Trains in Kalama, Longview & Kelso, Washington, on February 26, 2007

I saw these trains in Kalama, Longview and Kelso, Washington, on February 26, 2007. First, at the Kalama Export Company grain elevator was a set of three BNSF Railway locomotives built by General Electric. BNSF #4304 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in January 1999. 

BNSF #4757 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in May 1998. 

BNSF #4651 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in February 2000. 

Kalama Export Company #632 is a 1,200-horsepower SW1200 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in November 1954 as Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad #2027. In 1959 it was renumbered to #632. 

The locomotive was retired in June 1983 and sold to Independent Locomotive Service Company, before being resold to Peavey Grain in 1984. It became Kalama Export Company #632 around 1998. 

Further south in Kalama was another set of three BNSF locomotives, each wearing a different paint scheme.

BNSF #7759 is a 4,400-horsepower ES44DC.

It was built by General Electric in June 2005. 

It was delivered wearing BNSF's new orange and black "Heritage III" paint scheme.

BNSF #710 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in July 1998.

It was delivered wearing the red and silver “Warbonnet” paint scheme of predecessor Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. 

BNSF #7699 is a 4,400-horsepower ES44DC.

It was built by General Electric in February 2005. 

It was delivered in BNSF's orange and green "Heritage II" paint scheme.

A southbound Amtrak Cascades train passed through Kalama, led by Amtrak #459, one of 15 3,200-horsepower F59PHIs built for Pacific Surfliner service between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, California. It was built in July 1998 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors with final assembly by Super Steel Schenectady of Schenectady, Pennsylvania. Aside from the paint scheme, it is identical to the Cascades F59PHI locomotives, and was presumably filling in for a Cascades unit in need of maintenance in Los Angeles, where all Amtrak’s F59PHI locomotives were maintained. 

Bringing up the rear of the Cascades train is Amtrak Cascades #90230, a Non-Powered Cab Unit or NPCU, which was rebuilt in February 1999 from Amtrak #230, a 3,000-horsepower F40PH that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1977, using components from traded-in Amtrak SDP40F locomotive #553. 

I took this picture from my car on State Route 432 along the Longview Switching Company yard in Longview of a 4,400-horsepower AC4400CW that appears to be Canadian Pacific #9600, which was built by General Electric in September 1997. 

From Gerhart Gardens Park in Longview, I photographed this northbound BNSF freight train across the Cowlitz River, with Ferromex SD40-2 #3215. This locomotive was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in November 1971 as Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico #8539, a 3,000-horsepower SD40. It was rebuilt in March 1992 at FNM’s San Luis Potosí shops as SD40-2 #13087. Following the privatization of the Mexican railroads, Ferromex began operating on February 19, 1998, and this locomotive became Ferromex #3215.

In this train, it was sandwiched between two BNSF Railway locomotives. BNSF #5003 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in August 2004. 

BNSF #2339 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1972 as St. Louis-San Francisco (also known as the Frisco) #668. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern on November 21, 1980, and this locomotive became Burlington Northern #2339. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #2257 and was repainted in Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s “Heritage I” colors on May 8, 2000. 

Arriving at the Kelso depot with a northbound Amtrak Cascades train, Amtrak Cascades #466 is a 3,200-horsepower F59PHI that was built in November 1998 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors with final assembly by Super Steel Schenectady of Schenectady, Pennsylvania. 

Bringing up the rear of the Cascades train is Amtrak Cascades #90253, a Non-Powered Cab Unit or NPCU, which was rebuilt in January 1999 from Amtrak #253, a 3,000-horsepower F40PH that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in October 1977, using components from traded-in Amtrak SDP40F locomotive #574. 

Pulling a southbound empty BNSF coal train past the Kelso depot was a trio of 4,000-horsepower SD70MACs that were built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario. Leading is BNSF #9490, which was built in October 1994 as Burlington Northern #9490. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #9490 on January 23, 2002. 

The middle locomotive is Burlington Northern #9633, which was built in June 1995. The trailing locomotive is BNSF #9775, which was built in May 1996. 

Finally, as the coal train passed, a northbound BNSF freight train arrived, led by BNSF #4196, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built in July 2002.

Inaugural Run of the Amtrak Cascades

On January 11, 1999, Amtrak inaugurated the Cascades service between Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, using brand-new equipment designed specifically for the route. I went to Kelso, Washington, to photograph the first train.

I believe the southbound train was operating as Train #751, with an arrival time in Kelso around 10:00 in the morning.

The train was pulled by Amtrak locomotive #467, a 3,200-horsepower F59PHI that was built in September 1998 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors with final assembly by Super Steel Schenectady, Inc., of Schenectady, Pennsylvania. Amtrak purchased 21 of these locomotives, which were numbered from 450 to 470. Locomotives 466 to 470 were delivered in the green, brown and white Cascades color scheme, while the rest were delivered in silver and purple for Surfliner service in California. Aside from the colors, the two paint schemes are otherwise almost identical,

Here is the new Amtrak Cascades logo on one of the Talgo passenger cars. This logo was originally only used on the train cars and not on the locomotives.

At each stop along the route, there was a brief ceremony to commemorate the inauguration of the new train service.

The Amtrak conductor displayed a plaque that commemorated the occasion.

To smooth the transition between the tall locomotive and the low-slung Talgo train, the baggage car and the power car at each end of each train were fitted with tail fins.

