Friday, April 30, 2010

UPRR's first 20 locomotives

From: "Don Strack" donstrack@comcast.net

Gordon McCulloh and I have been pooling our resources and concerning UPRR's first 20 locomotives, as part of an overall project of an all-time on-line UP steam roster. We have put together a preliminary listing that incorporates Richard Prince's research from the 1960s-1970s time period.

Here is our first attempt.

The major component is the "sale" in 1864 and 1866 of 18 locomotives to contract H. M. Hoxie, presumably as part of the notorious "Hoxie Contract" that lead to Credit Mobilier. UPRR "recovered" these locomotives in early 1867 when Hoxie lost the construction contract upon completion of the line to the 100th meridian (at today's Cozad, Nebraska).

The other major component is the conflicting research for the locomotive named "Black Hawk".

Don Strack