model: builder: built: builder number:
prime mover: horsepower: operating weight: length: max. speed:
None, Electric Motors 1000 250,000 lbs. 40 70 mph
While not blessed with the abundant traffic base of the California section, the Western Pacific's mainline
through Nevada and Utah did serve several major customers, the largest of which were involved in copper mining. At Shafter, Nevada, the railroad interchanged with the Nevada Northern, a shortline that served the mines and smelters around Ely,
NV. And in Utah, the WP passed near Bingham Canyon, site of a massive, open pit copper mine that is still in operation. While started by different companies, these mines eventually came under the control of Kennecott Copper. The Bingham Canyon
mine and its related processing plants supplied many carloads to the WP, as well as its fellow Utah neighbors the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad. The Bingham Canyon operation used electric locomotives
from early on, both in the mine put itself and on the line linking the mine to the various copper mills and concentrators that the mine supplied. Smaller locomotives were used within the mine, while heavier units worked the ore haul. In the
1950's, the largest locomotives, a series of 125-ton engines (preceded in 1943 by a single 128-ton unit), began arriving from General Electric Company. KCC 778 was originally built for the Chino Mines in New Mexico, another Kennecott
operation. In December 1971 it was transferred to Bingham Canyon and worked on the ore haul from the mine to the concentrators and mills. In May 1976, it was repainted to honor the American Bicentennial, wearing a special red, white and blue
paint scheme. It was repainted back to standard KCC yellow and black colors in June 1978. In early 1979, electric operations ended on the ore haul line and all the locomotives were transferred to the mine, having been replaced by new
diesels. In the early 1980's, copper production became depressed and Kennecott began to suffer losses and layoffs. Trucks started replacing the electric trains in the mine and more locomotives were retired. Finally, in mid 1985, the Bingham
Canyon mine was shut down and the last electric locomotives were retired. While the mine would reopen in late 1986, all remaining railroad operations were handled by diesel locomotives. KCC 778 was donated to the FRRS in November, 1985 and
preserved as a representative of this important WP connection. Plans are to restore the locomotive to its bicentennial colors and display it with an ore car and recreated centenary wire. It is the only electric locomotive in the WPRM collection
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