Union Pacific 844

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Union Pacific 844**
Power type	Steam
UP 844 at Del Rio, Texas
Builder	American Locomotive Company
Configuration	4-8-4
Gauge	4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm)
Driver size	80 in.
Wheelbase	98 ft. 5 in. (locomotive and tender)
Weight on drivers	266,490 lb.
Total weight	486,340 lb.
Locomotive and tender combined weight	907,890 lb.
Fuel type	No. 5 fuel oil, originally coal
Tender capacity	23,500 gallons water, 6,200 gallons oil
Boiler	86-3/16 in. diameter
Boiler pressure	300 psi
Fire grate area	grate removed in 1945
Heating surface: Tubes	2,204 ft²
Heating surface: Flues	1,578 ft²
Heating surface: Firebox	442 ft²
Heating surface: Total	4,224 ft²
Superheater area	1,400 ft²
Cylinder size	25 in. diameter, 32 in. stroke
Factor of adhesion	4.18
Career	Union Pacific
Class	FEF-3
Number	844
Delivered	1944
Retired	never retired
Disposition	operates in occasional excursion service

Union Pacific 844 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive owned by Union Pacific Railroad. It was the last steam locomotive delivered (in 1944) to Union Pacific and is unique in that it is the only steam locomotive never retired by a North American Class I railroad. It was designed as a passenger engine and pulled such trains as the Overland Flyer, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger. It was reassigned to freight service when diesel-electric locomotives took over passenger service and operated from 1957 to 1959 in Nebraska. It was saved from being scrapped in 1960 and is now used on excursion trains.

From 1962-1989, this locomotive was numbered UP 8444 due to a conflict with the railroad's numbering plan for the EMD GP30 locomotives that UP owned at the time. After the conflicting GP30 was retired from service in June 1989, 8444 was renumbered back to 844. Interestingly, there is now an EMD SD70ACe in UP's roster numbered 8444.[1]

A second 4-8-4, UP 838, is kept in the shops at Cheyenne, Wyoming so that spare parts for 844 can be cannibalized from it.