Railfanning in Vancouver & Skamania on April 26, 1998

On April 26, 1998, my dad and I went railfanning with his friend Fred Anderson. We started out at the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington. We soon saw some interesting light motive power pass through.

LRCX SF30C #9529 was originally a 3,600-horsepower U36C that was built by General Electric in June 1972 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #8702. In February 1986 it was rebuilt by the Santa Fe's shops in Cleburne, Texas as a 3,000-horsepower SF30C and renumbered to #9529. It was sold to Livingston Rebuild Center Inc. on August 6, 1997, becoming LRCX #9529.

On the other leg of the wye came a northbound Union Pacific freight train. Union Pacific #9730 is a 4,380-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in August 1994.

Another light power move soon followed. Burlington Northern GP39E #2902 was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1965 as Great Northern GP35 #3039. It was originally powered by a 2,500-horsepower turbocharged 567 engine. After the Great Northern was merged into Burlington Northern on March 2, 1970, it became Burlington Northern #2522. In June 1990 it was rebuilt by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors as 2,300-horsepower GP39E Burlington Northern #2902.

Burlington Northern #2279 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1973 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #424. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern in 1980, and this locomotive was renumbered as Burlington Northern #2279. It still has a notch in its nose where the Frisco's oscillating warning light was mounted.

We left Vancouver and went down the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge to Skamania, Washington. Leading a westbound freight train, Montana Rail Link #325 was originally a 3,600-horsepower SD45 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1968 as St. Louis Southwestern (SSW, also known as the Cotton Belt) #9064. The Cotton Belt was a Subsidiary of the Southern Pacific, and on September 23, 1985, this locomotive was upgraded at Southern Pacific's Sacramento Shops to an SD45R and became Southern Pacific #7554. Following the merger of the Southern Pacific into the Union Pacific, in January 1997 this locomotive was sold via Coast Engine & Equipment Company of Tacoma, Washington, to Montana Rail Link, where it was classified as an SD45-2 and became #325.

The second locomotive in this consist was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #1004, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in October 1996.

The last unit was EMDX #6043, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1973 as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #4793 under a lease agreement. The Rock Island shut down on March 31, 1980, and in June 1980, the locomotive's lease was by the Illinois Central Gulf, and it become ICG #6043. Following the end of the lease period, it was returned to EMD, equipped with dynamic brakes (which it never had before) and added to the Electro-Motive Leasing fleet, becoming EMDX #6043 in January 1989.

Next came an eastbound freight train led by LMX #8547, a 3,900-horsepower B39-8E that was built by General Electric in October 1987. This is one of a group of 100 identical locomotives that were built for lease to Burlington Northern under a "power by the hour" arrangement, in which Burlington Northern payed only for the kilowatt-hours the locomotives produce, plus a base monthly charge. Under the agreement, General Electric handled the maintenance of the locomotives in Lincoln, Nebraska, using Burlington Northern union personnel under GE supervision. This train consisted of empty intermodal well cars, some of which had just come from Gunderson in Portland, Oregon, and were so fresh from the factory that we could smell the paint as they passed by.

We returned to Vancouver, where we saw Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #136, a 3,800-horsepower GP60M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in July 1990. Santa Fe's "Super Fleet" locomotives were still rare in the Pacific Northwest, and the GP60Ms were especially rare.

A southbound intermodal train arrived, led by Union Pacific #9222, a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40C that was built by General Electric in September 1988.

The second unit of this train was Denver & Rio Grande Western #5358, a 3,000-horsepower SD40T-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1975.

This train came to a stop in front of the Vancouver depot, allowing for more opportunities for photographs. Rio Grande tunnel motors still weren't very common in the Pacific Northwest.

Union Pacific #9222 still looked pretty sharp considering it was just a few months from its 10th birthday.

A northbound freight train arrived, led by Union Pacific #8104, a 4,300-horsepower SD9043AC that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in March 1997.

The second unit was Union Pacific #8103, another 4,300-horsepower SD9043AC that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in March 1997.

This train also came to a stop in front of the Vancouver depot. These were the first SD90s I had seen, so I took the opportunity to take several photographs of these sequentially numbered twins, despite the fading daylight.

The SD90MAC was intended to be powered by a 6,000-horsepower 16-cylinder 265H four-stroke diesel engine, but there were problems in this new engine's development. Union Pacific purchased SD90MACs with the proven 4,300-horsepower 16-cylinder 710G3C two-stroke diesel engine, intending to replace the 710G3C engines with the 265H when the new engines were ready.

Union Pacific designated these locomotives SD9043AC, while the EMD designation was simply SD90MAC. The SD90s that were built with the 265H engine were called SD90MAC-H by EMD, but Union Pacific designated them SD90AC. Ultimately, the 265H engine would be deemed a failure, and the SD9043ACs would keep their 710G3C engines and remain in service longer then their more powerful 265H-powered sisters.

Burlington Northern GP39E #2750 at the Portland Union Station Centennial

During the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Union Station in Portland, Oregon, on May 11, 1996, this freight train passed through. Burlington Northern #2750 was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1963 as Great Northern Railway GP30 #3007. After the Great Northern was merged into Burlington Northern in 1970, it became Burlington Northern #2207. In April 1989 it was rebuilt by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors into GP39E #2750. This was the first GP39E to be completed.

