Few locomotives are as legendary as the UP 844. The UP 844 or “UP’s Living Legend”, as its sometimes called, is the only steam locomotive on the Union Pacific that was never once removed from the roster, and has remained active since its introduction into service in December 1944.
UP 844 is a FEF-3″ 4-8-4 “Northern” Type locomotive, which entered service in December 1944. It was the very last steam locomotive to be delivered to Union Pacific. This locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959, when it was finally retired.
When the locomotive was retired in 1959, it was placed into storage with the rest of the UP steam fleet, which was slated for scrapping. Luckily, Union Pacific management recognized the significance of the steam locomotive, and decided to save the UP 844 from the scraper’s torch. This was the start of the UP Steam Program.
