A visit to the UP at Pendleton, OR

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From my home in Yakima, WA it a little over two hours to drive to Pendleton, OR.  My cousin Michelle was born there so that’s my tie to Pendleton but I never really stopped long enough in all my trips to the Blue Mountains to take a look at the town on my way there.  On 6-21-23 I finally made a trip to Oregon, however not to the Blue Mountains but to Pendleton to take a look at what I had skipped for so many years.

First a look at the UP town of Pendleton.  Here is what Wikipedia has to say: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendleton,_Oregon

Pendleton is on Union Pacific’s Oregon Second Subdivision running from La Grande, OR west to Hinkle, OR.  Here is a page showing the location of Pendleton in a 1976 UP timetable, west of the Blue Mountains.

Pendleton

Now to the day trip to Pendleton.  I left home about 08:15AM on Wednesday June 21, 2023 and made a quick non-stop drive.south into Oregon and then east on I-82 arriving at Pendleton around 1030 AM.  The signals at Rieth just to the west were red so I figured no trains were close by.  I looked for the former UP depot and found it parking in a lot just to the east along S. Main Street.  This is the first photo I got facing west looking towards the ex-depot, now a museum.

02) Pendleton, OR 6-21-23 MP 215.8 facng west

And a photo a bit closer to the ex-UP depot.

03) Pendleton, OR ex-UP depot 6-21-23

This appears to be an older style of bumper post as compared to others nearby.

04) Pendleton bumper post 6-21-23

South Main Street looking towards Pendleton and the historic Bowman Hotel.

05) S. Main St Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

A closer look at the historic Bowman Hotel, built in 1906.  This is some Wikipedia information: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowman_Hotel_(Pendleton,_Oregon)

06) Historic Bowman Hotel Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

About 11:30AM finally came horns from the west.  Eastbound UP Z-BRG2 was approaching.  Power was the 9104/2696/7064/7398/7363  (SD70AH/ET44AC/C44ACM/ES44AC/AC45CCTE)

07) UP 9104 E Pendleton, OR 6-21-23 MP 215.8

I rarely saw trailers on UP trains in the Seattle area but UP seems to run a lot of TOFC on their Z-trains down here.

10) TOFC on UP ZBRG2 Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

UPS apparently pays a lot to get their trailers on this train so these UPS pups should be getting a quick ride to their destination.

11) UPS trailers Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

I then headed over to SW Frazer Ave to photograph the Bowman Hotel a bit closer.

14) SW Frazer Ave Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

15) Historic Bowman Hotel Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

I then made my way over to KFC to get lunch to go.  Luckily I got it to go as leaving the crossing gates nearby started to come down.  As I was the first car in line no problem shutting off the car and getting out with the camera to catch the eastbound O-T4WV with units 7239/6667/8779  (AC44CW/AC44CW/SD70ACe) at 12:11PM.

18) UP 7239 E Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

The O-T4WV was an empty unit soda ash train from Portland, OR headed to Westvaco, WY.  The location is MP 214.9 in Pendleton.  Actually a very nice location for just a grab shot.  Here are a couple of the covered hoppers on this train.,

19) NAHX 516193 Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

21) TGSX 1294 Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

The first car, NAHX 516193 was built in 1996 which the TGSX 1294 was built in April 2023.  Quite a difference in appearance!  Nearby along SW Frazer Ave was the Heritage Museum/depot with this rather old windmill outside.

25) SW Frazer St Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

After two hours of no trains I figured there may not be any more for the day but as I was getting ready to head for home I could hear MOW on the scanner talking to a train so there was hope another was indeed coming.  At 3:12 PM came horns from the east signalling a westbound was here.  The train was the Z-G2BR with units 7728/5715/3912/5956 (ES44AC/AC44CWCTE/SD70M/ES44AC) at MP 215.1

27) UP 7728 W Pendleton, OR 6-21-23 MP 215.1

UP SD70M 3912 was built in 2003 so being the oldest locomotive seen today was worthy of a photo.

28) UP 3912 Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

Always on the lookout for Yellow Freight trailers since their future is rather clouded as the company may file for bankruptcy due to debt problems.  The westbound Z did have one I photographed.  I do like the Yellow pups so would be sorry if the line shuts down.

P1010224 Yellow pup Pendleton, OR 6-21-23

UPS and ABF pups on the westbound Z at Pendleton.

P1010229 UP ZG2BR Pendleton 6-21-23

After the train had gone I started west out of town figuring I’d be headed home now but did stop to photograph this sign showing that Pendleton is part of Train Town USA.

P1010239 UP Pendleton - Train Town USA 6-21-23

While taking these photos I saw another westbound train was approaching!  I got back in the car and headed west looking for a good location to get pics of the train.  West end of Rieth, OR at MP 211 worked though the sun angle was not real good.  The westbound was loaded soda ash with a symbol of O-BGLV and had units 2730/5693/6733 (ET44AC/AC44CWCTE/AC44CW) up front.  The 6733 is former CNW 8831.  The time was 3:48 PM.

P1010242 UP 2730 W Rieth 6-21-23

Mid-train DPU’s were 8314/7619/8365/8253  (SD70ACe//ES44AC/SD70ACe/ES44AC-H)

P1010245 UP mid-DPU's Rieth, OR 6-21-23

And bringing up the rear were another pair of DPU’s, 6752/8208  (AC44CW/ES44AC-H)

P1010248 UP rear DPU's Rieth, OR 6-21-23

Back shot of the DPU’s shows the beginning of UP’s 14 mile Pilot Rock branch line curving away from the main line.

P1010249 UP rear DPU's Rieth, OR 6-21-23

With a two hour drive ahead of me it was now time to start back for Yakima but I’d gotten a good taste of Oregon and I knew I would be back, and soon!

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