Railfanning in Portland, Oregon, in Fall 1994

These pictures were taken while railfanning in Portland, Oregon, in the fall of 1994. Most were taken at Union Pacific's Albina Yard, where we begin with a pair of locomotives moving through the yard.

Union Pacific #5030 is a 3,600-horsepower SD50 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1984. It was originally delivered in Union Pacific colors but with Missouri Pacific lettering. It was relettered for Union Pacific in July 1990.

Union Pacific #6021 is a 3,800-horsepower SD60 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1986.

This pair of locomotives disappeared into the engine terminal, and my attention turned to some of the other sights.

Union Pacific 906 & 907 are 3,000-horsepower GP40-2s that were originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1980 as Western Pacific #3551 & #3552. The Western Pacific was merged into the Union Pacific in 1983. Western Pacific #3551 was renumbered to Union Pacific #906 in January 1984. Western Pacific #3552 was repainted in Union Pacific colors with Missouri Pacific lettering in July 1985 as Missouri Pacific #907. It was relettered for Union Pacific in June 1988, but in this picture its Missouri Pacific lettering is showing through its Armour Yellow paint.

Stored in the back of the engine terminal were two old Baldwin locomotives. The red and yellow locomotive is Oregon & Northwestern #2, a 1,600-horsepower AS-616 that was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in September 1950 as Southern Pacific #5239. It was sold to the Oregon & Northwestern in 1964. The Oregon & Northwestern shut down in March 1984 and the locomotive was stored until the line was abandoned in 1990 and it was sold to the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

The white locomotive is a 1,200-horsepower S-12 that was built by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton in November 1952 as Southern Pacific #1498. In March 1956 it was transferred to Southern Pacific's subsidiary Texas & New Orleans and renumbered to T&NO #121. In 1965, it was renumbered again to Southern Pacific #2124. It was retired in July 1970, traded in to General Electric, and delivered to dealer Chrome Crankshaft in Vernon, California. In February 1972, it was sold to Ketchikan Pulp & Paper Company in Ward's Cove, Alaska, where it became #5321. It was donated to the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in March 1991.

Union Pacific #9057 is a 3,600-horsepower C36-7 that was built by General Electric in November 1985. It was originally delivered in Union Pacific colors but with Missouri Pacific lettering. It was relettered for Union Pacific in 1988.

Union Pacific #2025 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1974. Also pictured here are two Union Pacific switchers. I can't make out their numbers, but the closer one is an EMD MP15DC, and the other one is an SW10 that was rebuilt by Union Pacific's Omaha Shops from an earlier EMD switcher.

Union Pacific #1312 is a 1,500-horsepower MP15DC that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1975 as Pittsburgh & Lake Erie #1588. It was purchased by Union Pacific in December 1984 and delivered in April 1985. It was initially assigned Union Pacific #1012, and was renumbered in September 1987 to Union Pacific #1312. Also sneaking into the frame is some visiting motive power from the Burlington Northern.

Burlington Northern #3053 is a 3,000-horsepower GP40-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1979 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #763. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern in 1980, and this locomotive was renumbered to Burlington Northern #3053.

Burlington Northern #2265 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1973 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #410. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern in 1980, and this locomotive was renumbered to Burlington Northern #2265.

Across the river, and possibly on another day, this private passenger car was on the end of an Amtrak passenger train leaving Portland's Union Station. I didn't get a good enough picture out the car window to be able to identify it, though it appears to have been built by Budd, but seeing as how I was looking into the late afternoon sun, it is amazing that it came out as well as it did.

Puget Sound Railway Historical Association in 1994

In 1994, we stopped by the Puget Sound Railway Historical Association (now the Northwest Railway Museum) in Snoqualmie, Washington. I photographed the equipment by the depot, even though most of it was in the shade.

Spokane, Portland & Seattle combine #272 was built by Barney & Smith in 1915 as a coach. It was converted to a combine in 1955. The Spokane, Portland & Seattle was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970. The museum purchased the car from Burlington Northern in 1977.

