Several Questions for The Real Train Department • Part Two

The E9's and as far as I know ALL of the cars used on this trip are all UP owned.  The locomotives and cars are used for specials like this and various other inspection trains or shipper specials, similar to Norfolk Southern's F units and passenger car fleet.  With the steam engines out of commission, theoretically the E9's, along with DDA40X 6936 should be busier than ever, but for various reasons, I think some of these special moves have also been run with standard freight power.  I know the Denver post is a major sponsor of the Frontier Days train, but how much of the tab they actually pay compared to cost that UP eats, I have no idea.

Part Two / Union Pacific • Denver Post / Cheyenne Frontier Days Train / Looking for a ride on the passenger cars.

Hi Diesel Bob / Thanks for answering all the questions in Part One now onto, Part Two.

1.  What city does the Union Pacific store all 18 passenger cars, E9 and are they parked outside?

2.  I have been working with several railroad travel agencies, see company header below. I would like to know does The Union Pacific Run these passenger cars for any other events?  Tickets for Denver Post - Cheyenne Frontier Days -  Train, are hard to come by.  They are now selling by a lottery system.

3.   My bottom line I would like to take a ride on these passenger cars, on a non Cheyenne Frontier Days Train any suggestions? At this time, Railroad Travel Agents have no leads.

Thanks - Looking forward to a response form any OGR member.  /  Gary

As far as I know, The UP doesn't run fan trips with the E units like the Rocky Mountain Club RR. used to offer for railfans anymore.

Just the Denver Post special.

If your pockets are deep enough the  executive cars used to be available for lease, if I remember correctly.   In the seventies the cars sat outside at Fox Park Commissary .  In the CB Council Tucky yard.  Then when the diesel and caboose shops closed in Omaha the cars moved to inside storage and many were updated to new FRA codes, no more honeypots.  I'm fairly sure it was in the mid to late 80's when the shops were raised and the cars moved to Cheyenne. 

  If I'm incorrect please let me know.

aterry11 posted:

If your pockets are deep enough the  executive cars used to be available for lease, if I remember correctly.   In the seventies the cars sat outside at Fox Park Commissary .  In the CB Council Tucky yard.  Then when the diesel and caboose shops closed in Omaha the cars moved to inside storage and many were updated to new FRA codes, no more honeypots.  I'm fairly sure it was in the mid to late 80's when the shops were raised and the cars moved to Cheyenne. 

  If I'm incorrect please let me know.

When the original Omaha Shops complex was raised and the land sold off (For a new Convention Center), the UP rebuilt the former C&NW roundhouse and yard complex in Council Bluffs, IA. Also, new buildings were constructed to house the entire executive car fleet. Maintenance can be, and is, performed while the cars are in the big storage buildings, while heavy work and truck/wheel hangouts are done in the former roundhouse.

The executive fleet passenger equipment was NEVER reassigned to Cheyenne.

The DDA40X #6936, as well as the three (A-B-A) executive E units (actually GP38-2 insides) have always been assigned to the steam shop in Cheyenne.

Hey Hot water,  Those buildings of which you speak of in CB where are they?  Never Seen Them and I 'm fairly certain there are no passenger cars in storage in CB since Fox Park was absorbed,  and the Convention center CWS stadium were built.  North Platte maybe?   But if there still in the Omaha area it would be amazing as I have not seen one hair of Passenger here except to pass through or aforementioned CWS which will bring the E units, domes and a dining car to the area.  I'm not 100% sure but the CNW facility was raised in the 90's and never re done .  Where I think it was there is nothing now and that is for sure.  The CB yard has changed extensively with Griffin Pipe  leaving after losing Keystone XL bid.  Aaron Ferrer/ Alter metals is still there.   The Golden Spike on 9th is still there  but all buildings in this area are and have been gone for quite some time.

Believe me, ALL the UP executive cars are housed in Council Bluffs, ever since the old Omaha Shops complex was raised. Go over and look for the old C&NW roundhouse (sorry I don't know the street address). I am NOT referring to the UP Council Bluffs yard.

The UP Facility in Council Bluffs

ATERRY11,

Well, here is the straight information from one of my long time friends who is retired from the UP Heritage Fleet Business Car Dept.:

"When we moved out of the old Omaha Shop complex, we moved the Heritage Fleet Business Car shop to 1100 Avenue "G" in Council Bluffs, Iowa. We took over the CNW roundhouse facility and also built a modern building for car storage. That is the primary home base for Business Car operations on the Union Pacific Railroad. We do send cars to Oakland, California for winter storage, as we do not have enough room under roof for all the cars. The unofficial "West Coast" business car operation based in Oakland will use cars during the time they are out there. The 'Sunset' and 'Stanford' are based there, but still consider Omaha home. We have on occasion based a Business Car in the Southern Region for use by the service unit and is not a permanent assignment. Cheyenne is also used for a few cars from the Omaha fleet as well as the Steam program's cars that are based there."

