Steam locomotive to make capital stop

The Union Pacific Challenger engine makes its way across the Moreau River railroad bridge in Cole County on its way to St. Louis.
The Union Pacific Challenger engine makes its way across the Moreau River railroad bridge in Cole County on its way to St. Louis.

The last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific will be making a brief stop in Jefferson City later this month.

Locomotive No. 844 is scheduled to be in town March 27 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. for servicing at the old Missouri Pacific Depot, 301 State St.

The locomotive is traveling from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Marion, Ark., pulling a special 150th Anniversary Commemoration Civil War Troop Train with nearly 300 Civil War historians from the Midwest.

They are going to participate in the 150th Anniversary Battle Of Shiloh Reenactment, as hosted by the Blue Gray Alliance, near the Shiloh National Military Park.

A Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) transmitter was installed on one of the railcars that travel with No. 844.

The GPS system has been integrated with a map on UP's website at www.up.com. Enter "Steam" in the search box on the homepage for a shortcut to the map.

Website visitors will be able to access route maps with varying amounts of detail which are updated every five minutes showing No. 844's location.

Also on the train will be the Frontier Brigade Band, a group out of Dallas/Fort Worth.

They'll have 19 musicians on the train, and band members will be wearing 1859 U.S. Marine Band uniforms.

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