Engines of Union Pacific Episode 6, DDA40X/Centennial 

This comment is here to let people know the errors in the episode. 8:27 the text for the engine's height is supposed say 16 ft. 4 in. and not 6 ft. 4 in. 20:09 The text was supposed to say Rebuild, not Bebuild. Simple Error grammar that I didn't see. 30:58 This video was suppose to play but glitched out and didn't show. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mCakyHV6FtM.html

I remember seeing these locomotives speeding through Pomona, CA in the 1970s. Together with Southern Pacific tunnel motors, these "double diesels" made a lasting impression on me.

So that's why only UP #6936 is the only DDA40X that has the wings logo. I love the look

10:27, I gotta say that would work pretty well. If I heard that down the tracks I would run away in fear for 10 miles straight.

24:12 I know the manager personally of the Nebraska Railroad Museum. When he told me he's trying to get a Centennial here to Nebraska, at first I thought he was crazy. But he's serious. And now I'm all for it. Glad to see him being backed up here.

The Centennials were not used on Donner Pass because the UP did not own the route over Donner until 1996 with the acquisition of the SP. However, they could be seen in Feather River Canyon over the former Western Pacific for a couple of years as UP had acquired the WP in late 1982.

I'm just a novice RR fan. DDA40X, GTEL 8500 and Big Boy are my favorites. My Dad and Grandfather worked for UP in Cheyenne as machinists from the 20's thru the 50's. As a small kid, I remember sitting in the cab of some modern diesel. Dad and Gramps took me into their work. I remember huge wheels on axles and sitting in that cab. Thanks for your video.

I don't know why, but in the last few weeks I've started to find trains very interesting. Maybe it's the big numbers, maybe it's the history of their applications, I don't know. But I know I love 'em!

So far I've seen 2. 6944 at the museum of transportation and 6930 at Illinois railway museum. They are huge and never fail to impress!

Ah yes, the familiar sound of the Thunderbolt siren. We use them in my state for severe weather warnings.

Excellent! This is the best and most complete documentary I've seen yet in the iconic DD40AX. Congratulations!

As a siren enthusiast, I was glad to hear that 1003 blaring as loud as it could.

Love 6938! I work in LR, AR so i pass by Jenks yard often and get to see the beautiful beast. She always looks ready to hook up and go to work 😀

Truly the titan of trains

They should restore a dd40x and run it as big boy’s second engine, the biggest steam engine running with the biggest diesel engine would be an amazing pairing

One of the most impressive displays I ever saw was in the late 1970s, west of Rawlins, WY. The UP ran what they called "mail trains" consisting of a long string of UPS semi trailers on flatcars. Eastbound on this day was a string of four Centennials with an 8000-series SD40-2 spliced in the middle powering the mail at track speed. The earth shook with almost 30,000 horsepower in run 8.

They had cabs identical to F45 and FP45's. The Canadian comfort cab had yet to be designed when the DDA40X's were delivered. As far as "Big Jack" goes, "jack" is railroad slang for locomotive, so it's natural for the biggest ones ever built to be called "big jacks". 6900 moved all the way to Kansas City for its repaint before being put in Kenefick Park. The move back was behind 6936, which you featured a photo of at Omaha. The 6936 is only labeled a "DD40X" on the cab because of overall unfamiliarity with the model designation when it was overhauled. It is still a DDA40X on the blue card. Fortunately they had another DDA40X sitting across the parking lot at Jenks Shop to pattern replacement steel from so it was a fairly easy repair project for a well equipped facility like that. Also, 6936 was equipped with ditch lights well before the dump truck collision in 2000. The cab air conditioner was indeed part of the 2001 refurbishment/life extension program carried out on the unit. The main issue with 6936 at the current time, is that it is not equipped with PTC, therefore cannot lead a train, and it's not exactly a priority for UP during the PSR phase. They would like to eventually equip it with PTC and ZTR NexSys control system, which is basically the replacement for the EMD Dash-2 solid state circuit boards that are becoming hard to find, and are no longer stocked in most UP locomotive shops. NexSys is what the "N" in SD40N, GP38N, GP15N, etc. stands for.

I know uncle and dad remembers these DDA40X‘s there happy that #6936 is still around with Union Pacific

10:27 Omg that’s worse than a tornado siren. Lol

One of the last places they were used in regular service was the Blue Mountains of Oregon. I watched two of them, along with a SD40-2, rerail five box cars that had derailed and wrecked a switch at Motanic near Meacham. They were the closest power to the derailment and came off an intermodal that they left at Hilgard near LaGrande.

