Rock Island likes General Electric’s U25B. The road bought its first in spring, 1963 and by November 1964 has acquired 39 of the 2500-hp locomotives, including the 207, seen here eastbound with train 82 working the short grade to the old U.S.287 overpass just west of Byers, Colorado. We’re on Union Pacific’s Kansas Division, originally the Kansas Pacific, which hosts Rock Island from Denver to Limon. It’s an up-and-down haul that will tax 82’s six units all the way to Limon, which is 100 feet higher in elevation than Denver.
