While traveling on I-84 West bound from Wyoming, I was train watching UP. East of Baker City, Or., I saw a 10 Engine train hauling all containers. It must have been loaded. Got into the Columbia River road, there was a UP with a BLUE painting. On the side was printed ' Olympic Torch', sorry couldn't remember the exact lettering. It was painted for the 2002 games in Utah. The engine number is ' 2001 '. It was at the head of a consist hauling nothing but gon-doe-las, sorry can't spell for hoot. What surprised me was that every car was cover with a tarp. The cars were all beat up. Sorry about not stopping for pics, but as I was traveling 70 when I saw these. The wife counted the engine consist twice to make sure the count was ' 10 '....Have a Great Train Day....
Ver-ry interesting.
It's possible that the UP had developed an imbalance of power and had to get some of those units back to the other end of the district. (I have a photo of a 4-car passenger train with doubleheaded Pacifics - same situation.)
As for 2001, when it was hauling The Flame it operated with a special Flame car and a couple of business cars.
Tarp-covered gondolas? Was it sugar beet season? There are any number of reasons for covering gondolas to either keep lading in the cars or keep contaminants out. Modeling them would make for an interesting game of, "What's in the car," for visitors.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Thanks for the inform. Didn't know that UP had a special train for the games. Also never seen a single train of gondolas, let alone to everyone covered. Not sure about being sugar beet season. Thought that was in the fall. You may be right about the 10 engine consist, but with all the container cars with double load on about everyone.
At any rate, train watching while traveling I-84 is fun if not a bit unsafe. My wife reminds me that I am to keep my attention on driving. It is a tough duty...
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http://www.smvrhm.org/upolympic.html
Here's the 2002.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vi3LoXsJH1k
Here's some videos.
Next time make her drive so you can hang precariously from the window waving your camera!
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net