Union Pacific Motive Power in Transition, 1936-1960

The quarter-century from 1936 to 1960 was the period of the the greatest change in motive power to occur in the annals of the Union Pacific Railroad. The first of the UP's "super steam" locomotives was produced in 1936; diesel engines were starting to power passsenger service but would not spread to freight service until 1947. The author draws on UP archives and correspondence between headquarters in Omaha and executives in New York city to learn the behind-the-scenes reasoning in the purchase of new steam, diesel and gas-turbine locomotives. This book provides insight into a popular saying among UP workers: "What Omaha proposed, New York disposed."

ISBN: 0-942035-55-0