 services, and unveiling them at the same time. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard. Conjure up some unique paint schemes for each.

Still .... thanks UP.

My two years in the Infantry as a machine gunner gives me the right to be a critic. It is ugly.

Camo needs to go !!

One of the most beautiful paint schemes ever!!! 

Hot Water posted:

jim pastorius posted:

My two years in the Infantry as a machine gunner gives me the right to be a critic. It is ugly.

So,,,,,,,,did you machine gun anyone, i.e. combat in Vietnam?

So if I like does that mean I get machine gunned down? 

I will take my chances.....I like it.

Looks like 2/3rds of an Amtrak engine. 

Support our troops.

Somehow it seems those in the Navy get left out of the statement.  Maybe instead of the camo, a dark background with the seals of the services might be better.

Of have 1943 be the AF unit, and then one each for the other three?

But I have to give UP credit for just doing 1943.

I love it!  And a quick check of the UP website says that the colors are selected to represent all the services: AF Grey, Coast Guard stripes, Navy Grey, camo.

Maybe they could have used Alpine (or whatever it's called) cold weather camo with the white/grey/black pattern to keep the color scheme..?