Trains in Vancouver, Washington, and Rainier, Oregon, in June 2002

I took these pictures at the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington, in June 2002.

First, leading a light motive power move to Portland is Burlington Northern Santa Fe #5370 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in December 2000.

In the middle of the consists is Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #809, a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40CW that was built by General Electric in June 1992.

Bringing up the rear is Oakway, Inc. #9046, a 3,800-horsepower SD60 built in November 1986. It is one of 100 such locomotives built in late 1986 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors, and leased to Oakway, Inc., a subsidiary of Cornell Rice & Sugar. These locomotives were assigned to the Burlington Northern under a “power-by-the-hour” arrangement in which the railroad purchased only the kilowatt-hours of electricity produced by the locomotives while in use.

Arriving with the eastbound Empire Builder, Amtrak #42 is a 4,250-horsepower P42DC built by General Electric in December 1996. It has been repainted in an updated version of Amtrak’s Acela-inspired Phase V paint scheme, with only a single large Amtrak locomotive and a lower-positioned red sill stripe, with the lower blue band removed.

Leading a westbound freight train from the Columbia River Gorge, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #6331 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1972 as Burlington Northern #6331, part of Burlington Northern’s first order of SD40-2s. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #6331 on August 11, 2001.

Trailing is Burlington Northern Santa Fe #4416, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in April 1999.

Leading a southbound freight train, Union Pacific #7574 is a 6,000-horsepower AC6000CW that was built by General Electric in December 2000. Called a C60AC by Union Pacific, it was among the first units to wear Union Pacific’s new paint scheme with the wings on the nose and the lightning stripe on the sides between the yellow and gray.

The AC6000CW was one product of a mid-1990s horsepower war between General Electric and the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors, spurred on by railroads’ desire for 6,000-horsepower locomotives to replace existing 3,000-horsepower locomotives nearing retirement on a two-to-one basis. Powered by a 16-cylinder 7HDL diesel engine developed in a joint venture with Deutz Motoren Werke Mannheim AC (MWM) of Mannheim, Germany, the AC6000CW was introduced in 1995. Ultimately, neither GE nor EMD found success with their 6,000-horsepower models, and the railroads ended up standardizing on locomotives with 4,300-4,400 horsepower. AC6000CW production ended in 2001, with Union Pacific and CSX the only domestic purchasers.

The second unit is Union Pacific #9351, a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40C that was built by General Electric in December 1988.

Bringing up the rear is Union Pacific #9547, a 4,135-horsepower Dash 8-41CW that was built by General Electric in November 1993.

Finally, running down the middle of A Street in Rainier, Oregon with an eastbound local freight train on another day, Willamette & Pacific #1802 is a 1,750-horsepower GP9 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1956 as Denver & Rio Grande Western #5944. In June 1984 it was retired and sold to Mid-America Car Leasing. It was leased to the Kyle Railroad as their #5944 from July 1984 to December 1986. It was used on the Austin & Northwestern Railroad as #44 from April 1987 to November 1995, where it received the paint scheme shown here. It went to the Central Oregon & Pacific in December 1995, and was sold to the Willamette & Pacific in June 1998. The Portland & Western overtook the Willamette & Pacific in December 2000 but this locomotive retained its Willamette & Pacific lettering and reporting marks. This locomotive would be damaged in a derailment south of Albany, Oregon, in August 2004, and would be scrapped in January 2005. This was the Willamette & Pacific’s second GP9 #1802; the first, a former Southern Pacific GP9E, had been retired in 1995 and scrapped.

Trains in Portland & Vancouver in August 2000

I took these pictures in August of 2000. First, at Union Pacific's Albina Yard in Portland, Oregon, is Union Pacific #9408, a 4,135-horsepower Dash 8-41CW that was built by General Electric in November 1990.

Here is a trio of Union Pacific 2,000-horsepower GP38-2s, which all have different histories. On the right is Union Pacific #2022, which was built new for Union Pacific by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1974. On the left is Union Pacific #2171, which was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1980 as Missouri Pacific #2171. After the Missouri Pacific was merged into the Southern Pacific in 1982, this locomotive became Union Pacific #2171 on October 8, 1993. Finally, in the center is Union Pacific #2530, which has a more complicated history that deserves a closer look.

