The Challenger

The Challenger was the largest, heaviest and most powerful articulated passenger locomotive ever built. Based on the design for a successful freight engine, the Challenger was used by the Union Pacific Railroad during the 1940s and 1950s. With the power of its engine and it’s 67-inch-diameter driving wheels, it was able to negotiate the steep grades of the passes through the Rocky Mountains and achieve the speed necessary for express passenger service.

This painting is set at the top of Sherman Hill, between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming, at an elevation of about 8000 feet. In the background are the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The train picture shows the yellow scheme the Union Pacific used for its passenger cars during the 1950s.

The purpose of this painting is to demonstrate speed and movement. That feeling is more important than the minute details. You can see every nut and bolt only when the locomotive is motionless, not when it’s racing past you.