Union Pacific tested EMD’s SD90MAC-Hs in 1998 on a rare movement of coal loads going up the 2-percent grade from Denver toward the Moffat Tunnel. About a half a train of loaded coal hoppers, probably destined for the Coors’ power plant at Golden, was used for the test train, which included specially-painted EMD No. 8504 as rear DPU. Here, UP Nos. 8503, 8502 and 8505 splice the EMD test car working up the grade approaching Tunnel 1 at Plainview, Colorado, on February 10, 1998. Seems to me, a true test would be taking a whole train of coal loads up the grade!