Great job on narration and history of an older once again American ingenuity. Always really appreciated these engines.

Thanks so much. The DDA40X is such a sight to see! I’ve seen it and the Big Boy, before they gave the BB back to the UP for restoration, at the railway museum at The Pomona Fairgrounds.

The DDa40x is an impressive example of a diesel locomotive, you have to love the development of the large steam & diesel locomotives that have been purchased by the Union Pacific rr.

An excellent fun video to watch if you're a rail road and American history buff (enthusiasts). Good entertainment.

I know it needs a good cosmetic restoration, but remember its the policy of the Illinois Railroad Museum that each piece must "earn" its keep / place for either its spot under cover or in a paint stall. Every piece of rolling stock in the barns had money donated specifically to them just to put them there - same with the few REALLY good paint jobs that have happened. So if you and I want the Centennial cleaned up, then we need to start a fund drive or write cheques on the regular so it adds it over time.

Outstanding series ! Thank You !

There is a huge error that needs correcting: when they returned to service in 1984, all 25 revived Centennials ran on the point of trains (not "all but five"). UP began limiting their use on the head-end in 1985. Even then, 6936 led the very last 1985 freight run of a Centennial, from LA to North Platte, before joining the UP heritage fleet. Thanks for this video about my all-time favorite locomotive, which I've been very lucky to experience since being a kid. High hopes that 6936 will run again after her donation to Railroading Heritage of Midwest America.

Well researched and nicely edited. You've done well with this series. Thanks for the hard work!

I got to see one in Pocatello, Idaho unit of 6901. It was sad to see it getting rust and paint coming off. I’m happy there’s others in better condition and one in service. My great grandfather worked as an engineer for Union Pacific for long time, he unfortunately passed away 2 years before the big boy 4014 was in Ogden Utah. I wish he was still alive and to witness it, he would’ve love to see it.

The DDA40X could not be used on Donner because of clearance problems, but they did get used often on the Feather River Route. Used to love watching them come through the old WP yard in the south part of Sacramento. That is why is is appropriate that one is in Portola.

Amazing locomotive. It would awesome to see a DDA40X and Big Boy together on a tour.

These videos keep getting better and better!

You do great work. Please keep on doing it.

Great history session! I love UP trains!

Thanks for including metric measurements for weights for us European viewers but please in future also include metric measurements for lengths love you videos keep up the excellent work

Sounds like the UP had a very good run out of the DDA40X. Over 2 million miles up those grades with that tonnage is impressive. The 3rd of the 3 most fantastic engines ever built following the 4000 class & the Daddy of them all, the 1-30 class.

Pretty cool history of the DD40. I enjoyed it, thanks.

Got 3 of these in HO! Beautiful creatures.

One will be delivered to the Silvis Rail Yard in the fall of 2022 and transferred into the hands of the 261.

It will definitely be quite a sight seeing 6936 with big boy 4014.

I’ve seen 3 of them in person, first 6944 in 2019, then 6900 and later 6922 on the same day, this summer

The Siren they added on 6918 and 6924 makes me fell like there’s a tornado coming

The dd40ax is one of my favorite locomotives ever I'm gland you made this video ottomatic thank you very much

Lots of great information. Nicely done.

I remember back in 2005 taking a drive up to the Feather River rail museum and having the chance to see the 6946 on display. And WOW! That was an incredible sight and glad that i was able to see it. A fine piece of American Railroad history!

Thanks for this video love these mighty locomotives

This is the best one yet!

Thank you for the awesome detail and information you have researched and provided for us☺️☺️☺️☺️

Very neat video, Otto!

I used to work right next to the UP Omaha Shops. I was able to take a lot of slides of these units as they were being parted out.

Great video! 👍

Awesome! I have a few Lionel locomotive train engines and manuals vintage toy collectibles. Great video! Thanks for sharing

Alway glad to help again

Fascinating, thank you...

I wish these things lasted long enough to be on Donner’s Pass in ‘96

Really great vid🙏

9:21 Leslie rs5trf 9:44 Leslie rs3l 10:34 fs thunder bolt 1003

Very impressive! Well done with the Narrations too!

Glad I could help and great job

6:43 NSWGR AD60 class garratts had a similar story. 6002 got introduced before 6001

Great video!!!!

