The Union Pacific heritage fleet is a set of commemorative and historic equipment owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. As of 2025, the includes two steam locomotives, three historic diesel locomotives, 17 modern diesel locomotives in historic or commemorative paint schemes, and nearly four dozen passenger cars used for office car specials and excursion trains.
Steam locomotives
Since 1960, the Union Pacific has operated steam locomotives on a variety of excursions. These include: UP 844: a 4-8-4 Northern type express passenger steam locomotive (class FEF-3), operated in excursion service since 1960. It was the last steam locomotive built for UP and has been in continuous service since its 1944 delivery. Many people know the engine as the No. 8444, since an extra '4' was added to its number in 1962 to distinguish it from a diesel numbered in the 800 series. It regained its original number in June 1989, after the diesel was retired and donated to the Nevada Southern Railroad Museum in Boulder City, Nevada. A mechanical failure occurred on June 24, 1999, in which the boiler tubes from the 1996 overhaul, being made of the wrong material, collapsed inside the boiler and put the steam locomotive out of commission. The UP steam crew repaired it and returned it to service on November 10, 2004. It was rebuilt again in 2015 and returned to service in 2016. In addition to being one of UP's oldest locomotives, it is the only steam locomotive to never be officially retired from a North American Class I railroad. UP 4014: a 4-8-8-4 Big Boy class freight steam locomotive, began operating in excursion service in 2019. It is the largest operational steam locomotive in the world. Delivered in 1941, the locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959, when it was placed in storage. In 1961, No. 4014 was donated to the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California, where it became one of the eight Big Boys preserved around the United States. UP reacquired the locomotive in 2013 and the following year moved it to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where it was restored over the next five years. In May 2019, No. 4014 returned to operation in excursion service.
Historic diesel locomotives
UP 949, 951 and 963B are a trio of streamlined General Motors Electro-Motive Division E9 passenger locomotives built in 1955. They are used to haul the UP business cars during excursions and charter specials. Originally built in 1955, the original twin 1,200-hp 12-cylinder 567 series engines have been replaced with single EMD 16-645E 2000 hp (1.5 MW) engines and the electrical and control equipment similarly upgraded, making them more compatible with more modern locomotives. The set is made of two A units and one B unit, the latter which contains an HEP engine-generator set for powering passenger cars. They are painted in a historic paint scheme that Union Pacific Streamliners wore on such trains as the City of San Francisco and the City of Los Angeles. The two A units have been modified to eliminate the nose doors to increase safety in a collision.
UP 951 has carried its original number since its entry into service. UP 949 was built with its current number, but later was sent to the Chicago and North Western Railway and Regional Transportation Authority as CNW/RTA #511 before being reacquired by the UP. UP 963B was built as UP E9B 970B and served as a heater car on Amtrak upon its formation before being reacquired by the UP.
The locomotives last ran in 2017. Since then, they have remained stored in the roundhouse at Cheyenne, WY.
Heritage paint schemes Six EMD SD70ACe locomotives are painted in the liveries of railroads acquired by Union Pacific. The company says the locomotives "pay homage to those railroads and the generations of men and women who helped to build a great nation and the foundation for our future". UP 1982: honors the Missouri Pacific Railroad, which became part of Union Pacific in 1982. Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) delivered the locomotive on May 29, 2005. The locomotive was unveiled together with No. 1983 in a private ceremony on July 30, 2005, in Omaha, Nebraska, after which it entered regular revenue service.
UP 1983: honors the Western Pacific Railroad, which became part of Union Pacific in 1983. It was delivered on June 6, 2005, and unveiled along with No. 1982 in a private ceremony on July 30, 2005, in Omaha, Nebraska, after which it entered regular revenue service. UP 1988: honors the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad ("the Katy"), which became part of Union Pacific in 1988. Delivered on June 15, 2005, it was unveiled in early August 2005, after which it entered regular revenue service on August 4, pulling a train from Chicago to East St. Louis, Illinois. UP 1989: honors the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, which became part of the Southern Pacific in 1988. Delivered on May 24, 2006, unveiled on June 17, 2006, at a special UP employee event in Denver, Colorado. It also refers to the people who "went everywhere the hard way. UP 1995: honors the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company (CNW), which became a part of Union Pacific in 1995. The locomotive, painted at the Horicon, Wisconsin, shops of Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, was unveiled at a private ceremony for UP's ex-CNW employees at Proviso Rail Yard in suburban Chicago on July 15, 2006, before being publicly displayed at North Western Station (CNW's former station) in Chicago. After its unveiling, the locomotive pulled a freight train from Proviso to Council Bluffs, Iowa, in conjunction with Nos. 8646 and 8701 (a set of GE Dash 9-44CW locomotives at the time still in CNW paint). The 1995 then entered regular revenue service. UP 1996: honors the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, which became a part of Union Pacific in 1996. It was unveiled on August 19, 2006, in a ceremony that also featured Southern Pacific 6051, a Daylight-painted EMD E9 locomotive that is preserved at the California State Railroad Museum. UP 1996's road number was previously held by an EMD SD40-2, which was repainted and renumbered for the 1996 Olympics. On January 26, 2014, No. 1996 helped move "Big Boy" locomotive No. 4014 from the Los Angeles County Fairplex in Pomona, California, to West Colton, California.
