Railfanning in Vancouver, Washington, in August 1998

I took these pictures while railfanning at the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington, in late April of 1998. First is a southbound freight train, led by Burlington Northern 3125, a 3,500-horsepower GP50 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1985.

The second locomotive in this consist, Electro-Motive Leasing #789 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1972 as Penn Central #7989 and became Conrail #7989 in 1976. Originally financed under a lease arrangement, Conrail #7940-8039 were returned to EMD at the end of the lease period in 1987 and became part of the Electro-Motive Leasing fleet as EMDX #740-839, with their Conrail markings painted out and EMD logos applied. Many of these units were leased to Burlington Northern and Burlington Northern Santa Fe over the years, where they were referred to as GP38Es.

The trailing locomotive, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #2158 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1970 as Penn Central #7829 and became Conrail #7829 in 1976. Burlington Northern purchased it from Conrail in July 1985, and it became Burlington Northern #2158, and was reclassified as a GP38X. It kept its number through the Burlington Northern Santa Fe merger of 1995.

This train paused in front of the Vancouver depot, giving me an opportunity for more photographs of BNSF #2158. This was only the second former Burlington Northern locomotive I had seen that had been repainted in BNSF's orange and green colors. In addition to being repainted, it had also had its headlight relocated from above the cab to the nose, following Santa Fe practice.

Unlike BNSF's new orange and green Dash 9-44CWs and previously repainted GP38-2 #2099, which had silver fuel tanks and trucks, this unit fuel tank and trucks were painted green. This would be the standard for all future repaints as well.

In the Vancouver yard were a pair of Burlington Northern switchers with a crane. Starting on the right, Burlington Northern #428 is a 1,000-horsepower SW1000 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1971. Burlington Northern classified it as an SW10. 

I believe the crane is Burlington Northern D-200, a 200-Ton Crane that was built by Industrial Works in Bay City, Michigan in 1927 as Great Northern X1745. It was one of the last pieces of equipment built by Industrial before merging with Brown Hoisting Machinery Company of Cleveland, Ohio, to form Industrial Brownhoist Corporation on September 26, 1927. Originally steam-powered, it was later converted to diesel power. Initially assigned Burlington Northern #972013 on June 9, 1972, it was renumbered to Burlington Northern D-200 on July 10, 1972. It was initially retired in October 1987, but was reinstated in June 1988 and remained in service for at least another decade, as seen here. 

Finally, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #3603 is a 1,000-horsepower SW1000 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1972 as Burlington Northern #378. Burlington Northern and Burlington Northern Santa Fe classified it as an SW10.