crmeatball Wrote:
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> Can anyone provide some sort of official
> documentation stating UP will not allow foreign
> steam to operate on their network? I hear such all
> the time, but I've never seen anything other than
> foamer conjecture on the topic. That fact you
> don't see non-UP steam on UP suggests there is
> some reason, but I've always thought it was more a
> financial issue rather than an outright ban. UP
> might just have some insurance or technical
> requirement which prevents others from using their
> network. It is something I have come across often
> in my business dealings - that these things fall
> apart more from insurance or technical issues than
> policy issues. Seems like if it were a policy
> driven prohibition, it would be bad for UP. Not
> in the eyes of railfans (whose opinion has little
> value to UP execs) but makes them look spiteful
> and overly-protectionist in the eyes of shippers
> and no one wants to work with a jerk.

UP has a policy in place since I believe the mid to late 60's of not allowing any public steam excursions on their lines with non-UP owned steam locomotives. They have their own steam program which they have used as a public relations tool and for their customers for many years and have also operated public excursions from time to time sponsored by third parties. UP has made exceptions to the rule with non-owned UP locomotives such as the SP 4449 to travel over many parts of their system during the American Freedom Train tour back in 1976. They also allowed SP 4449, Santa Fe 3751 and SP 2467 (now on display down in the California State Railroad Musuem in Sacramento) to operate on their mainlines to Railfair 1999. SP 4449 and Santa Fe 3751 ran under BNSF trackage rights on UP rails however SP 2467 was supported by UP themselves from Oakland to Sacramento on the Cal P line with steam manager Steve Lee aboard the locomotive for the trip. You can also see youtube video of SP 4449 and UP 844's doubleheader back in 2007 which operated mostly on BNSF owned tracks however the engines and train were on display at the UP Fife yard in Tacoma.

UP assists non-UP owned locomotives with allowing them to move over their mainlines from time to time to get to railroads they can pull a passenger excursion on. This will happen this upcoming June when SP 4449 operates to Bend, Oregon and return. 4449 will need to use the UP main to get to Portland Union Station.