Union Pacific Railroad

General Notes:

1. UP 3000-3004 were equipped with flashers located on the side slopes of their cab roof.
2. UP 3000-3007 were equipped with Pacesetter speed controls and digital speedometers in June 1981 for use in hump yard service and were sent to Hinkle, Oregon, to replace the aging SD24s assigned there when the yard first opened in May 1977. In January 1982 a total of 50 SD40s were reassigned to switching service, including flat switching at all of UP's terminals, and hump duties at UP's hump yards in North Platte, Pocatello, Hinkle, and East Los Angeles. Included in this 50-unit total were 18 units from this group: UP 3000-3009, 3012, 3014, plus 3030-3035, which were selected to be paired with UP's four-motor and six-motor yard slugs at North Platte, Pocatello, and East Los Angeles.
3. UP 3030-3035 were equipped as yard slug control units and operated with four-motor and six-motor yard slugs between 1981 and 1989.
4. UP 3000-3039 were reclassified in early 1984 as Priority III units, meaning retirement if anything major goes wrong.
5. In July, August, and September 1989 the 15 remaining units were retired. In November 1989 all 15 units were reinstated and leased to NdeM for service in Mexico. Six units (UP 3001, 3003, 3006, 3014, 3027, 3028) were stored at Nampa, Idaho, from retirement until lease to NdeM. All 15 units were retired as they returned from lease to NdeM.
6. Built on EMD order number 7865.

General Notes:

1. Built as EMD 434A-434H; sold to UP in February 1966 (UP 3042 and 3043 were delivered in April 1966).
2. Built on SD35 frames as prototype units for EMD's new line of locomotives, equipped with EMD's new 645 diesel engine and AR10 alternator.
3. Known by most railfans and historians as SD40X units. Some reports show them as SDX40. All available records from UP and EMD simply show them as SD40 units, although UP records tend to separate them due to their unique electrical systems. Later research has shown that EMD's own electrical schematics has these unique units labeled as SD40X.
4. UP 3040-3045 had flared radiator sections, similar to production SD45s, but shorter. UP 3046 and 3047 had flat radiator sections, like production SD35s and SD40s, and are very similar to SD35 in appearance, but having three 48-inch radiator fans instead of two 48-inch fans and a single 36-inch fan.
5. UP first used the units wherever and whenever a 3000-horsepower unit was needed. Within a couple years, the eight units began to be assigned in groups because of their slightly different electrical systems. In early 1974, UP assigned the units to taconite iron ore trains between Wyoming and Utah, and in 1975, they were equipped for heavy switching duties and assigned to either North Platte or Kansas City. (Read more about the SD40 test bed/demonstrator units)
6. In July, August, and September 1989 the four remaining units (3042-3045) were retired; in November 1989 the four units were reinstated and leased to NdeM for service in Mexico; all four units were retired as they returned from lease to NdeM.
7. Built on EMD order number 5673.

Notes:

1. UP 3040 was traded to EMD in August 1986.
2. UP 3041 was sold to Wilson Railway Co., Des Moines, Iowa, 17 March 1989, reconditioned and sold to PLM 3041 in August 1989, held at Wilson until mid 1990; rebuilt to SD40-2 by Morrison Knudsen, Mountaintop, Pa., completed as PLM 3041 on 30 September 1990; sold to Morrison Knudsen in April 1993, rebuilt to SD40M-2 by Morrison Knudsen, Boise, Idaho, completed as Morrison Knudsen (MKCX) 9051 on 15 November 1993; sold to Helm Financial, to Helm Leasing (HLCX) 6399; to Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) 1507; leased to BNSF during 1998, still identified as TFM 1507; in national lease service on CSX during mid 2005 as HLCX 6399.
3. UP 3042 was leased to NdeM in November 1989 to October 1992; returned to UP and stored unserviceable; moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, during mid May 1993; stored at Cheyenne until sold to Dixie Engine & Equipment, Denver, Colo, in January 1999; sold to National Railway Equipment; moved to Mount Vernon, Illinois, in March 1999.
4. UP 3043 was leased to NdeM in November 1989 to March 1990; stored unserviceable at Fort Worth, Texas; sold to Phoenix Railway Corp., Spokane, Washington, in February 1992; sale rescinded; sold for scrap to Pielet Brothers Scrap Iron & Metal, McCook, Illinois, 27 March 1992.
5. UP 3044 was leased to NdeM in November 1989 to April 1990; stored unserviceable at Fort Worth, Texas; sold for scrap to Southwest Railroad Car Parts, Longview, Texas, 13 July 1992.
6. UP 3045 was leased to NdeM in November 1989 to February 1991; stored unserviceable at Fort Worth, Texas; sold to National Railway Equipment, 13 July 1992; sold to Morrison Knudsen, assigned MKCX 9406, not renumbered, retired on 11 August 1994; seen at Livingston Rebuild Center, Livingston, Montana, on 6 September 1994; seen at Morrison Knudsen, Boise, Idaho, on 4 August 1996.
7. UP 3046 was sold to Wilson Railway Co., Des Moines, Iowa, 24 October 1988, in national lease service as WC-Oxford 3046; sold to Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway 3046 in August 1992; sold to a local bank and leased back to W&LE, rebuild completed in July 1998.
8. UP 3047 was traded to EMD in August 1986.

General Notes:

1. The builder's plates on units 3048-3056 were originally marked for September 1966 and were changed to October 1966 prior to delivery.
2. UP 3048-3082 were reclassified in early 1984 as Priority III units, meaning retirement if anything major goes wrong.
3. UP 3049 was equipped with an electronic siren. The following comes from UP Bulletin A-300, dated August 6, 1975 (courtesy of Mark Amfahr):
4. "Unit 3049 has been equipped with an electronic siren on a test basis. This siren is to be used as an emergency vehicle only and in no way alters the requirements on use of the regular horn. The operator has a selection of three sounds: WAIL, YELP or HIGH-LOW and may be used individually or in a series. It is intended that the siren be sounded approaching and passing gangs or workmen on or near the track and is not intended to be used in cities, towns , municipalities or grade corssings except in emergency."
4. In September 1985, 20 UP SD40s (UP 3056-3075) were converted to switch service; conversion included installing five cab seats.
5. In June, July and August 1989 the remaining 13 units were retired; five units (UP 3056, 3063, 3066, 3069, and 3070) were stored at Nampa, Idaho. In November 1989, all 13 units were reinstated and leased to NdeM for service in Mexico; the units were retired as they returned from lease to NdeM.
6. UP 3069, 3070, 3074, 3076, 3077, 3078, 3079, and 3080 (8 units) were used in switch service prior to 1989 retirement; changed from switch service to freight service on 16 November 1989.
7. Built on EMD order number 7932.

General Notes:

1. In August and September 1989 the remaining 30 units were retired. Seventeen units (UP 3085, 3093, 3099, 3101, 3103, 3105, 3106, 3108, 3109, 3110, 3111, 3113, 3117, 3118, 3120, 3121, 3122) were stored at Nampa, Idaho. UP 3083-3089 were reinstated and leased to NdeM in November 1989. UP 3090-3122 were reinstated and leased to NdeM in March 1990. The units were retired as they returned from lease to NdeM.
2. Built on EMD order number 7324.