45-Tonner #7320 was built by General Electric in 1941. It was originally used in the construction of the Elwood Ordinance Plant in Wilmington, Illinois by contractors Sanderson & Porter. It was later transferred to the U.S. Army Transportation Corps and became #7320. It was transferred to the U.S. Navy around 1956 for use at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. After it was retired, the museum leased it from Washington State Parks in 1976.

U.S. Army Ambulance Kitchen Car #89601 was built by St. Louis Car Co. in 1953. It was originally built to provide meal service for ambulance trains carrying injured troops, but soon after it was built, aircraft became the Army’s primary means of transporting troops. It was stored at Fort Lewis for over 20 years without ever being placed in service. After retirement, it was sold to the Kennecott Copper Company to be converted to a tool car at a Utah mine, however the mine was shut down before the car was converted. It was donated by Kennecott Copper Company in 1987.

Great Northern baggage car #485 was built by Pullman in 1921 as a 12 Section - 1 Drawing Room sleeping car named Epicurus. It became Tourist Sleeper #1056 in 1941. It was retired in 1948 and sold to Great Northern and rebuilt as baggage car #485. The Great Northern was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970. After Amtrak took over passenger service in 1971, Burlington Northern assigned the car to maintenance of way service as #950190. It was purchased from Burlington Northern in 1986.

This Kershaw Ballast Regulator was built in 1963 for Great Northern.

This former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy caboose is in the yard of a home in Snoqualmie near the depot, but is not part of the museum.

Spokane, Portland & Seattle coach #276 was built by Barney & Smith in 1915. The Spokane, Portland & Seattle was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970. It was purchased from Burlington Northern in 1972.

Spokane, Portland & Seattle coach #213 was built by Barney & Smith in 1912. The wooden car was retired by 1950. The museum purchased it from a private owner in 1977.

Kennecott Copper Company #201 is an RSD-4 built by the American Locomotive Company (Alco) in 1951. A total of 36 RSD-4s were built from 1951 to 1952, compared to 204 RSD-5s built from 1952 to 1956, which were identical except for the main generator. This was the only RSD-4 purchased by Kennecott Copper and is the only remaining RSD-4 in existence. It was donated to the museum in 1983.

The Snoqualmie Depot was built in 1890 by the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway. In 1896, the railroad was reorganized as the Seattle International Railway, and it was taken over by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1901. The Northern Pacific was merged into the Burlington Northern in March, 1970, and by the mid-1970s, freight trains to Snoqualmie were being routed over the Milwaukee Road line. The Burlington Northern abandoned the line in 1975, donating the Snoqualmie depot and several miles of track to the Puget Sound Railway Historical Association. In 1981, the depot was restored to its 1890s appearance.

Railfanning at Interbay Yard in Seattle in 1994

While visiting Seattle in early June of 1994, my dad and I visited Burlington Northern's Interbay Yard. In those days, a man and his 12-year-old son could freely wander around Interbay as long as they stopped in the office to sign waivers, borrow hard hats, and promise not to go in the inspection pits. (Note: This is NOT the case today.) Originally a Great Northern facility, Interbay was Burlington Northern's main engine terminal on the west coast, and is still used today by the BNSF Railway.

Burlington Northern #2834 was the first locomotive I photographed here. It was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in October 1962 as Union Pacific GP30 #874. It was originally powered by a 2,250-horsepower turbocharged 16-cylinder 567 engine. It was retired by Union Pacific in 1989 and sold to a dealer, who traded it to Burlington Northern. It was rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen in Boise, Idaho, in April 1990 as a 2,300-horsepower GP39M.

In the yard across the turntable sat a Burlington Northern crane. I believe this is Burlington Northern D-258, a 250-ton crane that was built by Bucyrus-Erie in August 1944 as Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #204376 and was originally assigned to Galesburg, Illinois. After the CB&Q was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern S-258. It was converted from steam to diesel power sometime in the 1980s and was renumbered to D-258. It was typically accompanied by Burlington Northern boom car #966026.

Burlington Northern #6198 is a 1,750-horsepower SD9 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in September 1957 as Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #451. After the CB&Q was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #6198.

