Union Pacific No. 618

Union Pacific No. 618 is a Class C-2 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1907. It was originally delivered as Oregon Short Line Railroad No. 1068, and was sent to work hauling freight and mixed trains for much of its career.

In 1915, No. 1068 was transferred to Union Pacific stock (the OSL was a UP subsidiary) and re-numbered No. 618 and was in service for the Union Pacific Railroad until it was retired in 1958 and donated for display at the Utah State Fair. The Promontory Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society (NRHS) acquired the engine in 1969, and a year after that, the locomotive was restored on December 5, 1970 and leased to the Wasatch Mountain Railway. No. 618 ran until 1976 when it was removed from service for a major rebuilt, it returned to steam again in 1986 and would continue hauling excursions until October 1990, when the Heber Creep went out of business.

In 1992, the State of Utah moved all of its railroad equipment to its new location for use by the Heber Valley Railroad in Heber, City. The engine sat on display for a year until 1993 when it was moved into the shops for restoration. After two years of work, No. 618 return to steam on May 8, 1995 and hauled its first train for Heber Valley Railroad five days later on May 13, 1995.

Since then, it resides today to haul passenger excursions, as well as occasional photo freight charters.

Union_Pacific_2-8-0_-618 — Union Pacific 2-8-0 -618

From 2008-2010 No. 618 ran limited capacity and was then taken out of service for a 1,472-day inspection and major overhaul, as required to meet Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) safety standards in June 2010. In October 2014, No. 618 was removed from its display track and moved into the shop for a complete tear down to begin its restoration back to operational condition again. The non-profit railroad raised the $750,000 required for the project to give No. 618 another 30 years of service. Its restoration, including conversion from coal to oil burning, work however, is still in progress.

Trivia[]

Locomotive No. 618 was seen and used in the 2006 film, Outlaw Trail: The Treasure of Butch Cassidy. In celebration of its 100th birthday in 2007, it was temporarily relettered as Oregon Short Line No. 1068, the historic locomotive’s first number.

Gallery[]

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