Union Pacific No. 3977

Union Pacific No. 3977
UP 3977 On Static Display
Details Builder ALCO Date Built June 1943 Date Retired 1968 Configuration 4-6-6-4 Operator Union Pacific Railroad Fuel Type Fuel Oil
V - E - T - D

Union Pacific No. 3977 is a 4-6-6-4 "Challenger" type steam locomotive owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. 3977 was built in 1943 by the American Locomotive Company of Schenectady, New York. It was one of 25 of the next Class 4-6-6-4 Challengers (Nos. 3975-3999) bought by the Union Pacific that year.

Being a simple expansion articulated locomotive, the Challengers would reduce the reciprocating weight of a compound and increase the 50 mph speed limit of the railroad's then most powerful locomotive, the 4-12-2.

This was one of ten Challengers liveried in two-tone grey with yellow striping and lettering (known as the "Greyhound" scheme), fitted with smoke lifters and put into passenger service between Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA, as well as along the Columbia River to Huntington, OR, in 1946.

In 1952, No. 3977 was converted to burn oil, when five circulators in the firebox were removed and replaced with firepans. The engine was renumbered to 3710.

In 1958, it was retired from service, but after several years was donated to the city of North Platte, NE. Following retirement, No. 3710 was renumbered back to its old number, 3977. When it was saved from scrap, and when it was first relocated to Cody Park in October 1968, however, No. 3977 had the usual UP black boiler and graphite smokebox, although it was subsequently restored to the two-tone livery it had sported while working in the northwest. Today No. 3977 has been preserved and is on display in Cody Park.

Trivia

• This locomotive is one of two surviving 4-6-6-4 challengers in the world, the other being the 3985.
• In 1959, it was sent to Omaha, Nebraska, to work at the various terminals in Bailey Yard serving as a snowplow to melt snow off the tracks alongside with the Union Pacific 844 while it was numbered 3710.
• It is unlikely the engine will return to operation.
• On October 28, 1956, it was seen in helper service, pushing a freight train.
• 3977 was on display with a Centennial locomotive No. 6922.
• 3977 and 3985 were both built in the same year, 1943.

Gallery

List of Union Pacific Challenger Locomotives
CSA-1:	3900 (3800) • 3901 (3801) • 3902 (3802) • 3903 (3803) • 3904 (3804) • 3805 • 3906 (3806) • 3807 • 3808 • 3909 (3809) • 3910 (3810) • 3911 (3811) • 3912 (3812) • 3913 (3813) • 3914 (3814)
CSA-2:	3815 • 3816 • 3817 • 3918 (3818) • 3819 • 3820 • 3821 • 3822 • 3823 • 3822 • 3823 • 3824 • 3825 • 3826 • 3827 • 3828 • 3829 • 3830 • 3831 • 3832 • 3833 • 3834 • 3835 • 3836 • 3837 • 3838 • 3839
4664-3:	3950 • 3951 • 3952 • 3953 • 3954 • 3955 • 3956 • 3957 • 3958 • 3959 • 3960 • 3961 • 3962 • 3963 • 3964 • 3965 • 3966 • 3967 • 3968 • 3969
4664-4:	3975 • 3976 • 3977 • 3978 • 3979 • 3980 • 3981 • 3982 • 3983 • 3984 • 3985 • 3986 • 3987 • 3988 • 3989 • 3990 • 3991 • 3992 • 3993 • 3994 • 3995 • 3996 • 3997 • 3998 • 3999
4664-5:	3730 • 3731 • 3732 • 3733 • 3734 • 3735 • 3736 • 3737 • 3738 • 3939 • 3740 • 3741 • 3742 • 3743 • 3744 • 3745 • 3746 • 3747 • 3748 • 3749
Clinchfield Railroad:	Locomotive Type
Extinct:	Fetter Challengers
Excursion Star:	3967 • 3985
Preserved:	3977 • 3985

Preserved Union Pacific Locomotives
UP Class 700	No. 737
UP Class C-2	No. 237 • No. 264 • No. 561 • No. 616 • No. 618 • No. 6051 • No. 6237
UP Class C-57	No. 407 • No. 421 • No. 428 • No. 437 • No. 460 • No. 477 • No. 480 • No. 481 • No. 485
UP Class MK-1	No. 2005
UP Class MK-7	No. 2537
UP Class MK-9	No. 2295
UP Class MK-10	No. 2564
UP Class T-57	No. 1242 • No. 1243
UP Class P-1	No. 3206
UP Class P-2	No. 3203
UP Class TTT-6	No. 5511
UP Class S-4	No. 4420
UP Class S-5	No. 4436 • No. 4439 • No. 4442
UP Class S-6	No. 4455 • No. 4466
UP Class FEF-1	No. 814
UP Class FEF-2	No. 833
UP Class FEF-3	No. 838 • No. 844
UP Class 9000	No. 9000
UP Heavy Challengers	No. 3977 • No. 3985
UP Big Boys	No. 4004 • No. 4005 • No. 4006 • No. 4012 • No. 4014 • No. 4017 • No. 4018 • No. 4023