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 in 1992 and remained with 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 September 22, 1995, being repainted to Burlington Northern Santa Fe's "Heritage I" paint scheme on March 25, 1998.

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. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive was renumbered to BNSF #3603 on May 17, 1998. Burlington Northern and Burlington Northern Santa Fe classified it as an SW10.

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.