Former Foreman General Shop Quality - Heritage Fleet Operations - Passenger Cars.

Looks like the 18 Union Pacific Passenger Cars, are parked inside this storage shed. Is this correct? Is the U.P. keeping these cars up to date and road ready?

Click on Google Earth Photo to enlarge.

Thanks / Gary

naveenrajan posted:

The UP Facility in Council Bluffs

That looks like the current place with the passenger car fleet.   Check out another  Overhead view .

trainroomgary posted:

Looks like the 18 Union Pacific Passenger Cars, are parked inside this storage shed. Is this correct?

Yes.

Is the U.P. keeping these cars up to date and road ready?

Of course! Each and every car must be "ready to go" at a moments notice from the Executive Dept.. Although most "trips" are planned well in advance.

 

Thanks / Gary

trainroomgary posted:

Looks like the 18 Union Pacific Passenger Cars, are parked inside this storage shed. Is this correct? Is the U.P. keeping these cars up to date and road ready? ...

From what I can see on Google, the shed appears to have four tracks 7 or 8 cars long. Maybe other facilities in there and not entirely filled up with cars? Switchable from both ends and a turntable to the south. Wonder what's in the old roundhouse ?

Ace posted:

trainroomgary posted:

Looks like the 18 Union Pacific Passenger Cars, are parked inside this storage shed. Is this correct? Is the U.P. keeping these cars up to date and road ready? ...

From what I can see on Google, the shed appears to have four tracks 7 or 8 cars long. Maybe other facilities in there and not entirely filled up with cars? Switchable from both ends and a turntable to the south. Wonder what's in the old roundhouse ?

The "old roundhouse" has been completely refurbished and modified in order to effect heavy repairs on any of the passenger cars. There are floor jacks for raising a car, drop-table for changing trucks and/or wheel-axle sets, and cranes for lifting heavy components.

Very interesting, Thanks for the info!  

I suppose they use a Trackmobile to move passenger cars on and off the turntable, to access the roundhouse. A service facility like that could be an interesting way to 'operate' big passenger cars on a small layout.

Just returned from my first foray to above site.  I was wrong the cars were not based in Cheyenne and they are currently at the CB location.  I based my assumption on,  in 1996 I took a year off from touring and hooked up with a couple friends who had purchased all of the sectional rail from what I believed to be the CNW yard and servicing facility, Its seems the yard I hauled away over  a 6 month period was the ILC interchange yard just south and around the bend from above site.  I believe this is the yard connected to the swinging bridge over the Missouri.  We demolished six or seven buildings  including a small roundhouse and table as well as freight houses and diesel facility. During the destruction I believe the cars were stored in Sacramento  which would be why I never saw them.  In this location the cars can be shifted north to the Northern UP mainline  that runs through MO Valley  IA. and Blair NE.  on the IA side of the river. I would miss all these moves but when they cross downtown at the CB yard and run the Southern Main line through Milliard Ne I usually see them. 

  I was wrong and Hotwater you were right. I should have ventured up further around the bend.   Back  in the day Omaha and CB were just crawling with trains, yards and industrial loops through the city all gone now.

aterry11 posted:

Just returned from my first foray to above site.  I was wrong the cars were not based in Cheyenne and they are currently at the CB location.  I based my assumption on,  in 1996 I took a year off from touring and hooked up with a couple friends who had purchased all of the sectional rail from what I believed to be the CNW yard and servicing facility, Its seems the yard I hauled away over  a 6 month period was the ILC interchange yard just south and around the bend from above site.  I believe this is the yard connected to the swinging bridge over the Missouri.  We demolished six or seven buildings  including a small roundhouse and table as well as freight houses and diesel facility. During the destruction I believe the cars were stored in Sacramento  which would be why I never saw them. 

Since 1996 probably would have been prior to the destruction of the old Omaha Shops, all the passenger cars would still have been in Omaha, or some at the UP Commissary in Fox Park, Council Bluffs. The entire fleet did NOT go to Sacramento, since there never has been a passenger car facility in Sacramento anyway. The former SP had their office car/passenger car facility on Oakland.

In this location the cars can be shifted north to the Northern UP mainline  that runs through MO Valley  IA. and Blair NE.  on the IA side of the river. I would miss all these moves but when they cross downtown at the CB yard and run the Southern Main line through Milliard Ne I usually see them. 

  I was wrong and Hotwater you were right. I should have ventured up further around the bend.   Back  in the day Omaha and CB were just crawling with trains, yards and industrial loops through the city all gone now.