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5/19/2026
The Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad (RCP&E), a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc., has donated an historic Union Pacific Railroad SD40-2 to the American Heartland Railroad Society (AHRS).
The locomotive, originally built in 1979, was repainted in 1991 to honor the 66 UP employees who served in Operation Desert Storm, and became known as “Desert Victory.” The locomotive was used by the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad before being sold to RCP&E, AHRS officials said in a press release.
The AHRS hopes to return the locomotive to its commemorative color scheme prior to Veterans Day 2026 to mark the 35th anniversary of Desert Storm and honor all members of the U.S. military who served in that operation. The locomotive is currently housed in Huron, South Dakota, and later will be moved to a permanent location.