Union Pacific No. 6936 is a DDA40X type diesel locomotive built by Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) in January 1971 for the Union Pacific Railroad (UP). It is one of 47 of these diesels built exclusively for the UP between 1969 and 1971 and is one of thirteen units that survive in preservation today. It was initially never retired from regular service by the UP and was ultimately used in their heritage fleet for their steam excursion program, based in Cheyenne, WY. It was used in both excursion service and occasional freight service with the UP's heritage fleet, sometimes as a diesel helper with both UP 4-8-4 No. 844 (also known as the Living Legend) and UP 4-6-6-4 No. 3985 (also known as the Challenger). It is currently the largest operational diesel in the United States.
Unfortunately, it was later taken out of service indefinitely in 2017 and placed in storage at the UP roundhouse in Cheyenne, WY due to mechanical issues. However, on April 28, 2022, the UP announced that they have donated the locomotive to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA) in Silvis, IL along with UP 3985, UP 2-10-2 No. 5511, and other pieces of equipment from their heritage fleet. It was later towed by diesels out of Cheyenne, WY on November 11, 2022 and arrived at the RRHMA's former Rock Island Railroad shops and yard in Silvis, IL on November 19, 2022.
In March 2023, mechanics from NRE arrived and inspected the top deck and the radiators and made repairs where needed. NRE also inspected both engines for cracks and other defects and made repairs where needed.[1] On August 20, 2023, it was started up for the first time since 2017 and moved around the RRHMA's Silvis shop complex with their recently acquired former BNSF B40-8W No. 537.[2] In February 2024, it was rolled over to the pit and all the springs and bearings were replaced on the trucks which have shown signs of wear and tear and need to be replaced to prevent the locomotive from bouncing when it is going down the track. [3]
Trivia[]
- On November 30, 2000, UP 6936 collided with a dump truck at a railroad crossing in Livonia, LA, twenty miles north of New Orleans, LA. The collision killed both the dump truck driver and a UP employee inside the cab of the locomotive and the damage it sustained left it in danger of being retired from service due to the severity of the damage. Thankfully, it was eventually repaired and returned to service on May 2, 2001, complete with a few modifications.
- During its excursion service career with the UP's heritage fleet, UP 6936 reunited with three of its surviving sisters, those being UP 6900 in 2005, UP 6946 in 2007, and UP 6930 in 2013.
- When UP 6936 was returned to service after its wreck on November 30, 2000, wings were applied to the front of its nose, similar to most modern day UP diesels. After the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA) restored it back to service again, said wings were removed.
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