Last CNW units in original paint stored at Illinois museum NEWSWIRE

UNION, Ill. — As Union Pacific continues to store excess locomotives this fall due to depressed business levels, two of the most noteworthy engines on its roster were placed into storage last week, Chicago & North Western C44-9Ws Nos. 8646 and 8701.

The General Electric locomotives are the only two remaining on Union Pacific’s roster that wear their as-delivered Chicago & North Western paint and road numbers from 1994. Before being parked, the two were typically assigned to various locals and transfer assignments in the Chicago area.

While Union Pacific has selected various storage locations around its system for its sidelined power, the two CNW locomotives were dispatched last week to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Ill., for long term storage on museum grounds. CNW Nos. 8646 and 8701 were moved to Proviso yard in Chicago to have fluids their drained and prepared for storage prior to moving to Union on Oct. 27.

The museum is currently closed for the season, so public viewing is not possible at this time.