A few miles away from UP's 36th Street Yard, Union Pacific's EC-4 track geometry car heads west. The geometry car spends its time traveling all over UP's system.
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DRGW 5371, the 6th of 6 units on the MNYNP-08, leaves North Yard behind - possibly for the last time - as the manifest prepares to take its train and head north toward Cheyenne.
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Just shy of the control point at Broadway, the northbound MNYNP-08 holds at a red signal. The train has been having some rear-end device issues, and it is also waiting for a meeting with a southbound coal empty coming off the Greeley line. There is a lot of power for the train as it is 130 cars and over 7,300 feet long! Note that DRGW 5371 is the 6th unit, being moved to Cheyenne, most likely for retirement.
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As the MNYNP-08 waits for a meet with a southbound coal empty, the sun comes shining through the partly cloudy skies at just the right angle to really light up 5371 nicely! The unit was idling, although it would not load (so it couldn't work to pull the train). other than the missing number boards, not a bad sight at all!
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She may not remember it, but my oldest daughter was there to see 5371 move north toward Cheyenne (most likely for retirement) and here is the proof! This past Christmas, we got her a new digital camera. She does her best (at five years old) to get a shot of 5371 too!
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Looking to get a lower-angled roster shot, my dad - the man responsible for my sickness that is a train lover - sits alongside my youngest daughter Jaina. At 2 1/2, she loves going out to watch the train with us!
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A detailed shot of the tunnel motor radiator intakes and the "class doors" located just above. And of course, the single most important thing in this picture ... the Grande Gold 5371 that has not been (and will not be) patched!
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After an hour wait sitting on the Belt Industrial Lead, the northbound MNYNP-08 is finally heading out of town with DRGW 5371 in tow. This is a shot looking in between two buildings near the control point at Broadway. Even though the buildings obscure a lot of the engine, there is no armour yellow in the shot! Kinda takes you back to when this was the view along the Belt Line every day...
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Approaching the York Street overpass, the MNYNP-08 traverses the Belt Industrial Lead toward UP Junction. At UP Junction, the train will swing north and join the Greeley Subdivision for the trip toward Cheyenne.
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A shot that is all but guaranteed never to be repeated again. The last-remaining (unpatched) Rio Grande unit on UP's roster crosses over the bridge (still lettered for Rio Grande) at York Street on the Belt Industrial Lead. 5371 is headed toward Cheyenne, more than likely to be retired.
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A roster shot of DRGW 5371 in good lighting as it heads east (and then north) with the MNYNP-08. Interesting that 5371 would be the final Rio Grande unit left in the world, after 5771 (a single-digit difference!) was the final F9A to be retired off the roster 24 years prior in 1984.
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On the mainline at Hazeltine, the MNYNP-08 is rolling north at track speed with DRGW 5371 in tow as the sixth unit. While the 5371 is not DIC (it is idling), it will not load and thus is not doing any "actual" work.
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Not far south of the south switch at Brighton, the MNYNP-08 comes to a stop to wait for a southbound to meet at Brighton. The MNYNP-08 is over 7,300 feet long and it won't fit in the siding without blocking crossings in town. Meanwhile, DRGW 5371 sits as the sixth unit, looking pretty darn good while it waits!
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At the south switch of La Salle, the northbound MNYNP-08 has a clear signal as it continues to charge north toward Cheyenne. Once in Cheyenne, the sixth unit (DRGW 5371) will be set out, presumably so it can be officially retired. Where it goes from there, nobody but UP is certain for now!
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This is a picture that had to come sooner or later. It is very likely that this will be the last picture I ever post on my website (in the 21st Century anyway) of an unpatched Rio Grande unit on a mainline (instead of in a museum). DRGW 5371 heads north on the MNYNP-08 to Cheyenne, where it will presumably be retired....farewell old friend!
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