Trains in the Twin Cities in September 2002

I took these pictures in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the morning of September 8, 2002, while traveling on Amtrak’s eastbound Empire Builder. St. Paul was a highlight for me, as the Minnesota Commercial and Soo Line equipment visible from the train seemed exotic to an Oregonian like me.

Switching at Amtrak’s Midway Station in St. Paul during the Empire Builder’s service stop, Minnesota Commercial #316 is a 2,400-horsepower RS-27 that was built by Alco Products in March 1962 as Chicago & North Western Railway #903.  Only 27 examples of the RS-27 were produced; the Chicago & North Western owned four, which were returned to Alco in 1966 in trade for C-424s. Alco leased them to various railroads in 1967 and 1968. This unit was sold to the Green Bay & Western in 1968 and became #316. It was later joined by two of the others. On August 27, 1993, the Green Bay & Western was merged with the Fox River Valley Railroad to form the Fox River & Western, a subsidiary of the Wisconsin Central, and this locomotive was sold to the Minnesota Commercial Railroad.

Parked on a track at Midway Station were three privately-owned passenger cars, the Caritas, the Sierra Hotel, and the Puget Sound.

The Caritas was built in 1948 by Pullman as a 4-Bedroom, 14-Roomette Sleeping Car for the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, or Frisco for short. The car was originally named Pierre Laclede after the founder of St. Louis. The car was originally assigned to the Texas Special, which ran between St. Louis, Missouri, and San Antonio, Texas, over the Frisco and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas. The Frisco discontinued its portion of the Texas Special (the northern portion) in 1959. In 1964, this car was sold to the Canadian National and named Churchill Falls. High Iron Travel bought the car in 1983 and rebuilt it to its current configuration, with 3 double bedrooms and a master room, dining area, galley, wine cellar, and lounge. I had seen the Caritas here before in 1999 wearing a red and white paint scheme; it had since been repainted in the same pattern but using Milwaukee Road colors, as shown here.

Sierra Hotel was built by the Budd Company in October 1948 as Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #251 Silver Lounge for use on the California Zephyr between Chicago and Oakland. This mid-train Dome-Dormitory-Buffet-Lounge car originally included dormitory space for 15 crew members, a lounge under the dome that was remodeled into the “Cable Car Lounge” in 1964, and a buffet with seating for 19 passengers. After the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy was merged into the Burlington Northern on March 2, 1970, it became Burlington Northern #251. The California Zephyr made its last run on March 24, 1970, and when Amtrak took over passenger service on May 1, 1971 it was sold to become Amtrak #9811. It was used on Amtrak trains including the North Coast Hiawatha and the Texas Chief before being retired in October 1981 and being sold into charter service as Vandalia Railroad #9811. In 1989 the car was rebuilt by Midwest Railcar as open-end observation car Sierra Hotel. The open observation deck was built into what was originally the front of the car, so it now typically operates in the opposite direction of what was intended when it was built.

Puget Sound was built by the Budd Company in June 1955 as Great Northern #1323 for use on the Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle. It was originally built as a Great Dome coach with 46 revenue leg-rest seats plus seating for 24 people in the dome. After the Great Northern was merged into the Burlington Northern on March 2, 1970, it was assigned Burlington Northern #4603, but it did not receive this number before Amtrak took over passenger service on May 1, 1971 and it was sold to become Amtrak #9463. It was retired in 1985 and sold into private ownership and stored in Fargo, North Dakota, and Sault Ste Marie, Wisconsin, until being converted into sleeping car Puget Sound by Avalon Railcar in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 2000. As part of the rebuilding, its original smooth side panels were replaced with fluted panels to match Sierra Hotel.

Amtrak’s Empire Builder passes Minnesota Commercial’s nearby roundhouse in Minneapolis. Minnesota Commercial #1978 is a 2,250-horsepower B23-7 that was built by General Electric in April 1979 as Conrail #1978. It was retired in 1999 and sold to the Minnesota Commercial Railway, where it retained its original number.

Conrail #2002 is a 2,250-horsepower B23-7 that was built by General Electric in August 1979. It was retired by Conrail in 1999 and was sold to the Minnesota Commercial Railroad, but has yet to be placed in service and still wears full Conrail paint and lettering.

