Lionel UP GP30 prototype in Trains magazine

[CB_Fan]

I placed an advance order for Lionel's Union Pacific GP30, thinking this will be a good (and not too large) match for the Cotton Belt/Southern Pacific/Missouri Pacific locomotives already operating on my Cotton Belt & Gulf. (For info. on the Cotton Belt & Gulf see www.lots-trains.org/html/george_nelson.html) The UP comes through the Mobile area (or did before Katrina) with CSX run-throughs.

Yesterday I bought a copy of Trains magazine, September 2005, and found a photo of the prototype (even the same number, 844) on page 71. The photo caption reads, "Ex-Union Pacific GP30 No. 844 is one of two diesels that power the Nevada Southern Railway at Boulder City. The other unit is ex-UP NW2 No. 1000." The accompanying article says No. 844 was built in 1962 for mainline use and is well known as the diesel that bumped excursion 4-8-4 No. 844 to No. 8444 until 1989. Interesting!

So, not only did Lionel copy an actual prototype for this locomotive, but it's still in operation!