844 was undergoing some extensive work. They are replacing the firebox, all the superheaters have been pulled, the cover is off the smoke box and all the valves in the cab and exterior are being redone. Still, Bryce seems to think they will be done by the end of April and 844 will be back on the road by June. He doesn't know what the schedule is for 2013 excursions but expects it to be light since they logged 17,000 miles last year.
Union Pacific 6936 is an EMD DDA40X locomotive owned by Union Pacific Railroad (UP). It is the sole example of the "Centennial" type that is still in operation, and thus is the largest operational diesel-electric locomotive in the world. It is occasionally used on both excursion trains and in revenue freight service. In 2000 UP 6936 struck a vehicle at a grade crossing in Louisiana and suffered significant damage to its front end. An employee riding in the nose section was killed in the accident, as was the driver of the struck vehicle. After the damage was repaired, a winged UP shield logo was applied to the front. It was also repainted in the current Lightning Bolt paint scheme and had a rooftop air conditioning unit installed.
The tool car is another member of the "entourage". They have a lot of the tools that are available in the shop for performing repairs or maintenance of the locomotive while out on the road.
