I was catching up on organizing the last few months of photos (adding keywords, etc) when I came across this beauty taken in September 2019.
It’s the Union Pacific locomotive 1943, the Spirit, passing through the mountains west of Boulder in the wide spot in the road known as Pinecliff, Colorado. (More info below the photo.)
Union Pacific’s Locomotive No. 1943, The Spirit, was the company’s 16th commemorative locomotive. The Spirit honors the United States’ armed forces and the men and women filling their ranks. Created in collaboration with Union Pacific veterans, the locomotive illustrates the railroad’s connection to the thousands of veterans who helped build America through the centuries.
The Moniker
A Boeing B-17 was christened the Spirit of the Union Pacific in 1943, recognizing employees who funded it through war bond contributions. The Spirit of the Union Pacific was assigned to the 571st Bomber Squadron and shot down on its fifth mission during a raid on enemy installations in Munster, Germany.
Honoring the Armed ForcesEvery detail in The Spirit’s trade dress incorporates a piece of each U.S. armed forces branch.
The Spirit’s front is symbolic of Air Force Silver, and the blue stripe is a reflection of the former Strategic Air Command’s “nose sash.” The lettering inside the sash is the original handdrawn font used on the B-17. It is followed by the Coast Guard’s “Racing Stripe” and the Navy’s Battleship Gray, which frames Union Pacific’s traditional American flag. The military camouflage is a nod to the Army and Marines.
As the train passes by, the final message on the tail is dedicated to U.S. prisoners of war and those missing in action, featuring the POW/MIA symbol and its motto, You Are Not Forgotten.
Here is a link to the official UP 1943 page