Burlington Northern #6142 is a 1,750-horsepower SD9 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1954 as Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #340. After the CB&Q was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #6142. Note that it has white diagonal stripes on the end of the long hood.

Montana Rail Link #360 is a 3,600-horsepower SD45 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1971 as Burlington Northern #6513. It was retired in June 1986, and was sold to the New York, Susquehanna & Western in January 1987, becoming NYSW #3624. It was later sold to Montana Rail Link where it operated for a time in Susquehanna colors as seen here.

CSX Transportation #5866 is a B36-7 that was originally built by General Electric in 1985 as Seaboard System #5866. When the Seaboard System merged with the Chessie System to form CSX in 1986, it kept its original number, becoming CSX #5866.

Grand Trunk Western #5917 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1970.

Here is another picture of Burlington Northern SD9 #6142. This picture shows that it has diagonal white stripes on the end of the short hood, as well as on the end of the long-hood as seen in the other picture. Burlington Northern typically only painted the white diagonal stripes on the front end of its locomotives, which in this case would have been the short hood, but on some locomotives that were operated in both directions in branch line service, the stripes were painted on both ends for improved visibility at grade crossings. This idea was apparently suggested by a Burlington Northern locomotive engineer in 1973.

Riding the Interbay turntable is Burlington Northern #7813, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1977 as Colorado & Southern #943. Colorado & Southern was a subsidiary of Burlington Northern, and its locomotives were painted in Burlington Northern colors, but they had their own numbering system. These locomotives began to be renumbered into the Burlington Northern's main numbering system in December 1978, and this locomotive became Burlington Northern #7813.

Photo by Cliff West

Meanwhile, parked with its nose in one of the roundhouse stalls is Burlington Northern #2286, a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August 1974 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #431. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern in 1980.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern SD40-2 #7813 is pushed off the turntable and into one of the stalls of the Interbay roundhouse for maintenance.

Serving as the Interbay shop switcher is Burlington Northern SW12 #193, which had the honor of pushing SD40-2 #7813 into its roundhouse stall.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern #193 is a 1,200-horsepower SW1200 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1956 as Northern Pacific #134. After Northern Pacific was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #193 and was classified as an SW12.

Rotary Snowplows for the mountain passes of the Washington Cascades are maintained at Interbay. Rotary Snowplow #972561 was originally built by American Locomotive Company's Brooks Works in November 1927 as Great Northern X-1510. It was converted from steam to electric power in 1961. After Great Northern was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #972561.

Photo by Cliff West

The rotary snowplow cannot operate by itself. The electric motors that power the blade need a power supply. The power supply comes from another locomotive that is coupled to it. Originally, any available locomotive was used, but eventually retired locomotives were converted into dedicated Rotary Snowplow Power Plants.

Photo by Cliff West

The diesel engine of the Rotary Snowplow Power Plant is used to supply power to the electric motors in the rotary snowplow. The Rotary Snowplow Power Plant no longer has traction motors, so additional locomotives are required to move the rotary snowplow along the track.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern #972577 is a Rotary Snowplow Power Plant that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1956 as 1,750-horsepower F9B Northern Pacific #7013C. It was renumbered to #6705B, then became Burlington Northern #9811, and finally Burlington Northern #777. It was retired in June 1982, and was subsequently rebuilt as a Rotary Snowplow Power Plant.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is another picture of Burlington Northern SD40-2 #7813 inside the Interbay roundhouse. Yes, we walked through the roundhouse, and nobody questioned it. Also in the roundhouse was another high-hood SD9 that had been repainted in the "white face" paint scheme, but its nose was so close to the back wall of the roundhouse that a picture wasn't possible.

Railfanning in Portland in Spring 1994

In the spring of 1994, my dad and I went railfanning in Portland, Oregon, with Fred Anderson. our first stop was Union Pacific's Albina Yard, where I photographed some Union Pacific bay-window cabooses.