6936 (and all centennials) are all pretty much the big boy in diesel form.

Fantastic video!

Awesome information….. thanks for sharing 👍

I'll be having 6936 in a series of mine, named Boford. BTW, congrats on 5K subs.

Very nice info

Have two model 6900 DD40AX, one in O Scale, the other in N Scale. Have not compared them side by side to see the difference between “O” & “N” Scale models of the same locomotive. Will have to view a photograph of 6900 at the 100th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad to see how to make a depiction of the Steam and Diesel locomotives that joined together at that event. Will have to view the preceding video again to hear the road number of the Steam Locomotive that 6900 accompanied. Making the display in N Scale first would be the most economical place to start, as well as portability to move the display if successful.

I have been waiting for this

Wow that opening jingle really brings back memories :-) That will be stuck in my mind for a while.

I’ve seen 6913 in frisco it’s HUGE!

Really like this video

I love the half life music in this video! Although its hard to here!

I also love the TF2 theme at the end it's called rocket jump waltz.

The Union Pacific has some strange fascination with huge locomotives from the steam era to the diesel era they did things that other railroads did not do. The Union Pacific diesel locomotive would become short of breath at high elevations and lose power going up the mountain. It was the railroad experiments with turbocharging the diesel locomotive so we would always have an adequate supply of air for going up the mountains regardless of how high it went up to. They went through different turbos until they got a reliable set up and they told EMT this is how you're going to make our locomotive and EMT adopted they're turbocharging knowledge to their own locomotive.

Great video, this has been one of my favorite UP engines, another powerful engine💪 that I would love to meet in person one day, maybe travel to Pomona, CA. to work his horn, he would be very happy🤗 Seriously, to this day, I am finding out that # 6911 is in the MUTEC - Technological Museum of the Federal Electricity Commission😲, I will have to go one day too👍 Very interesting all the information, very relevant, concise and great work, I subscribe👌🔔 I hope to live until the year 2069 and know, without a doubt, the new “Bi-Centennial” model...

YES 6936 MY FAVORITE of all time

We just received 6936 in Silvis this past Saturday, November 19th, 2022. I have video of it along with UP 5511, UP 3985, and several other pieces for restoration by Railroading Heritage of Midwest America

9:22 I bet this horn can be use for pranks

Thanks, Lots of info.

The reason the 6900s never went over Donner Summit is because the UP didn't own the route until the mid 90s.

And on August 20th, 2023, 6936 made an appearance towing a Dash 8 around at the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America Silvis shops.

Excelente relato, gracias por compartir este video de esta EXEPCIONAL locomotora 👍☝️👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌🙋

great video too big for the home layout but after joining the local club with a big layout have brought 6900 and 6922 where they fit in nicely

Great video

Hold up, they put Federal Signal THUNDERBOLTS on the Big Jacks?! Those are civil defense sirens!

10:33 sounds like a tornado siren

10:27 If I saw a DDA40X blaring the Thunderbolt 1000 siren (and honking it’s horn at the same time), I would’ve just ran away instantly.

The fact it was easier to get them back into service instead of newer locomotives..... They don't make 'em like they used to.

Super film 👍Thumbs Up and Big LIKE!

may 7th 1969 i turned 11 years old my uncle was an enigineer on the UP my dad was a welder/car inspector on the UP. they were a nice time for me.

the dd40x is my favorite locomotive

I would love to see a photo of 6936 helping the Big Boy 4014 with excursion trips

Playing that siren during the Cold War era was a risky move to say the least...

About 11 years ago my brother and I chased 6936 out of Portola Cal, that last clip when your movie ends is the Feather River canyon

Putting two engines on one chassis is the diesel equivalent of an articulated steam locomotive which was designed to do the work of two steam locomotives but with only one crew. Because diesel locomotives can multi-unit by connecting one to another to another it made the whole project a mute point and if something was wrong with one of the engines in the locomotive the whole engine had to be taken out of service

Years ago when I was much younger when i lived in Fresno,CA I remember seeseeing these on occasion which was SP territory at the time.

Thank you very much Otto learnt a lot ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Bootiful Amazing Awesome episode

great film and history, i do recall when the feather river route was closed temporarily in 1984 and saw a centennial through newcastle, ca., don’t recall if it was compass east or west now, but it sure was on the Donner route.

My favorite Union Pacific diesel locomotive type, I would really love to see one of these engines up close in person for myself.