Wednesday, May 14, 2014

4449-844 Doubleheader: BNSF Equipment at Centralia

IMG_6365 BNSF Equipment at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF Equipment in Centralia

A few Burlington Northern Santa Fe locomotives and a caboose were sitting just north of the depot. While I waited for the steam train, I walked over to take a look. Since this rail line is owned by BNSF, and they were a cosponsor of the Puget Sound Steam Special, its only fair that I give them a little coverage as well.

IMG_6356 BNSF GP40M #3009 at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF GP40M #3009

BNSF #3009 was built in December 1966 as an EMD GP40. It was originally Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #185. After the Burlington Northern merger of 1970, it was assigned BN #3015. In June 1989 it was rebuilt by Morrison-Knudson as a GP40M and assigned #3510. After the 1995 BNSF merger, it was assigned #3009.

IMG_6360 BNSF GP38AC #2125 at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF GP38AC #2125

IMG_6361 BNSF GP38AC #2125 at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF GP38AC #2125

BNSF 2125 is an EMD GP38AC built in March 1971 as St. Louis - San Francisco #648. When Burlington Northern acquired the SLSF in 1980 it was assigned BN #2125. It retained the same number with BNSF, and has even received BNSF's orange & green paint.

IMG_6364 BNSF GP39E #2936 at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF GP39E #2936

IMG_6358 BNSF GP39E #2936 at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF GP39E #2936

IMG_6362 BNSF GP39E #2936 at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF GP39E #2936

BNSF 2936 was built in June 1964 as an EMD GP35. It was originally Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #988. After the Burlington Northern merger of 1970, it was assigned BN #2534. In August 1990, it was rebuilt by EMD into GP39E #2936. It has retained this number with BNSF.

IMG_6357 Burlington Northern Caboose #10035 at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF Caboose #10035

IMG_6359 Burlington Northern Caboose #10035 at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF Caboose #10035

BNSF "Riding Platform" #10035 was originally built by the International Car Company in 1969 as Northern Pacific Railway's Caboose #10405. It was transferred to Burlington Northern in 1970, receiving #10035 and still serves BNSF today, though not really as a caboose. The fact that it is now stenciled as a "Riding Platform" means that much of the interior equipment & furnishings that a conductor would need have been removed, so it can't actually be used as a caboose anymore. It is intended simply as a safe place for a brakeman to ride as a lookout on the rear of a train during a long reverse move, which I assume is required for a local train in the Centralia area to access a certain customer or customers.

IMG_6363 Burlington Northern Caboose #10035 at Centralia on May 12, 2007
BNSF Caboose #10035

I walked back over to the depot to wait for the train. While I waited, I noticed another BNSF diesel locomotive arrive and join the others that were gathered together north of the depot. I made a mental note to walk back over after the train came through and check out the new arrival, though I didn't expect it to be any more interesting that the others.

I discovered that the steam train had arrived in Chehalis, just south of Centralia, and was waiting for two of Amtrak's Cascades trains to make their station stops in Centralia before pulling into the station for its service stop. If I had known I was ahead of the train, I would have stopped in Chehalis for pictures as well.

Continue to Amtrak Cascades #507

No comments:

Post a Comment