Baby Boats Live On…
There aren’t too many 4 axle GE’s left on U.S. Class 1’s, even less with the venerable “pug nose” that characterized GE locomotives from the U28B to the B36-7, a span of nearly 20 years.
The UP has retired hundreds of these “Baby Boats” in the last few years. Most were scrapped, but 70 of these ex SP/MP B23-7’s and B30-7’s have been given a new lease on life as control units for remote control yard switch operations. Called CCRCL’s by the UP, they are numbered UPY 105 to UPY 174. These units are used to permit RC operation of non-RC locomotives.
UPY 128, ex UP B30-7A 254, nee MP 4854 at Houston, TX on 6/10/2006
UPY 150, ex SP B30-7 7865 at Houston, TX on 6/11/2006
UPY 150 at Houston,Texas on 6/11/2006
The above image shows UPY 150 doing its thing, providing remote control of 2 non-RC GP38-2’s as they shove hard against a long cut into the top end of Settegast Yard on June 11, 2006.
Southwest Rails 