Trains in Albany, Oregon, on August 31, 2006

I took these pictures near the depot in Albany, Oregon, on August 31, 2006.

Leading a freight train, Portland & Western #3003 is a 3,000-horsepower GP40 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1967 as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #380. This was one of a group of seven GP40s that the Rock Island was rebuilding to Dash 2 standards in its Silvis shops when the railroad went bankrupt and shut down in 1980. Before the shutdown it was completed as GP40u #3004. The last two of the seven were unfinished. Chrome Crankshaft acquired all seven locomotives along with the shop in 1981, and finished the remaining two locomotives. The seven locomotives were sold to Toronto’s GO Transit in 1982. This locomotive became GO Transit #725. As they were not equipped with head-end power generators, they had to operate with HEP cars rebuilt from F-units. In 1994 they were retired and traded in to EMD for new F59PHs. EMD put the locomotives in their lease fleet and this locomotive became EMDX #200. In 2001, EMD transferred the locomotive to Locomotive Leasing Partners (LLPX), a partnership with GATX Leasing, and the locomotive was leased to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic as #3203. St. Lawrence & Atlantic was taken over by Genesee & Wyoming in 2002. The locomotive was transferred to the Portland & Western Railroad in April 2004, where it was considered a GP40-2, even though it lacks all the Dash 2 external spotting features like the water level sight glass, rear cab overhang, and vertical shock absorbers on the trucks. Renumbered to PNWR #3003 in mid-2005, it still wears its St. Lawrence & Atlantic yellow and black paint scheme.

Next, Willamette & Pacific #1852 was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1955 as Southern Pacific #5438, a 1,750-horsepower SD9 that was placed in service on May 24, 1955. After the 1965 system renumbering, it became Southern Pacific #3916. On January 9, 1975, it was rebuilt by Southern Pacific’s Sacramento Shops to SD9E #4397. It was retired on November 12, 1993, and sold on March 4, 1994, to the Willamette and Pacific Railroad where it became #1852.

Trailing, Portland & Western #3603 was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1970 as St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt) #9153, a 3,600-horsepower SD45 that was placed in service on January 4, 1970. On January 15, 1985, it was upgraded by Southern Pacific’s Sacramento Shops to Southern Pacific SD45R #7537. It was retired on sold on July 31, 1995, to Helm Financial Corporation and became HLCX #450. In 1996 it was sold to the Buffalo & Pittsburgh, part of the Genesee & Wyoming system, retaining the road number #450. It was transferred to the Illinois & Midland, another Genesee & Wyoming railroad, in 2001 or 2002, still numbered #450, then transferred again to the Portland & Western Railroad in April 2005, being renumbered to #3603.

There was also a pair of Union Pacific SD40-2s near the Albany depot.

Union Pacific #3160 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1972.

Union Pacific #3380 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1977.

This unit still had its red sill stripe, while on the other SD40-2, the sill stripe had been changed to yellow in accordance with a Federal Railroad Administration ruling from March 5, 2005, that required yellow or white reflective striping 42 inches above the rail by May 31, 2010.

After leaving Albany, I spotted this specially-decorated truck trailer heading north on Interstate 5. Carrying the slogan "TRACKS ARE FOR TRAINS! STAY OFF! STAY AWAY! STAY ALIVE!", this trailer #538717 was sponsored by Washington Operation Lifesaver, Washington Utilites and Transporation Commission, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, and the trailer was donated by Interstate Distributor Company.