Union Pacific #2530 was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1966 as Illinois Central #3026, a 3,000-horsepower GP40 without dynamic brakes. On August 10, 1972, the Illinois Central merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio to form the Illinois Central Gulf, and this locomotive became Illinois Central Gulf #3026. After being retired by ICG, the locomotive was acquired by Helm Financial Corporation, reconditioned with dynamic brakes added, and leased to Union Pacific, becoming Union Pacific #853 on May 26, 1989. In 1998 it was returned to Helm Financial, was rebuilt by Boise Locomotive Company of Boise, Idaho, into a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2, and again leased to Union Pacific, becoming Union Pacific #2530 on August 20, 1998. When it was rebuilt from a GP40 to a GP38-2, its turbocharger was removed and an air filter box was installed in front of the dynamic brake housing, but it otherwise still resembles a pre-Dash 2 GP40, with three radiator fans, no water level sight glass below the radiators, and no shock absorbers on the trucks.

Leading a northbound freight train fast the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington, is Burlington Northern Santa Fe #2880, a GP39M that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1964 as Cotton Belt (St. Louis Southwestern) #767, a 2,500-horsepower GP35. After 1965 it was renumbered to Cotton Belt #6507. Retired on April 15, 1987, it was sold on August 16, 1988 to Wilson Rail Services, then resold later that month to Morrison-Knudsen of Boise, Idaho, who rebuilt it into 2,300-horsepower GP39M Burlington Northern #2880 on February 10, 1989. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #2880 and was repainted into Burlington Northern Santa Fe's "Heritage I" paint scheme on May 9, 2000, and had its headlight lowered into the nose following Santa Fe practice.

Southern Pacific #8165 is a 4,380-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in October 1994.

Spliced between a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Dash 9-44CW and a former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (now BNSF) SD45-2 are Burlington Northern #6845 & #8153, 3,000-horsepower SD40-2s that were built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1978 and July 1980, respectively. Burlington Northern #6845 was built as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #955. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern on November 21, 1980, and the locomotive became Burlington Northern #6845.

Leading a freight train from Portland to head east up the Columbia River Gorge, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8022 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1978. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8022 and was repainted into Burlington Northern Santa Fe's "Heritage I" paint scheme on December 21, 1998, and had its headlight lowered into the nose following Santa Fe practice.

The trailing unit in the freight train, Burlington Northern #7278 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1980.

Warbonnets in Washington in 1999

Photo by Cliff West

After the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Burlington Northern merged in 1995, the new Burlington Northern Santa Fe found itself in search of a paint scheme. Even after the introduction of the Great Northern-inspired "Heritage" orange and green paint scheme for the new Dash-9-44CWs assigned to former Burlington Northern territory, BNSF continued to receive otherwise identical locomotives in a variation of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe's silver & red Super Fleet "Warbonnet" paint scheme, with BNSF initials replacing the billboard "Santa Fe" lettering on the sides. Neither the BNSF nor the earlier Santa Fe "Warbonnets" were particularly common on the former Burlington Northern lines of the Pacific Northwest, but on one spring day in 1999, I think it was in April, they seemed to be out in force on the Portland-Seattle main line.

Photo by Cliff West

My dad and I caught this northbound BNSF unit grain train at the south end of Kalama, Washington, with a pair of "Warbonnets" leading a matched consist of nearly new BNSF mineral red covered hopper cars.

Photo by Cliff West

My dad's pictures from this day came out slightly underexposed, but on the other hand, his camera did have a powerful zoom lens that mine couldn't compete with.

This train was led by Burlington Northern Santa Fe #755, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in August 1997.

The train's second unit was Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #635, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in February 1994.

The train slowed down to go through Kalama, so we were able to get ahead of it and get more pictures of it at the north end of Kalama.

Photo by Cliff West

From this location, the long matching consist of covered hoppers can be appreciated.

Photo by Cliff West

The train appears to have slowed to a crawl and may have even come to a brief stop here.

Just north of this spot, the railroad crosses over the Kalama River. Continuing the chase by car, however, would require returning to Interstate 5, and this spot is between exits, so we made sure to get plenty of pictures here while we could.

