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Union Pacific No. 9000 is a UP-1 class 4-12-2 steam locomotive built in 1926 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) for the Union Pacific Railroad (UP). This engine was designed to haul passenger and freight trains on the UP.

History[]

The UP took delivery of ten three cylinder FTT-1 4-12-2s in 1925 (#8000 & #8800-#8808), but these were not a great success.

The first 15 were ordered and delivered to the Union Pacific Railroad in 1926 and were numbered 9000-9014. The second group of 15 were ordered in 1928. The second series were numbered 9015-9029.

By then, however, the UP had already committed itself to purchasing the massive 4-12-2 as a three-cylinder locomotive from Alco, although problems with the Overlands at least allowed the company to modify the design during its development. Problems included difficulty accessing bearings on the center cylinder drive wheel, main boxes overheating, excessive buildup of back pressure at full speed and wearing of the valve gear.

9000 was the first of the type, built as a test locomotive with the $105,835.27 cost divided between the UP and Alco. It was delivered to the Omaha, NE, shops on 8 April 1926 and, after some final work there, was moved to the depot for display west of the passenger station on May 13. The following day, 9000 moved west, starting out on the old main line from Omaha, part of the original transcontinental railroad bypassed by a later UP realignment. The locomotive was inspected at each division point, finally arriving at Cheyenne, WY, just after midnight on the 15th of May.

The first test was on the 16th May, over Sherman Hill. Strings of cars lined Highway 30 just west of town as people came to see the new engine. Arriving at Laramie after midnight, it underwent a complete inspection and lubrication before continuing testing well into June, running up 4,159 miles.

Design[]

The middle cylinder is offset upward at an angle from the horizontal of about 8 degrees. To normalize the phases of the cylinder the crank pin is also inclined at an identical angle using Holcroft's cylinder and crank pin offset formula. In order to give enough clearance for the connecting rod to move without fowling on the first axle the distance between the 1st and 2nd coupled axles is greater than the distance between all of the other coupled axles. This was done to avoid using a clearance crank on the 1st axle. Alco's lateral motion devices were placed on the first and sixth axles to help with navigating turns.

Fate[]

Once out of testing, 9000 was assigned to the Laramie roundhouse where it operated as part of the freight pool and was shopped according to mileage schedules. 9000 was retired in May 1956, the last of its type to be retired; it moved under its own power to the East Los Angeles Yard before being towed to the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds.

As of today, 9000 is on static display at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, CA and is owned by the Southern California Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. 9000 is unlikely to return to operational condition.

Trivia[]

  • 9000 is the last surviving engine in the world with a 4-12-2 wheel arrangement.
  • This locomotive is one of the 88 locomotives that were built, yet only the 9000 is the sole survivor of the locomotives with the 4-12-2 wheel arrangement.
  • The locomotive is sometimes filled with compressed air, allowing visitors to blow the whistle.
  • 9000 was also in the movie "UP Last of the Giants".

Gallery[]

List of Members of the Union Pacific 9000 Class
UP-1 (Prototype): 9000 (Prototype)
UP-2: 90019002900390049005900690079008900990109011901290139014
UP-3 (Union Pacific): 901590169017901890199020902190229023902490259026902790289029
UP-3 (Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company): 9700 • 9701 • 9702 • 9703 • 9704 • 9705 • 9406 • 9707
UP-4: 903090319032903390349035903490359036903790389039904090419042904390449045904690479048904990509051905290539054
UP-5: 9063906490659066906790689069907090719072907390749075907690779078907990809081908290839084908590869087
UP-5 (Oregon Short Line): 9500 • 9501 • 9502 • 9503 • 9504 • 9505 • 9506 • 9507 • 9508 • 9509 • 9510 • 9511 • 9512 • 9513 • 9514
Fallen: 900190029003900490059006900790089009901090119012901390149015901690179018901990209021902290239024902590269027902890299030903190329033903490359034903590369037903890399040904190429043904490459046904790489049905090519052905390549063906490659066906790689069907090719072907390749075907690779078907990809081908290839084908590869087
Preserved: 9000
Preserved Union Pacific Locomotives
UP Class 700 No. 737
UP Class C-2 No. 237No. 264No. 561No. 616No. 618No. 6051No. 6237
UP Class C-57 No. 407No. 421No. 428No. 437No. 460No. 477No. 480No. 481No. 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. 1242No. 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. 4436No. 4439No. 4442
UP Class S-6 No. 4455No. 4466
UP Class FEF-1 No. 814
UP Class FEF-2 No. 833
UP Class FEF-3 No. 838No. 844
UP Class 9000 No. 9000
UP Heavy Challengers No. 3977No. 3985
UP Big Boys No. 4004No. 4005No. 4006No. 4012No. 4014No. 4017No. 4018No. 4023
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