There were originally four 12-car Talgo Pendular Series VI trainsets built for Cascades service, named Mt. Hood, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Olympus. This is the Mt. Hood trainset. Each trainset consisted of a baggage car, five coaches, an accessible coach, a bistro car, a dining car, an accessible custom class car, a custom class car, and a power car.

At the end of the train, there was no locomotive or power car for the tailfins to meet up with. Note the red marker lights mounted near the top of the tailfins. The appearance of the tailfins at the end of the train led to comparisons with late 1950s automobiles, as well as the Batmobile.

Burlington Northern Full Dome Observation Car BNA #24 Glacier View

Glacier View was originally built by the Budd Company in 1955 as a full dome-lounge car for the Great Northern’s Empire Builder. It was originally Great Northern #1390, and was always named Glacier View. It it notable for having been painted in an experimental version of Burlington Northern Cascade Green paint scheme in 1968, two years before the merger. When the Great Northern was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #1390.

When Amtrak took over passenger rail service in 1971, the car became Amtrak #9360. It was retired by Amtrak in April 1981, and Burlington Northern re-acquired it in 1983. It was rebuilt by Burlington Northern’s Como Shops in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a fully-equipped kitchen and dining area for 22 people, a dome observation area with 16 swivel lounge chairs under the dome, and a two-level theater-style seating area with full glass end observation window.

This was one of the first cars to be painted in the new “executive” dark green and cream colors in 1993.

Burlington Northern Lounge Car BNA #10 Como

Como was originally built by American Car & Foundry in 1951 as a 60-seat coach for the Great Northern’s Empire Builder. It was originally Great Northern #1209, and was unnamed. With 60 seats, this car was used as a “short coach” for passengers who were not traveling very far. When the Great Northern was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #6012.

When Amtrak took over passenger rail service in 1971, this car was retained by Burlington Northern for company use. It was rebuilt by Burlington Northern’s Como Shops in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1977 as lounge car #10 and was named Como, and its mechanical systems were modernized in 1982-1983 by Burlington Northern’s freight car shop in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Burlington Northern Bi-Level Car BNA #32 Flathead River

Flathead River was originally built by Pullman-Standard in 1955 as a 145-seat bi-level gallery coach for the Southern Pacific’s commuter service in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was originally Southern Pacific #3701. After the commuter service was taken over by Caltrain in 1985, all of the Southern Pacific gallery cars were replaced with new equipment and sold to Tillamook Railcar in 1986.

In 1992, this car was sold to Transcisco Tours, where it was rebuilt as #800534 and was named Lake Tahoe. It was purchased by Burlington Northern in 1994 and renamed Flathead River.

Burlington Northern Bi-Level Car BNA #31 Fox River

Fox River was originally built by Pullman-Standard in 1955 as a 145-seat bi-level gallery coach for the Southern Pacific’s commuter service in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was originally Southern Pacific #3703. After the commuter service was taken over by Caltrain in 1985, all of the Southern Pacific gallery cars were replaced with new equipment and sold to Tillamook Railcar in 1986.

In 1992, this car was sold to Transcisco Tours, where it was rebuilt as #800532 and was named Club High Sierra. It was purchased by Burlington Northern in 1994 and renamed Fox River.

Burlington Northern Bi-Level Car BNA #33 Skagit River

Skagit River was originally built by Pullman-Standard in 1955 as a 145-seat bi-level gallery coach for the Southern Pacific’s commuter service in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was originally Southern Pacific #3702. After the commuter service was taken over by Caltrain in 1985, all of the Southern Pacific gallery cars were replaced with new equipment and sold to Tillamook Railcar in 1986.

In 1992, this car was sold to Transcisco Tours, where it was rebuilt as #800533 and was named Donner Lake. It was purchased by Burlington Northern in 1994 and renamed Skagit River.

Burlington Northern Sleeping Car BNA #22 Stevens Pass

Stevens Pass was originally built by Pullman-Standard in 1951 as a sleeping car for the Great Northern’s Empire Builder. It was originally Great Northern #1260 and was named Skykomish River. It had 7 duplex roomettes, 4 sections, 3 double bedrooms, and 1 compartment. In 1963 it was rebuilt with 7 duplex roomettes, 6 double bedrooms, and 1 compartment. When the Great Northern was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #1260.

When Amtrak took over passenger rail service in 1971, this car was retained by Burlington Northern for company use. In 1973 it was renamed Stevens Pass.

Burlington Northern Power Car BNA #30 Snoqualmie Pass

This car was originally built by Pullman-Standard in 1965 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe baggage-express car #3931. It was converted by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe to Steam Generator Car #138 in 1970. 

The car was sold in the late 1980s and became DLWX #138 in 1990. It was purchased by Burlington Northern in 1995, rebuilt as power car BNA #30, and named Snoqualmie Pass.

Burlington Northern F9-2 BN-2

BN-2 was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August 1954 as Northern Pacific F-9B #7002C. It became Burlington Northern #809 after the merger of March 2, 1970. It was retired in November 1982 and was rebuilt as Rotary Snowplow Power Plant #972574.

In September 1990 it was rebuilt by Burlington Northern’s West Burlington Shops in Burlington, Iowa into F9-2 BN-2. The rebuild included replacing the original 1500 horsepower engine with a new 2000 horsepower 16 cylinder engine.