Re: Not narrow gauge

guymonmd Wrote:
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> Hard to say.
> Perhaps they will keep the 4014X on the 4-8-8-4
> OR they may do 40144 or just renumber the diesel.


I was under the impression that it would be X4014 as Americans generally described the trains of that era as Extra Loco# Direction. Not only that but the X only appears in the Train Indicators not on the Numberplate nor cabside numbering. If the Loco was assigned to a Timetabled train then it would carry that train number in the indicators not an X with class number. UP always restored the X class number to the indicators after numbered train runs unless it went out on another scheduled run.

This was of great interest to me after viewing the Union Pacific Railroad publicity photo of X-1 Turbine round the curve at Dale Juction in an Encyclopedia Britannica way back in 1971, my first exposure to USA bigtime railroading. I couldn't fathom why a Locomotive would be numbered X-1, there was of course no explanation to this in the caption. To further muddy my young mind, the opposite page photo was of SP Black Widow hood units in a servicing shop and those had totally vacant numberboards/train indicators(as was the SP tradition of taking down the numbers after a run).

All very mysterious and eXciting I must say.

Chris
in New Zealand