Photo by Cliff West

This picture shows that in addition to the BNSF initials on the sides, there are also BNSF initials in the "cigar band" on the nose, where earlier locomotives had "Santa Fe" lettering

My last picture of Burlington Northern Santa Fe #755 was also by far the best.

I also got a better picture of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #635. Though both of these locomotive are the same model, and were built for essentially the same railroad only a few years apart, there are some subtle differences besides the lettering. One of the more noticeable differences is the ditch lights: they are below the platform on ATSF #635 but are above the platform on BNSF #755.

Photo by Cliff West

Next, we continued north to Longview Junction. I don't remember if we hoped to see the grain train again, or if we knew it had gotten away from us. In any case, the next train we saw was a northbound BNSF general freight train.

Photo by Cliff West

Leading a mixed consist of motive power was another "Warbonnet:" Burlington Northern Santa Fe #812, a Dash 8-40CW that was built by General Electric in April 1992 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #812.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #812 was repainted with BNSF lettering on its sides on August 21, 1996. BNSF #812 still had "Santa Fe" lettering in the "cigar band" on the nose, as the BNSF version of the "cigar band" wasn't introduced until July 1997.

A block of woodchip cars was on an adjacent track, including this former Great Northern woodchip car, still in three-decade old Big Sky Blue paint. Built by Gunderson Brothers in Portland, Oregon, in 1968, this 60'-7" woodchip car was one of 100 numbered 174200-174299 on the Great Northern. On Burlington Northern they were assigned numbers 585500-585599, though many, like this one, were never repainted or even renumbered. 89 of these cars were still on the roster in 1995, and were assigned BNSF numbers 540158-540246, though few, if any, would ever actually wear them. The Great Northern followed this group of cars in 1969 with 125 nearly identical Ortner cars numbered 174300-174424. They were assigned Burlington Northern numbers 585600-585724. 94 of this group were still on roster in 1995 and were assigned BNSF numbers 540247-540340.

Next came a northbound Union Pacific double-stack container train led by Union Pacific #9513, a 4,135-horsepower Dash 8-41CW that was built by General Electric in September 1993.

Finally, another northbound BNSF freight train came along with another pair of "Warbonnets," led by Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #631, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built in February 1994. It is a sister unit to Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #635, which was the trailing unit on the grain train seen in Kalama earlier.

This train's trailing unit was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #754, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in August 1997. It is only one number away from sister unit Burlington Northern Santa Fe #755, which led the grain train in Kalama that started things off, bringing things full circle as the day of railfanning came to a close.

Railfanning in Vancouver, Washington, in June 1998

I took these pictures at the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington, in late June of 1998. First is a northbound freight train led by Union Pacific #9416, a 4,135-horsepower Dash 8-41CW that was built by General Electric in November 1990.

Following with another northbound freight train, Union Pacific #9272 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40C that was built by General Electric in November 1988.

Arriving with a westbound freight train from the Columbia River Gorge bound for Portland, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #713 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in June 1997. This was one of the first locomotives to be delivered in Santa Fe's "Warbonnet" colors, but with small "BNSF" lettering on the sides. The lettering in the "cigar band" on the nose still reads "Santa Fe." Locomotives in "Warbonnet" paint were still fairly rare in the Pacific Northwest, but the trailing unit was even more interesting.

Illinois Central #6101 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1976 as Burlington Northern #6709 under a 15-year lease agreement. This is one of 44 SD40-2s that Burlington Northern chose not to purchase when the lease ended, and it was retired in March 1991 and returned to the lessor. These 44 locomotives ended up going to the Illinois Central and having their dynamic brakes removed. The former Burlington Northern #6709 became Illinois Central #6101. 

Finally, arriving in Vancouver with northbound train #752 and the Talgo Pendular 200 equipment is Amtrak #369, a 3,000-horsepower F40PHR that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1981 using parts from retired Amtrak SDP40F #538.

Chasing BNSF 2099 on July 13, 1997

On July 13, 1997, my dad and I were railfanning with his friend Fred Anderson. We had been to Vancouver, Washington, earlier in the day before going to Portland, Oregon, but we ended up returning to Vancouver on our way home. Heading back to Vancouver's Amtrak station, we passed under the Sixth Street Viaduct just as the locomotives of a westbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train were passing over it. I alone noticed that one of the locomotives was an EMD unit that was painted in the new orange and green paint scheme. At the time, the only locomotives we knew about in that scheme were the new GE Dash 9-44CWs. My dad didn't believe me, but we stopped to look anyway, and I was proven right.

