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Steam Engine Rolls Through Local Area

By Brian Hagen

05/08/2012

Residents from across the local area Tuesday may have caught a glimpse of history, as Union Pacific Railroad's vintage Steam Engine #844 rolled through the region on a northward journey.

Spotted in Atchison during the early afternoon, the engine made it's way to Lancaster, and then into Brown County, en route to Hiawatha, Falls City, and then Iowa.

Union Pacific Spokesman Mark Davis says the steam engine visit is part of Union Pacific's ongoing 150th anniversary celebration(Play Audio :22 seconds)

Davis says engine #844 will be stopped, and open to visitors in Iowa, later this week(Play Audio :14 seconds)

Engine #844 carries a rich legacy, and goes down in history as the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific. Put into service as a passenger train in 1944, it was converted for freight service in Nebraska and used from 1957 to 1959.

In 1960, the engine was spared from the scrap heap, and put into special service, which now includes the role of ambassador of goodwill.

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