When Your Hopes Get Dashed…

I was worried when I learned D&RGW was taking over the Southern Pacific. The SP had always been my hands-down favorite railroad, and anything that imperiled the existence of the SP was obviously a concern.

My SP had already dodged one bullet when the ICC shot down the SPSF merger. When the Rio Grande announced that they were keeping the Southern Pacific name, and folding the D&RGW into the SP, I felt that the bullet might be dodged again.

When the SP began taking delivery of hundreds of new locomotives, complete with a bold new lettering style, I felt confidently hopeful that the SP would survive, even prosper for years to come.

Within a few short years of the roll-out of speed-lettered locomotives,  much to my disappointment, the announcement was made that the UP would acquire the Southern Pacific.

As we all know, the SP wasn’t able to dodge this bullet.

The hood of UP GP60 2045, Sugar Land, TX on Jan. 10, 2010

Every time I see an engine with this lettering, I’m reminded of just how short this era actually was. Nearly 14 years after the merger took place, it’s nice to still see a reminder of a time when SP power looked better than it had for years…