OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has marked Presidents Day by announcing plans for a locomotive to honor the nation’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, who signed the legislation authorizing construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, leading to UP’s creation.
The paint scheme of locomotive No. 1616 will feature “the unique colors of Lincoln’s era,” UP said in a press release. It also honor ssteam locomotive No. 119, one of the two engines participating in the Golden Spike ceremony at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869. The locomotive will be unveiled this spring.
“President Lincoln wanted to unite the nation, and through his actions, railroads were a catalyst for national growth, representing major advances in innovation and technology,” CEO Jim Vena said. “We’re proud to be part of an industry that is still a major part of the central nervous system of the North American economy and continues to provide innovative solutions that unleash economic innovation.”
The Lincoln locomotive will be the second honoring a president, joining No. 4141, honoring President George H..W. Bush. That locomotive was part of the Bush funeral train in 2018 and is now on permanent display at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas.
Be careful; now Trump will insist on having one named for him.
UPRR 4547. Runs on hot air.
Don’t need to duplicate the number like UPRR 1616 (Abraham Lincoln) or UPRR 4141 (George H. W. Bush).
very nice