I'd agree, Mike, and add a few things:

1. The NS program has been dead and gone for 13 years; UP's is in it's 47th year and still going strong.

2. It was SP, not UP, that banished the 819 group to the barn; and that happened 3 years BEFORE the UP merger.

3. Throughout the 1980's and 1990's, SP wasn't as hospitable to 4449 as a lot of foamers like to believe. Literally dozens of planned and/or hoped for trips never happened, because SP would not allow the engine out.

4. Too many "outside" engine groups have had trouble making their iron horses perform.
Hot bearings (2467 and 1522 come to mind), excessive delays (5629), low-water incidents (745) and other close calls leave a lasting impression on railroad managements. I will say that too often, RR managements, having been stung by one poor-performing group or engine, tend to lump them all together as something to be avoided. I won't even try to defend that attitude.

The point is, If you don't like the way UP does things with steam, go watch the CN steam program, or the CSX steam program, or the KCS steam program or the NS program, or the other many big railroad steam programs and engines out there.