Trains in Havre, Montana in September 2002

I took these pictures in Havre, Montana, on September 7, 2002, while riding Amtrak’s eastbound Empire Builder.

Being serviced during the stop at the Havre depot, Amtrak P42DC #100 is a 4,250-horsepower P42DC that was built by General Electric in June 1997. It wears the newer version of Amtrak’s Phase V paint scheme, while lead P42DC #161, built in May 2001, wears the original version of the paint scheme with the higher “belt line.”

Back aboard Amtrak’s eastbound Empire Builder, this Burlington Northern Santa Fe Dash 9-44CW was sitting outside the Havre shops. The reflections in the windows of the Sightseer Lounge cars sometimes made it difficult to get a clear picture of things outside the train.

Also at the Havre shops, Burlington Northern #5590 is a 3,000-horsepower C30-7 that was built by General Electric in June 1979.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #3441 is a 1,500-horsepower SW1500 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1973 as St. Louis-San Francisco (also known as the Frisco) #356. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern on November 21, 1980, and this locomotive became Burlington Northern #61. Burlington Northern classified EMD’s SW1500s as SW15s. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #3441 on February 19, 1998, and was repainted into Burlington Northern Santa Fe's "Heritage I" paint scheme on April 28, 2000.

Railfanning Portland's Albina Yard in 1999

I took these pictures with my dad at Union Pacific's Albina Yard in Portland, Oregon, in August or September of 1999. Just a few years after Union Pacific's mergers with Chicago & North Western and Southern Pacific, it was still common to see locomotives wearing the paint schemes of these predecessors, as well as leased locomotives.

Electro-Motive Leasing (EMDX) #7021 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in 1995 for lease service. It is painted in the later solid-burgundy paint scheme.

Southern Pacific #9811 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in June 1994.

Way back in the engine terminal was Union Pacific #419, a 3,000-horsepower C30-7 that was built by General Electric in June 1978 as Union Pacific #2519. It was renumbered to Union Pacific #419 on February 4, 1997 to clear the 2400-series & 2500-series for GP38-3 units leased from Helm Leasing beginning in late 1996. Union Pacific's C30-7s were rare in the Pacific Northwest by this time.

Chicago & North Western #8501 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40C that was built by General Electric in June 1989. This particular locomotive was CN&W's first Dash 8-40C, and also C&NW's first new GE road locomotive since it purchased 7 U30Cs in 1968. Starting with this locomotive, all of C&NW's new locomotives came from General Electric until it merged with Union Pacific in 1995.

Southern Pacific #1010 is an SL-4B Yard Slug; it has no engine of its own, only traction motors, and must get its power from another locomotive. It is one of four such SL-4B slugs owned by Southern Pacific, which operated them with MP15AC locomotives #2732-2735. This slug was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1950 as Louisville & Nashville #2247, a 1,000-horsepower SW7 diesel switcher. In June 1979 it was rebuilt into a slug by the General Electric Apparatus Service Shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it entered service as Southern Pacific #1010 on June 26, 1979.

Union Pacific #3973 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1980 as Missouri Pacific #6073. This was the last of a group of 69 Missouri Pacific SD40-2s built to Burlington Northern specifications for unit coal train pool service with the BN, and was the highest-numbered SD40-2 on the Missouri Pacific. After the Missouri Pacific was merged into the Union Pacific in 1982, this locomotive was renumbered to Union Pacific #3973 on August 14, 1987, and was the highest-numbered SD40-2 in the 3900-series.

Union Pacific #1312 is a 1,500-horsepower MP15DC that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1975 as Pittsburgh & Lake Erie #1588. It was purchased by Union Pacific in December 1984 and was delivered in mid-February 1985. It was painted in Union Pacific colors and became Union Pacific #1012 in May or June of 1985, and was renumbered to Union Pacific #1312 on September 21, 1987.

Union Pacific #9345 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40C that was built by General Electric in February 1989.

Union Pacific #3652 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1979.

Union Pacific #3080 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1975 as Chicago & North Western #6917. After the C&NW was merged into the Union Pacific on April 24, 1995, this locomotive became Union Pacific #3080 on December 16, 1996.

Southern Pacific #9803 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in July 1994.

Electro-Motive (EMDX) #7017 is an SD70M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in March 1995 for lease service. It is painted in the earlier burgundy, silver & gray paint scheme.

Union Pacific #9384 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40CW that was built by General Electric in February 1990.

Union Pacific #9178 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40C that was built by General Electric in July 1988.

Trains in Vancouver, Washington, on August 1, 1999

In the afternoon of August 1, 1999, I arrived in Vancouver, Washington, having been riding a very late westbound Empire Builder that ended up being suspended in Spokane and then taking an Amtrak-chartered bus the rest of the way. My late arrival in Vancouver coincided with some interesting Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight traffic.

A westbound loaded coal train from the Columbia River Gorge made its way around the Vancouver wye to continue north towards Seattle. This coal was probably bound for the coal-fired power plant in Centralia, Washington.

As this train slowly made its way around the wye, we had enough time to get in the car and move to the railroad crossing on West 11th Street to get a better view of the train.

The lead locomotive was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8826, a 4,000-horsepower SD70MAC that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in March 1999.

The second unit was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #9989, another 4,000-horsepower SD70MAC that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in December 1998.

This coal train featured a number of experimental "Trough Train" articulated aluminum coal hoppers. Designed by Burlington Northern and built by Johnstown America Corporation, a total of 23 of these 13-unit sets were constructed in November and December of 1994. Each set was 278 feet long and had a single axle at each end with a standard freight truck at each articulation joint, and no bulkheads between the intermediate units (hence the name "Trough Train"). With each set having a capacity of 28,740 cubic feet, a train of all 23 sets equaled the capacity of 146 standard coal hoppers with less length and weight. These cars were not successful enough for any more to be built, but they remained in service for a number of years.