The two red cabooses on the left are former Missouri Pacific cabooses. Missouri Pacific had 401 of these compact-body bay-window cabooses built between 1976 and 1982. All of them were transferred to the Union Pacific when it took over the Missouri Pacific in 1982. These cabooses were used all over the Union Pacific system without being repainted in Union Pacific colors.

The next caboose is a CA-13 class bay-window caboose. It was originally built for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. In 1963, the Union Pacific and the Rock Island planned to merge, but objections from other railroads led to the Interstate Commerce Commission holding a prolonged series of hearings, and by the time the merger was finally approved in 1974, the Rock Island's deteriorating financial situation and the conditions imposed by the ICC led Union Pacific to withdraw its merger application. In the meantime, however, Union Pacific had purchased locomotives, freight cars, and cabooses for lease to the Rock Island. After declaring bankruptcy in 1975, the Rock Island shut down in 1980, and all of this equipment was returned to Union Pacific, including 127 bay-window cabooses built between 1967 and 1971 (there were originally 130 cabooses, but three were wrecked). Union Pacific added these cabooses to its own fleet, and 36 of them were rebuilt and repainted into Union Pacific colors before an economic recession and changing laws began reducing the need for cabooses.

The caboose on the far right is a CA-11 class bay-window caboose. Union Pacific purchased 100 of these compact-body bay-window cabooses from the International Car Company of Kenton, Ohio, in 1979, after borrowing and studying one of Missouri Pacific's new compact-body bay-window cabooses. Though similar, Union Pacific's design features a longer carbody.

Leading a group of Southern Pacific diesels, Southern Pacific #7613 is a 3,000-horsepower GP40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1978. It had been repainted with the new "Speed Lettering" that was introduced in 1991.

Photo by Fred Anderson

Here is Fred Anderson's photograph of Southern Pacific GP40-2 #7613.

Here is another picture I took of Southern Pacific GP40-2 #7613.

A Union Pacific freight train arrived at Albina Yard, pulled by a pair of Union Pacific SD40-2s.

Leading the train is Union Pacific #3728, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1980.

Photo by Fred Anderson

Here is Fred Anderson's photograph of Union Pacific SD40-2 #3728.

The trailing locomotive was Union Pacific #3342, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1977.

We were on our way out of Albina when we saw another Union Pacific freight train waiting to enter the yard, so we stopped to photograph it, as Fred Anderson can be seen doing here.

Photo by Fred Anderson

Here is Fred Anderson's photograph.

Union Pacific #6257 is a 3,800-horsepower SD60M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in November 1990.

After one last photograph of Union Pacific SD60M #6257, we headed across the Willamette River to Burlington Northern's Hoyt Street Yard.

Burlington Northern #7049 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1978.

GATX Capital Corporation #7350 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1974 as Milwaukee Road #183. After the Milwaukee Road was merged into the Soo Line on January 1, 1986, it became Soo Line #6350. It later became part of the GATX Capital Corporation lease fleet as #6350, and was later renumbered to #9350, before becoming #7350 as seen here. I think it actually had GSCX reporting marks at this point, though it was still owned by GATX Capital Corporation.

This overview of the engine terminal of Burlington Northern's Hoyt Street Yard was taken from a staircase leading up to the Lovejoy Street Viaduct. Several Burlington Northern diesel locomotives rest on the garden tracks where the roundhouse once stood.

Burlington Northern #2072 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1970. It was originally ordered as Spokane, Portland & Seattle #200, but the Burlington Northern merger intervened, and it was delivered as the new railroad's first new locomotive.

Burlington Northern #2261 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1973 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #406. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern in 1980.

Burlington Northern #2187 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1970 as Penn Central #7685 and became Conrail #7685 in 1976. Burlington Northern purchased it from Conrail in July 1985, and reclassified it as a GP38X.

Burlington Northern #2731 is a 2,300-horsepower GP39-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1981.

Burlington Northern #3550 was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1966 as 3,000-horsepower GP40 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #172. It became Burlington Northern #3002. It was rebuilt by EMD in November 1989 as the first of six GP40Es.

Photo by Fred Anderson

Finally, here is Fred Anderson's photograph of Burlington Northern's Hoyt Street Yard.