Hum...Were the history books rewritten? I thought the had part of building the first transcon was done by the CENTRAL PACIFIC!
Yes, SP was bought by UP in 1996. And UP will do what UP wants. But a possible history lesson lost.
But maybe sending ANY non-period steamer by themselves is a mistake. 844 and 4014 were built 70 years after the golden spike. Now, JUPITER/UP 119, 844/4014, the E units,and a modern AC traction motor diesel electric could show motive power ovet 150 years....
But it is the UP show...