The freight train had come to a stop, and the lead locomotive was indeed an EMD unit in the BNSF orange and green paint scheme.

This was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #2099, which was the first older locomotive to be repainted into this paint scheme. 

BNSF #2099 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in November 1974 as Burlington Northern #2099.

The locomotive was painted by Mid-America Car, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 25, 1996, and was still clean and shiny. BNSF might have been taking special care of it, as it was testing the Positive Train Separation satellite tracking system in the Pacific Northwest.

The second locomotive in the train's long consist was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #1021, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in October 1996. It clearly wasn't receiving the attention that BNSF #2099 was.

I took the opportunity to take as many pictures as I could of this unique locomotive.

Like the new Dash 9-44CWs, BNSF #2099 featured silver paint on its trucks, fuel tank and air reservoirs. The silver would be replaced by green on future repainted locomotives.

BNSF #2099 and its train were stopped in a position from which it could either turn south toward Portland or north toward Seattle.

We weren't sure how long BNSF #2099 would be waiting here, or which direction it would go when it resumed its journey. We waited at the Amtrak depot to find out.

It turned out that BNSF #2099 wasn't the only locomotive in Vancouver with an unusual paint scheme that day. Parked in the engine terminal was Burlington Northern #7812, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1977 as Colorado & Southern #942. Colorado & Southern was a subsidiary of Burlington Northern, and its locomotives were painted in Burlington Northern colors, but they had their own numbering system. These locomotives began to be renumbered into the Burlington Northern's main numbering system in December 1978, and this locomotive became Burlington Northern #7812.

Oddly, Burlington Northern #7812 wore the "billboard" lettering usually found on BN GP50s. It turns out that this locomotive was involved in an accident along with a BN GP50. Both were repaired and repainted by a contract shop, which painted them both with the GP50-style lettering.

Another westbound BNSF freight train came along bound for Portland. It was led by BNSF #1050, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in November 1996.

The trailing unit in this train's locomotive consist was Norfolk Southern #3183 a 3,000-horsepower SD40 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1971 as Southern Railway #3183. This locomotive technically wears the GSF reporting marks of the NS subsidiary Georgia & Southern Florida Railway.

A southbound Union Pacific freight train passed through, led by Union Pacific #9457, a 4,135-horsepower Dash 8-41CW that was built by General Electric in October 1991 as a Dash 8-40CW. It was redesignated as a Dash 8-41CW in September 1993.

The next train to arrive was Amtrak's northbound Coast Starlight.

The Coast Starlight was led by Amtrak #808, a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40BP (or B40-8P) that was built by General Electric in May 1993.

Following the Coast Starlight was a northbound Union Pacific freight train, led by Union Pacific #9736 is a 4,380-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in August 1994.

We saw BNSF #2099 get underway and head north, so we got into the car and hurried to the grade crossing at 39th Street.

This was a great opportunity for more pictures of this unique unit as is slowly passed by with its freight train.

Even some relatively close-up detail pictures were possible.

The low afternoon sun really lit up the orange paint and yellow striping.

While we waited for BNSF #2099's northbound train to clear the crossing, a southbound freight train came along, led by Burlington Northern #2889, a GP39M that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1964 as Southern Pacific GP35 #6551. It was retired by Southern Pacific on November 15, 1990, and sold to Morrison-Knudsen on April 1, 1991, where it was rebuilt as BN GP39M #2889 and completed on August 20, 1991.

After the freight trains cleared the 39th Street grade crossing, we raced to Kalama, Washington, for another chance to photograph BNSF #2099. While we waited on the Oak Street Overpass, a southbound BNSF freight train came through, led by a Burlington Northern SD40-2, whose number I can't make out due to the speed of the train and the low light.

BNSF #2099 arrived with its northbound freight train, speeding through Kalama.

The train was going so fast that in this picture, only the front of the locomotive is in focus.

Between the setting sun and the fact that we were almost home, we gave up the chase here.