| This Union Pacific train heads south, to connect west, at Joliet, Illinois in May 1998. Both locomotives are still in Southern Pacific colors. Lead locomotive #5368 is former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad SD40T-2 and is sublettered “DRGW.” Second is SP SD45T-2 #9385. These models are nicknamed “Tunnel Motors” and were used originally by only SP and DRGW. They have large radiators allowing for cooling while passing through tunnels, which these railroads had. They were built new by Electo-Motive Division of General Motors in the 1970s. Rio Grande bought Southern Pacific Railroad in 1988 and kept it operating as SP. Union Pacific merged with Southern Pacific on September 11, 1996. After the acquisition UP became North America’s largest railroad totaling 32,200 miles in 23 states. Date approx. (Vivitar "Point-and-shoot" 35mm camera, Kodak PJC 1600 print film) |