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608 came to the Western Pacific in 1968
by way of shortline Stockton Terminal & Eastern in an equipment
trade. Built by Electro Motive Corporation in 1940 for the
Union Pacific Railroad (Road number D.S.1001), the 608 had the
distinction of being the 1000th locomotive produced by the Electro
Motive Corporation (later Electro Motive Division of General
Motors), as well as being only the 2nd diesel purchased by industry
giant Union Pacific. In 1966 Union Pacific retired the well
worn switcher and sold it in 1966, along with sister UP 1000, to the
ST&E. ST&E consistently had nothing but trouble from the worn
out locomotives, and constantly borrowed WP Alco's to fill in for
the ailing NW2's while they were across town in WP's shop.
Finally, the ST&E had had enough and offered to trade both engines
to the WP in return for two of the WP Alco's they had been
borrowing. The WP agreed, and Alco S-1's number 505 (still
retained as a backup at the ST&E) and
506 (retired, at
the WPRM) were given to ST&E in trade for the 607 and 608.
WP's Stockton Diesel Shop stripped
both units down and thoroughly rebuilt them, upgrading the engines
to 1200 horsepower from the original 1000 HP they originally
generated. Repainted in the WP's "Pumpkin" paint scheme, the
608 spent most of her career in and around Stockton, while sister
607 was eventually transferred to subsidiary Sacramento Northern,
yet still continued working in and around WP's Stockton yard
usually.
After the 1982 merger of the WP with
Union Pacific, both units time on their new (albeit original) owners
was short lived with both donated for preservation. The 607
was donated to the Deer Creek Scenic Railroad in Heber Utah, who
eventually sold it to the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Henderson
in May of 1984. UP donated the 608 to the newly formed Feather
River Rail Society in December 1984, where she earned the nick-name
"Bing" (an ode to singer Bing Crosby) due to its unusual "Va-va-va-vooooooom!!"
engine sound when taking off from a standing start.
You can actually take the
throttle and operate the 608 in our "Run-A-Locomotive Program" under
the guidance of an engineer instructor at the Western Pacific
Railroad Museum in Portola.
Click
HERE for more details.
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