Community service paint schemes Eight locomotives are painted to honor various people, organizations, and sports events: UP 1111: an EMD SD70ACe locomotive painted to honor the employees of the Union Pacific Railroad. It wears the words "Powered by our People" just under the windows, while 1111 was moved forward on to the short hood. UP 1616: an EMD SD70M locomotive painted in honor of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president. During his tenure, Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act, which enabled the building of the Transcontinental Railroad System. It is painted in colors reminiscent of Lincoln's time and also commemorates locomotive 119, which was a key participant in the Golden Spike Ceremony. UP 1776: an EMD SD70M locomotive painted in a variation of Union Pacific's large flag livery, featuring silver trucks and an America250 logo on the nose and the rear. UP 1943: an EMD SD70AH locomotive painted to honor the United States Armed Forces. It wears the name "Spirit of the Union Pacific" as a nod to a Boeing B-17 that was shot down in World War II while bombing enemy installations in Muenster, Germany. UP 1979: an EMD SD70M locomotive painted to support diversity throughout the railroad and beyond. The number 1979 refers to the Black Employee Network of the railroad, which was founded in 1979. UP 2001 and 2002: two EMD SD70M locomotives painted for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. UP 4547: a GE ET44AC locomotive built in with Wabtec and painted to honor Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States. The design includes large American flag graphics on each side of the locomotive, with one depicting a 13-star flag representing the original colonies and the other a 50-star contemporary flag. UP 7400: a GE ES44AC locomotive painted to honor the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization, and those affected by breast cancer.
Six locomotives painted to honor sports events, an organization, a military victory, and a U.S. president have been retired or repainted in standard Union Pacific livery: UP 1896 and 1996: two SD-40-2 locomotives that were rebuilt and repainted for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta (which marked 100 years since the first modern games, the 1896 Summer Olympics). From April 30 to June 3, 1996, a 19-car Olympic Torch Relay train that featured a specially designed "cauldron car" transported the Olympic flame across much of the western United States. The two locomotives have since been repainted and are still in service as UP 1684 and UP 1838, respectively. The number 1996 has since been given to the Southern Pacific Heritage Unit. UP 2010: a GE ES44AC locomotive that was painted to honor the Boy Scouts of America's 100th Anniversary. The locomotive has since been repainted in standard Union Pacific livery, but retains its original number. UP 3300: an EMD SD40-2 locomotive that was painted in a red, white and blue paint scheme to publicize the 1994 United Way campaign. Unveiled on August 18, 1994. Since repainted and still in service as UP 1878. UP 3593: an EMD SD40-2 locomotive that was painted in a camouflage tan and brown livery. Nicknamed the "Desert Victory Locomotive," it was unveiled on February 27, 1991, after the first Gulf War. The locomotive was later owned by Genesee & Wyoming and worked on the Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad as No. 3422. In May 2026, the locomotive was donated to the American Heartland Railroad Society in Sioux City, Iowa. UP 4141: an EMD SD70ACe locomotive painted to honor George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States. The unit was removed from active service in 2007 and stored in North Little Rock until 2018, when it was reactivated to pull Bush's funeral train after his death in November 2018. After the tour, it returned to active service and continued to run until November 2019, when the Union Pacific donated it to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum for display.
Passenger cars
The Union Pacific operates a fleet of passenger cars that are often used for excursions and office car specials. Originally ordered by a variety of railroads, the oldest dates to 1912, but most were built in the mid-20th century, at the height of passenger train service. The fleet also carries a variety of important people, such as presidents, senators, generals, soldiers, artists, architects, singers and actors.
Baggage No. 5769 Council Bluffs: built in 1962 as a postal storage car. It was converted for use as a baggage recreation car for a special train sent to the U.S. political conventions in 2000. On December 6, 2018, the car carried the casket of George H. W. Bush to College Station, Texas. It currently wears a large American Flag wrap on both sides. No. 5779 Promontory: built in 1962 as postal storage car No. 5779. It is the newest car in Union Pacific's Heritage Passenger Fleet. The car was renamed the Promontory in 1993, and was converted to a museum car originally designed for the Wyoming-Idaho Centennial train. Carpeted walls permit exhibits to be changed to reflect special needs. When not in use for displays, it is often equipped as an exercise car for long trips. In celebration of Union Pacific's 150th anniversary, the Building America exhibit was installed. The state-of-the-art traveling museum told the story of building the Transcontinental railroad through interactive touch-screen monitors, large display graphics and artifacts.