Kelso Intermodal Facility Dedication

Rail service first came to Kelso, Washington, in 1872, when the Northern Pacific Railway built north from a river connection at Kalama, Washington toward Seattle. This brick depot opened on February 12, 1912, replacing an earlier wood-frame depot built in the 1800s. On March 2, 1970, the Northern Pacific Railway was merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad, and Amtrak took over passenger service on May 1, 1971. By the early 1990s, the depot was locked up. Amtrak trains still stopped at the station, but there were no personnel at the station and passengers had to wait outside. Tickets had to be purchased in advance, either from a travel agent, or from another station with Amtrak personnel.

In September 1994, after years of neglect, a major renovation and restoration of the depot was started to turn the depot into a multimodal transportation hub for Cowlitz County. The renovation included the addition of a clock tower and putting a full basement under the depot, which had never had one before, to be used for retail space. The renovation was completed and the depot was dedicated at 2:30 PM on September 23, 1995 at the Grand Opening of the Kelso Intermodal Facility and the "Keeping Kids on Track" festival. 

A few classic cars had been gathered for the event.

1950 Ford Fordor Sedan Police Car

1949 Chevrolet Styleline DeLuxe 2-Door Sedan

1955 Chevrolet Two-Ten 2-Door Sedan

The grand opening also featured an appearance by Burlington Northern’s executive train, though a couple of other trains passed by first.

Burlington Northern GP39E #2914 was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1964 as Chicago, Burlington & Quincy GP35 #986. It was originally powered by a 2,500-horsepower turbocharged 16-cylinder 567 engine. After the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy was merged into Burlington Northern on March 2, 1970, it became Burlington Northern #2532. In March 1990, it was rebuilt by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors as 2,300-horsepower GP39E Burlington Northern #2914.

Burlington Northern #2914 led a local southbound freight train with Burlington Northern extended-vision caboose #12510 bringing up the rear. This caboose was originally Burlington Northern #12088. It was built by Pacific Car & Foundry in September 1975. It was rebuilt by Burlington Northern subsidiary Western Fruit Express at Yardley Yard in Spokane, Washington, on July 3, 1990. 

Amtrak F40PHR #319 was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August 1979. It was built using parts from retired Amtrak SDP40F #583. I think the train it is pulling is the northbound Pioneer, which ran between Chicago and Seattle via Denver and Portland. The Pioneer was inaugurated on June 7, 1977, and would continue until May 10, 1997, when it was discontinued.

The Burlington Northern executive train arrived from the south with the following consist:

• F9-2 Locomotive BN-1
• F9-2 Locomotive BN-2
• Power Car #30 Snoqualmie Pass
• Sleeping Car #22 Stevens Pass
• Bi-Level Car #33 Skagit River
• Bi-Level Car #31 Fox River
• Bi-Level Car #32 Flathead River
• Lounge Car #10 Como
• Full Dome Observation Car #24 Glacier View

Each of these will be covered in more detail in its own post.

4449-844 Doubleheader: BNSF Equipment at Centralia

BNSF Equipment in Centralia

A few Burlington Northern Santa Fe locomotives and a caboose were sitting just north of the depot. While I waited for the steam train, I walked over to take a look. Since this rail line is owned by BNSF, and they were a cosponsor of the Puget Sound Steam Special, its only fair that I give them a little coverage as well.

BNSF GP40M #3009

BNSF #3009 was built in December 1966 as an EMD GP40. It was originally Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #185. After the Burlington Northern merger of 1970, it was assigned BN #3015. In June 1989 it was rebuilt by Morrison-Knudson as a GP40M and assigned #3510. After the 1995 BNSF merger, it was assigned #3009.

BNSF GP38AC #2125

BNSF GP38AC #2125

BNSF 2125 is an EMD GP38AC built in March 1971 as St. Louis - San Francisco #648. When Burlington Northern acquired the SLSF in 1980 it was assigned BN #2125. It retained the same number with BNSF, and has even received BNSF's orange & green paint.

BNSF GP39E #2936

BNSF GP39E #2936

BNSF GP39E #2936

BNSF 2936 was built in June 1964 as an EMD GP35. It was originally Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #988. After the Burlington Northern merger of 1970, it was assigned BN #2534. In August 1990, it was rebuilt by EMD into GP39E #2936. It has retained this number with BNSF.

BNSF Caboose #10035

BNSF Caboose #10035

BNSF "Riding Platform" #10035 was originally built by the International Car Company in 1969 as Northern Pacific Railway's Caboose #10405. It was transferred to Burlington Northern in 1970, receiving #10035 and still serves BNSF today, though not really as a caboose. The fact that it is now stenciled as a "Riding Platform" means that much of the interior equipment & furnishings that a conductor would need have been removed, so it can't actually be used as a caboose anymore. It is intended simply as a safe place for a brakeman to ride as a lookout on the rear of a train during a long reverse move, which I assume is required for a local train in the Centralia area to access a certain customer or customers.

BNSF Caboose #10035

I walked back over to the depot to wait for the train. While I waited, I noticed another BNSF diesel locomotive arrive and join the others that were gathered together north of the depot. I made a mental note to walk back over after the train came through and check out the new arrival, though I didn't expect it to be any more interesting that the others.

I discovered that the steam train had arrived in Chehalis, just south of Centralia, and was waiting for two of Amtrak's Cascades trains to make their station stops in Centralia before pulling into the station for its service stop. If I had known I was ahead of the train, I would have stopped in Chehalis for pictures as well.

Continue to Amtrak Cascades #507…