Shared trackage rights...

SP shared trackage with the WP in steam days 'cuz in places the WP route was bit shorter, thru Nevada. SP shared trackage with the AT&SF on the "Loop" in steam days and into the present. In some cases either road helped the other with steam helpers too, that was mostly in WWII, when everything that would push or pull was used.

If the UP had trackage rights with the MP, it would have been in places like Omaha, St Joseph, Topeka, Salina, or Lincoln, which were locations served by both roads. If there were no trackage rights, then they most probably had interchanges there, where you could expect to see power from both roads side by side.

In Kansas City and Omaha there presumably would have a been a belt line or terminal road that both UP and MP had connections with, another place where their power would be seen together.

As for the UP and WP, they both served Salt Lake City, and Wells in Nevada, so perhaps they interchanged or had trackage rights in these locations.

According to the 1956 "Handbook of American Railroads" published by Simmons-Boardman, the MP was fully dieselised before the UP, so your scenario as outlined above is possible.

All the best,

Mark.

Here's why I'm so interested... I was REALLY impressed by Pelle Soeborg's desert layout in the March & April issues of MR! In fact, I was so impressed - which is a tough thing to do because I'm so into mountain scenery - that I decided my next layout would be based on Pelle's!

However, I don't want it to turn into a strictly UP-based layout. I'd like to be able to see my other diesels on this layout and not have someone tell me it ain't prototypical. From what I've been able to find out, the Missouri Pacific never really penetrated the desert southwest... but the Western Pacific did... and I have a couple of WP diesels that would apparently not be out of place.

Frank

Haven't seen it yet, but his previous work has been very good, so I'll keep an eye out for it.

The westernmost points of the MP were Pueblo in Colorado, and El Paso in Texas.

From your previous posts, it sounds as though a layout based on the Salt Lake City-Ogden-Wells area would be most suited to your needs, since both UP and WP ran there.

All the best,

Mark.

If you didn't want to be constrained by the prototype, but wanted a plausible alternative, you could consider this: The WP and SP had paired track operations in the desert between Winnemucca and Wells in Nevada. You could subsitute the UP for the SP...

Missouri Pacific did a pretty good job at desert railroading. The Texas & Pacific ran out to El Paso. Drive I 20 west of Fort Worth out to where it runs into I 10 and on to El Paso. I think you'll consider that pretty good desert territory. Sand, sagebrush and Gila Monsters are the only things you'll find out there other than oil wells.

Except that I already have a beautiful Proto 2000 articulated running under the UP flag! However, I did consider the SP - just don't have much motive power for it.

Frank

Sorry Frank, I meant run UP trains instead of SP. :-)