Steam Locomotive No. 844 is the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad. It was delivered in 1944 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO).
A high-speed passenger engine, it pulled such widely known trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger trains.
Many people know the engine as the No. 8444, since an extra '4' was added to its number in 1962 to distinguish it from a diesel numbered in the 800
series. The steam engine regained its rightful number in June, 1989, after the diesel was retired.
When diesels took over all of the passenger train duties, No. 844 was placed in freight service in Nebraska between 1957 and 1959. It was saved from
being scrapped in 1960 and held for special service.
The engine has run hundreds of thousands of miles as Union Pacific's ambassador of good will. It has made appearances at Expo '74 in Spokane, the
1981 opening of the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans and the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Los
Angeles Union Station in 1989.
No. 844 was completely overhauled in 1996. Hailed as Union Pacific's "Living Legend," the engine is widely known among railroad enthusiasts for its
excursion runs, especially over Union Pacific's fabled crossing of Sherman Hill between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming.
The engine is currently being rebuilt after the unfortunate collapse of several flues within the boiler while the engine was attending Railfair in
Sacramento, CA. in 1999.
(Facts taken from Union Pacific Special Trains Webpage)
