The Story Of Mr. 589

Introduction. In the spring of 1997 Union Pacific was in the midst of "assimilating" it's latest acquisition, the Southern Pacific. Railroading in the San Francisco Bay Area quickly began to change and part of that change was an influx of UP Armour Yellow  locomotives to SP Bay Area yards. Many of these "outlanders" were brought in to help with local freight and switching duties.

In May two locomotives appeared at San Jose's Newhall Street Yard in the form of SW1500 1174 and ex-M-K-T GP40 589. This pair of "interlopers" immediately began showing up on Southbay, Peninsula and Eastbay locals,  helping to shoulder the load with "native" GP40's that were normally found there.

Now, this incursion of UP power did not sit well with   die-hard SP railfans, and thus set the stage for an unusual email message received by this writer on June 1. 

The text of the message was refreshingly emotional and it caused me to immediatey respond, creating the tale of Mr. 589 as I wrote. The version presented on this page has been cleaned and expanded slightly. To give the story the proper perspective the original email message is included as a sidebar. (Note: the message text has been slightly altered to protect the innocent and is printed with permission of the author):

Mr. 589 was not always known as Mr. 589. 

In November of 1969 the  Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) delivered a brand new bouncing baby GP40 to a certain Ms. Katy, who resided in a land called The Midwest.

Subject:
What is worse than an SP 7600?
Date:
Sun, 1 Jun 1997 19:50:03 -0700
From:
The Notorious Scarlet & Grey C.A.T.

Guys:
The newest HUNK OF JUNK infecting SP (UP) is UP 589, a REAL ex-MKT (not an ICG or CR Junkyard Special) unrebuilt GP40 (vintage 1969). This non-dynamic brake-equipped armour yellow HUNK OF JUNK has been badly graffitied on the conductor's side.
 
I guess UP will bring more of this *JUNK* to Newhall Street yard, the 6%grade into the cement plant at the end of the Vasona Branch not withstanding(referencing the Permenenté Local). They make the freight 7600's look good now. SP 7662 looks real good in Newhall compared to the 589 HUNK OF JUNK.589 has infected the "Broadway Local" as I found out last Thursday while photographing it. ANYTHING in gray & scarlet looks good, even the 3 dirty tunnel motors that brought the MWCOA into San Jose at 14:30today.
 
I guess I am just mad because I saw a roster shot of the UP tunnel motor in the latest "Wisconsin RailNews."

- The Notorious Scarlet & Grey C.A.T.

My response to Matt was the story on this page, originally sent as an email reply message.

"Gees, Matt

Look at it from poor Mr. 589's point of view..."