Since articulated freight locomotives in the 1920s did not yet reach the same speeds as ten-coupled locomotives, Union Pacific had the class 9000 developed with six coupled axles in one frame. The unique wheel arrangement with a four-wheel leading bogie, six sets of drivers and a two-wheel trailing truck was called “Union Pacific” by the UP. The 1926 prototype was officially given the class designation UP-1, while further batches were designated UP-2 to UP-5.