While the long coal train passed by, I noticed Burlington Northern #2882 parked on the servicing tracks near the Vancouver depot. Originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1964 as 2,500-horsepower GP35 #984 for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. After the CB&Q was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #2530. In March 1990 it was rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen of Boise, Idaho, as 2,300-horsepower GP39M Burlington Northern #2882.

The coal train had a pair of rear-end helpers on the back end. Burlington Northern #9432 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70MAC that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in March 1994.

Note that the coal train was not made up entirely of "Trough Train" sets, but also included conventional 3-bay hopper cars as well.

On the rear end of the coal train was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #9892, a 4,000-horsepower SD70MAC that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group and assembled by Bombardier in Mexico in July 1998.

The coal train was closely followed by another freight train, led by Burlington Northern #5566, a 3,000-horsepower C30-7 that was built by General Electric in December 1977.

Norfolk Southern #6652 is a 3,800-horsepower SD60 that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in November 1988.

The most interesting locomotive in this consist is Burlington Northern #7149, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1979. It was the second of two SD40-2s that Burlington Northern converted to DF40-2s that could be fueled by refrigerated liquid methane, or liquified natural gas (LNG), supplied from a fuel tender as an experiment in the early 1990s. The use of LNG had the potential for lower fuel costs, greater engine longevity, and cleaner exhaust emissions, but required extensively modified power assemblies and a new design of piston to maintain the engine's 3,000-horsepower rating. Larger flared radiators from retired SD45s were also installed on both units. An LNG fueling station was constructed in Staples, Minnesota, and the two DF40-2s were used in unit coal train service between Staples and Glendive, Montana. The experiments ended in 1996 and the two locomotives returned to regular service and their old diet of diesel fuel, though they retained the special paint schemes they received for the experimental program.

ATGX #5511 and #5513 are 3,000-horsepower C30-7s that were built by General Electric in April 1977 as Burlington Northern #5511 & #5513. They were retired in January 1999, sold to ATEL Leasing Corporation for lease service, and leased back by Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

Railfanning in Vancouver, Washington, on July 13, 1997

On July 13, 1997, my dad and I went railfanning with his friend Fred Anderson. Our first stop was the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington. Located in the center of a wye junction, this has always been an excellent location for train watching. The first train we saw was a northbound Union Pacific freight train.

This train was led by Union Pacific #6240, 1 3,800-horsepower SD60M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in October 1990.

The trailing unit in this train's locomotive consist was Chicago & North Western #8640, a 4,380-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in January 1994. 

The Chicago & North Western had been merged into the Union Pacific in April 1995. C&NW locomotives were rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest before the merger, and were still considered fairly exotic at this point.

Next came a Burlington Northern Santa Fe light power move from Portland to Vancouver, led by Burlington Northern #3042, a 3,000-horsepower GP40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1979 as St. Louis-San Francisco (Frisco) #752. The Frisco had been merged into the Burlington Northern in 1980.

A westbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train arrived from the Columbia Gorge bound for Portland, led by Burlington Northern #6385, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1974.

The second unit in the BNSF freight train was Burlington Northern #5588, a 3,000-horsepower C30-7 that was built by General Electric in June 1979.

The last train we saw before heading across the Columbia River to Portland was Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight, led by Amtrak #807, a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40BP (or B40-8P) that was built by General Electric in May 1993.

We continued railfanning in Portland, as will be seen in the next post.

Railfanning in Vancouver, Washington, in March, 1997

These pictures were taken while railfanning at the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington, in March, 1997. Upon arriving, Burlington Northern C30-7 #5575 and SD40-2 #6334 were moving through the yard. This is an admittedly terrible picture, but fortunately it wasn't the last I would see of these two locomotives.

Union Pacific #5031 is a 3,600-horsepower SD50 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1984. It was originally delivered in Union Pacific colors but with Missouri Pacific lettering. It was relettered for Union Pacific in August 1990.

Union Pacific #9368 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40CW that was built by General Electric in January 1990. It was part of Union Pacific's first order for GE locomotives with the North American Safety Cab.

Reflecting Union Pacific's recent merger with the Chicago & North Western, Union Pacific #9368 has acquired an air conditioner with a green stripe from a former Chicago & North Western locomotive.

Burlington Northern #5575 & #6334 returned to pass by the front of the depot. Burlington Northern #5575 is a 3,000-horsepower C30-7 that was built by General Electric in February 1979. Behind it is Burlington Northern #6334, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1972. While SD40-2s were common in the Pacific Northwest, C30-7s were not.

United Grain Corporation RE-1254 is a 1,200-horsepower SW9 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1951 as Atlantic Coast Line #662. The Atlantic Coast Line merged with the Seaboard Air Line in 1967 to create the Seaboard Coast Line, and this locomotive became Seaboard Coast Line #144. Later, it was apparently acquired by the Railway Equipment Leasing Company (RELCO) and leased to the United Grain Corporation in Vancouver.

Arriving with the southbound Coast Starlight, Amtrak #802 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40BP (or B40-8P) that was built by General Electric in April 1993. Trailing it is one of the previous generation of Amtrak locomotives, a 3,000-horsepower F40PH that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors.

Waiting with a westbound train from the Columbia River Gorge, Burlington Northern #2711 is a 2,300-horsepower GP39-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1981.

Illustrating the BNSF merger, behind Burlington Northern #2711 is a mixed consist of BNSF locomotives, with an EMD in the blue and yellow "Warbonnet" paint scheme from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, and three of BNSF's General Electric Dash 9-44CWs.