ALL ABOARD FOR TRAIN DAYS 2023 Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4 from 10 AM – 4 PM! Join us for a FREE celebration of trains and transportation! Train Days will include train equipment tours, a vendor marketplace, model trains, concessions, Steam Locomotive photography exhibit, family friendly activities and more! A look back in time at Union Depot’s treasured past. CHOO CHOO! ALL ABOARD FOR TRAIN DAYS! TRAIN DAYS FAMILY ACTIVITIES– Kid activity area – DJ and contests for families – Craft kits and coloring kits– Model trains– Train equipment tours– Bus tours– Historic exhibit about the Steam Locomotive– Oversized games (Chess, Checkers, Connect-Four, Jenga) Ride to Train Days for Free with Metro Transit! TRAIN DAYS 2023 EQUIPMENT Milwaukee Road steam locomotive No. 261 The American Locomotive Company built No. 261 in 1944 for the Milwaukee Road, which operated between Chicago, the Twin Cities and other Midwest points to the Pacific Coast. No. 261 was in service until 1954 when it was retired and donated to the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wis. The locomotive was leased and later purchased by Railroading Heritage of Midwest America/Friends of the 261 whose mission is to promote public understanding of Midwest railroad history and preserve, restore, operate, and interpret historic locomotives and rail passenger cars. No. 261 was returned to service in 1993 and since then has pulled excursion and special trains in several states, including the North Pole Express at Union Depot each December. This is No. 261’s second appearance at Union Depot Train Days. Milwaukee Road E9A No. 32A Milwaukee Road E9A No. 32A was built in 1955 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. It was one of 12 E9A units and six B units built for use on Union Pacific’s “City” streamliners when they switched from the Chicago & North Western to the Milwaukee Road between Chicago and Omaha in 1955. They were also used on other Milwaukee Road trains including several which served Union Depot, such as the Olympian Hiawatha between Chicago, the Twin Cities and Seattle/Tacoma, and the Twin Cities Hiawathas and overnight Pioneer Limited between Chicago and the Twin Cities. No. 32A is one of only four Milwaukee Road E9s known to survive and is now owned by the non-profit Railroading Heritage of Midwest America/Friends of the 261. Private car Caritas This car was originally built in 1948 for the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad (Frisco) as sleeping car “Pierre LaClede” (the founder of St. Louis). In 1964 it was sold to Canadian National Railways and its name changed to Churchill Falls. In 1983 it was sold again to High Iron Travel and extensively renovated to include a spacious lounge, enlarged windows on the rear, an open platform, and a kitchen with modern amenities. It was renamed “Caritas” – Latin for “love.” The car is now owned by Railroading Heritage of Midwest America/Friends of the 261. This is Caritas’ first visit to Union Depot Train Days. Milwaukee Road “Skytop” observation/parlor/lounge “Cedar Rapids” Designed by Milwaukee industrial designer Brooks Stevens, there were only four of these glass-backed “Skytop” observation cars ever built. They were constructed by the Milwaukee Road at its Milwaukee Shops in 1948. The cars were used on the Chicago-Twin Cities Morning Hiawatha from 1948 to 1969, and the Afternoon Hiawatha from 1948 to 1970. These trains made regular stops at the St. Paul Union Depot. Three of the Skytop cars survive, but this is the only car that still operates. It is now owned by the non-profit Railroading Heritage of Midwest America/Friends of the 261. Milwaukee Road Super Dome No. 53 Super Dome No. 53 was one of ten Super Dome cars built by Pullman Standard in 1952 for the Milwaukee Road. The cars were used on the railroad’s Chicago-Twin Cities-Seattle Tacoma Olympian Hiawatha from 1952 to 1961, and the Chicago-Twin Cities Morning and Afternoon Hiawathas from 1952 to 1971. These trains made regular stops at the St. Paul Union Depot. The car was sold to Canadian National in 1964, and in 1985 the Chicago & North Western Railway purchased it from a private owner for use on business trains. C&NW merged with the Union Pacific in 1995, and UP sold the car to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Railroading Heritage of Midwest America/Friends of the 261 purchased the car from NCDOT in 2005. No. 261 pulls the “Gourmet Express” wine and cheese excursion. Milwaukee Road Baggage Car No. 2450 American Car & Foundry built Baggage Car No. 2450 in 1957 for the Union Pacific Railroad as Postal Storage car No. 5741. While the car was built for general service, it saw frequent use on Union Pacific’s famous