Trains in Salem, Oregon, on March 21, 2007

I photographed these trains in Salem, Oregon, on March 21, 2007. First, leading a northbound freight train along 12th Street, at State Street, Union Pacific #4550 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, and was delivered on February 4, 2001.

A quartet of Portland & Western 3,000-horsepower GP40-2s pulled a northbound freight train along Front Street. These locomotives were built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1967 as GP40s for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad.

They were part of a group of seven GP40s that the Rock Island was rebuilding to Dash 2 standards in the Silvis shops when the railroad went bankrupt and shut down in 1980. 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. 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. In 2001, EMD transferred the locomotives to Locomotive Leasing Partners (LLPX), a partnership with GATX Leasing, and the locomotives were leased to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic, which was taken over the Genesee & Wyoming in 2002.

The locomotives were transferred to the Portland & Western Railroad in April 2004, where they were considered GP40-2s, even though they lack all the Dash 2 external spotting features like the water level sight glass, rear cab overhand, and vertical shock absorbers on the trucks. They were renumbered in mid-2005.

Portland & Western #3005 was built as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #374.

After the Rock Island shutdown it was left uncompleted as GP40u #3005, and was completed by Chrome Crankshaft in 1980.

This locomotive became GO Transit #720, then EMDX #202, then was leased to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic as LLPX #3205. It was renumbered to PNWR #3005.

Portland & Western #3006 was built as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #375. Before the Rock Island shutdown it was completed as GP40u #3002. This locomotive became GO Transit #721, then EMDX #205, then was leased to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic as LLPX #3208. It was renumbered to PNWR #3006. It still wears its St. Lawrence & Atlantic yellow and black paint scheme.

Portland & Western #3007 was built as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #376. Before the Rock Island shutdown it was completed as GP40u #3003. This locomotive became GO Transit #722, then EMDX #206. The locomotive became LLPX #4401 before being leased to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic as LLPX #3211. It was renumbered to PNWR #3007.

Portland & Western #3003 was built as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #380. Before the Rock Island shutdown it was completed as GP40u #3004. This locomotive became GO Transit #725, then EMDX #200, then was leased to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic as LLPX #3203. It was renumbered to PNWR #3003. It still wears its St. Lawrence & Atlantic yellow and black paint scheme.