January 1984 found all the un-rebuilt ex-WP GP40s being removed from storage at Salt Lake City when UP sub-leased them for a period of 18-months, along with the ex-WP GP40-2s, to the Missouri Pacific.

Western Pacific GP40s 1976 (ex-3541) and 1776 (ex-3540) on display in San Francisco, along with Bicentennial power from Santa Fe and Southern Pacific. Bi-Centenial celebration at the California State Railway Museum. Western Pacific GP40 #1776 in Red-White-Blue. WP 1776. Logo is 'Buy US Savings Bonds'. Rear view of WP 1776.

Aug 20, 1996 · The roster was updated in 1994 during preparation of an article on WP's GP40 fleet for Pacific RailNews magazine but was not included by the publisher when that monograph finally saw print in April of 1996.

Sold to CMNW, to WC, to BRC.

WP continued updating the locomotive fleet in 1966 with the addition of ten 3000 horsepower GP40’s in numerical series 3501-3510 which closely followed the GP35 order. Interestingly, the GP40’s were delivered without dual cab controls as had been standard on previous locomotives.

The first two groups of GP40's ordered by WP, 3501-3516, were rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen for WP in 1980 and all except for 3505 remained in service on the UP. The third and fourth order for GP40's were delivered during 1970 and 1971 carrying numbers 3517 through 3544.

Dec 28, 2024 · Western Pacific Railroad GP40-2 3551 fresh from EMD at BN's Clyde, Illinois yard on an unknown day in April 1980, Kodachrome by Chuck Zeiler. Title: WP 3551 Description: WP units roamed the SoCal area for several months following their merger with the …

These turbocharged 3,000hp locomotives were used primarily in road freight service. The GP40 was a versatile locomotive that could be found across the US hauling drag freights over mountain passes and leading high-speed intermodal trains across flat terrain.

WP GP40-2 3553 teams up with two additional GP40s to spirit an eastbound train just east of at Pulga, in the Feather River Canyon over the July 4th weekend of 1980. (Below) WP 3523 stored on the UP at Salt Lake City, February, 1983. (Both photos by Ken Rattenne)

WP's two GP40s were definitely the show-stealers with the now familiar 5-car bicentennial train, eclipsing the other attendees. SP, which also had two Bicentennial engines, chose to display its resident commute unit, GP40P-2 3197, freeing it's Cotton …