Cities streamliners throughout the West. It was later converted to maintenance of way car No. 904267. Now owned by Railroading Heritage of Midwest America/Friends of the 261, it was converted into a concession/bar car for use on special excursions and charter trains. The Friends upgraded the car to include such features as a full bar, an on board sound system, an LCD television and GPS. CPKC Canadian Pacific AC4400CWM Locomotive 8074 This locomotive is a 4,400 horsepower General Electric AC4400CWM. It was originally built in 1995 for CP as No. 9539, and later rebuilt by GE with upgraded electrical systems, up to 10 percent fuel efficiency gains, 40 percent increase in reliability and 50 percent increase in hauling ability. It is used in regular freight service pulling trains in the US, Canada and Mexico. Originally owned by Canadian Pacific, it is now the property of North America’s newest railroad, CPKC. The railroad was formed on April 14, 2023 by the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern Railway to become the first single-line, transnational railway connecting Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. CPKC Kansas City Southern ET44AC Locomotive 5000 This locomotive is a 4,400 horsepower General Electric model ET44AC built in 2019 for Kansas City Southern Railway. It wears the famous “Southern Belle” colors first introduced on KCS passenger trains in 1940. No. 5000 is used in regular freight service pulling trains in the US, Canada and Mexico. It is now the property of North America’s newest railroad, CPKC. The railroad was formed on April 14, 2023 by the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern Railway to become the first single-line, transnational railway connecting Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Twin Cities & Western Railroad GP38-2 locomotive This locomotive is a rebuilt GP38-2 type 2,000 horsepower locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and owned by Glencoe-based Twin Cities & Western Railroad. Twin Cities & Western began operations on July 27, 1991. In the last three decades, the family-owned company has become Minnesota’s largest short line railroad. It is responsible for moving almost $1.5 billion in goods from Minnesota and South Dakota farms and manufacturers to markets in 39 US states, Canada and Mexico. From Glencoe, Twin Cities & Western trains operate to Minneapolis/St. Paul and west to Milbank, S.D., over 229 miles of track. Twin Cities &Western is one of the leading supporters of Union Depot Train Days, providing a locomotive and moving equipment to the event at no charge since 2016. Great Northern NW5 No. 192 Great Northern Railway No. 192 is one of only 13 model NW5s built by General Motors between December 1946 and February 1947. Great Northern owned ten NW5s, and used them in branch line freight and passenger service. The NW5 is basically a switch engine on a stretched frame with larger fuel and water tanks so it could be used in road service. The NW5 design included a steam generator in the short hood used to produce steam to heat passenger cars. NW5s were used by GN and successor railroad Burlington Northern in branch line and secondary service. Now owned by Duluth’s Lake Superior Railroad Museum, this is the first time No. 192 has appeared at Union Depot Train Days. Full Steam Ahead Exhibit open June – October. Explore a new free historical photography exhibit at Union Depot. Full Steam Ahead walks through the history and power the steam locomotive had in connecting the United States. TRAIN DAYS VIDEO MINISERIES FROM VIRTUAL TRAIN DAYS 2020 Join us online for a six-part video miniseries, highlighting memories of Union Depot, the history of trains, interviews with railroading experts and more! Virtual Train Days – Episode 1 | Memories of Union Depot Virtual Train Days – Episode 2 | How the Steam Locomotive Changed History Virtual Train Days – Episode 3 | Luxury Train Travel Virtual Train Days – Episode 4 | The History of Railroading in Saint Paul Virtual Train Days – Episode 5 | Q & A With Railroad Experts Virtual Train Days – Episode 6 | Union Depot and Railroads Today This video miniseries will feature partners such as The Friends of the 261 and the Minnesota Transportation Museum to showcase interesting lessons and educational insights. ALL ABOARD FOR UNION DEPOT COLORING SHEETS! Download these PDF coloring sheets and wow us with your artwork! Are you looking for another fun activity for your kids to complete? Download our free 10 page activity book that includes coloring pages, puzzles, word finds, mazes and fun facts about Union Depot! CHECK OUT OTHER EVENTS Check the Union Depot event calendar for other virtual experiences and future events. VIEW CALENDAR
