Uploaded January 2009 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Big news for many American railfans in 2008 was the return to service of the 3985 which has spent the past three years in the UP Steam Shop enjoying an extensive overhaul. This reminded me of the great excitement that accompanied news of the Challenger's first return to service back in 1981. Being the "Doubting Thomas" that I am, I loaded my wife and our two young sons into our little Datsun 710 and drove all the way from Alamosa, CO to Green River, WY just to see and photograph it for myself.
This video presents the super8sound movie footage I filmed on that memorable day as the 3985, doubleheaded with the 8444, thundered across Wyoming on the return from its debut in Sacramento, CA. The sound quality is pretty awful but don't let that get in the way.
Ironically, twenty-four years later, in 2005, my wife, our two sons and our five grandchildren were chasing doubleheaded 844 and 3985 from Denver to Cheyenne when the 3985 made it clear that the overhaul was due. You can see video of that event at youtube.com/watch?v=ghVEEqcPWSU
Big news for many American railfans in 2008 was the return to service of the 3985 which has spent the past three years in the UP Steam Shop enjoying an extensive overhaul. This reminded me of the great excitement that accompanied news of the Challenger's first return to service back in 1981. Being the "Doubting Thomas" that I am, I loaded my wife and our two young sons into our little Datsun 710 and drove all the way from Alamosa, CO to Green River, WY just to see and photograph it for myself.
This video presents the super8sound movie footage I filmed on that memorable day as the 3985, doubleheaded with the 8444, thundered across Wyoming on the return from its debut in Sacramento, CA. The sound quality is pretty awful but don't let that get in the way.
Ironically, twenty-four years later, in 2005, my wife, our two sons and our five grandchildren were chasing doubleheaded 844 and 3985 from Denver to Cheyenne when the 3985 made it clear that the overhaul was due. You can see video of that event at youtube.com/watch?v=ghVEEqcPWSU
