Union Pacific Trilogy

Pentrex presents three rare films from the vaults of the Union Pacific Historical Society that have never before been released to the general public. These films, which were produced by the Union Pacific Railroad over two decades beginning in the 1960s, are now available for your entertainment! Get ready to enjoy:

* Rivers of Steel (10 minutes): Produced for UP’s display at the Nineteen Eighty Four World’s Fair in New Orleans, this film depicts many of the railroad’s routes along America’s rivers. The territory ranges from Feather River Canyon in California to the Huey P. Long Bridge over the Mississippi River in New Orleans.
* Eighty Four Forty Four (11 minutes): Many have proclaimed the 800 class Northern-type 4-8-4 as the finest locomotive ever to run on the Union Pacific. This film from the early ’80s shows the 8444 in action, and you’ll hear recollections from the employees that knew her best. With the camera clamped onto the main rods, you’ll see this locomotive up close like never before.
* Meet Uncle Pete (44 minutes): Just as the US has Uncle Sam for its symbol, UP employees affectionately refer to their company as “Uncle Pete.” This film provides a fascinating snapshot of UP in the mid-1960s. First- and second-generation diesels, such as F-units and giant DD35s, run by the camera, as well as oil-fired gas turbines. Many types of special purpose freight cars are examined, including open auto racks, stock cars, and piggybacks being loaded. See locomotive repair shops, hump yard operations, early CTC dispatching, and maintenance of way equipment, as we travel the length and breadth of the Union Pacific system.