Friday With UP1943

Railroadforums.com is a free online Railroad Discussion Forum and Railroad Photo Gallery for railroaders, railfans, model railroaders and anyone else who is interested in railroads. We cover a wide variety of topics, including freight trains, passenger and commuter railroads, rail news and information, tourist railroads, railway museums and railroad history.


papio

Active Member
A couple of shots of The Spirit today as it made its way from the Heritage Shops in Council Bluffs to display at the Durham Museum (formerly Union Station) in Omaha under gray skies and unseasonably cold conditions.

11.10.17...01.jpg
11.10.17...06.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Is the number 1943 of historical significance? Pearl Harbor was in 1942, D Day was in 1944. I can't think of anything significant happening in 1943 other than the US was in WWII.
 
There probably isn't any historical significance to that number. It may have been chosen simply since it was available and it fits in with UP's SD70ACe commemorative diesels (which are also in the 19xx range).
 


Is the number 1943 of historical significance? Pearl Harbor was in 1942, D Day was in 1944. I can't think of anything significant happening in 1943 other than the US was in WWII.

There probably isn't any historical significance to that number. It may have been chosen simply since it was available and it fits in with UP's SD70ACe commemorative diesels (which are also in the 19xx range).

https://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/commemorative/1943-spirit/index.htm

"A Boeing B-17 was christened the Spirit of the Union Pacific in 1943, recognizing employees who funded it through war bond contributions. The Spirit of the Union Pacific was assigned to the 571st Bomber Squadron and shot down on its fifth mission during a raid on enemy installations in Munster, Germany."

Great shots, Ed! Hoping I don't miss her in North Platte today.
 
I should have known better than to think there wasn't any significance to that road number; UP isn't in the habit of just picking them out of a hat for these units, after all.

Quite a few combat aircraft were funded that way during the war, and I believe that some were even purchased for preservation by the same people who had helped fund them. Hadn't heard of this instance, though.
 



Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)

Back
Top