Minnesota Commercial #1B is a 1,600-horsepower RS3 that was built by the American Locomotive Company in September 1950 as Lake Superior & Ishpeming #1504 and was soon renumbered to #1604. It was retired in September 1989 and was sold to Clint Jones. It was sold to the Minnesota Commercial Railway in 1998 and was rebuilt as 1B in 1999.

Soo Line #4002 is a Fuel Tender that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1958 as Milwaukee Road #2371, a 1,750-horsepower GP9. Milwaukee Road renumbered it to #263 before rebuilding it into “GP20” #949 in the 1970s. The Soo Line purchased the bankrupt Milwaukee Road in February 1985. The locomotive was rebuilt into Fuel Tender #4002 in November 1987. Coupled to it is a CP Rail 40-foot boxcar, which was rare to see in the 21^st century. It is painted in the “Multimark” paint scheme, which was applied from 1968 to about 1987.

Soo Line Flatcar #954541 is a flatcar with an Operation Lifesaver display of crossing signals and an automobile involved in a grade crossing accident. Also pictured here are former Soo Line #1400 & #1401, 1,500-horsepower SW1500s that were built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in November 1966 as Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern #36 & #37. The Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern was merged into the Soo Line on January 1, 1986. These were the only SW1500s on the Soo Line. They had been recently retired with their road numbers stricken out. Also pictured here is a Soo Line extended vision caboose. The road number is unclear but appears to be either #60 or #80. In either case, it was built by the International Car Company in 1973.

Soo Line MP15AC #1548 is a 1500-horsepower MP15AC that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in September 1975 as Milwaukee Road #482. The Soo Line purchased the bankrupt Milwaukee Road in February 1985, and this locomotive became Soo Line #1548. It was never repainted into Soo Line colors and remains in its Milwaukee Road paint with its former road name and number painted out with black paint. Patched former Milwaukee Road locomotives on the Soo Line were known as “bandits.” In the background is one of four former North Louisiana & Gulf MP15DCs #42-45, built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in November 1975, that has been acquired by CP Rail in 1996 and became CP Rail #1434-1437. The North Louisiana & Gulf was purchased by the MidSouth Rail Corporation on September 8, 1987, which operated it as the MidLouisiana Rail Corporation. On January 11, 1994, MidSouth was taken over by Kansas City Southern. Also (barely) visible is a Soo Line extended vision caboose in the later brown paint scheme.

Soo Line MP15AC #1538 is another 1500-horsepower MP15AC that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in September 1975 as Milwaukee Road #472. This MP15 was paired with CP Rail #776, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in October 1974 as Soo Line #776, for hump yard service at Pig’s Eye Yard in St. Paul. The Soo Line was consolidated into owner CP Rail in 1991, and in March 1993 SD40-2 #776 received the new CP Rail System paint scheme combining the American and Canadian flags, symbolizing CP Rail’s operations in both the United States and Canada.

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.

Railfanning in Portland, Oregon, in March, 1997

These pictures were taken while railfanning in Portland, Oregon, in March, 1997. Starting at Burlington Northern's Hoyt Street Yard, we find Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #606, a 4,380-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in February 1994. Before the BNSF merger, Santa Fe's "Warbonnet" locomotives were rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest, but since the merger they were becoming somewhat more common.

A pair of switchers were parked at the Hoyt Street sand tower. Burlington Northern #214 is a 1,200-horsepower SW1200 (or SW12, as BN classified it) that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1957 as Northern Pacific #155. The Northern Pacific was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970. Burlington Northern #387 is a 1,000-horsepower SW1000 (or SW10, as BN classified it) that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in 1972.

Moving on to Union Pacific's Albina Yard, Chicago & North Western #8037 is a 3,800-horsepower SD60 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in September 1986. The Chicago & North Western was merged into the Union Pacific in April 1995.

Southern Pacific #6802 is a 3,600-horsepower SD45T-2R. It was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May, 1972, as Southern Pacific SD45T-2 #9246. In March, 1987, it was rebuilt by Southern Pacific's Sacramento Shops as an SD45T-2R and was renumbered to Southern Pacific #6802. Southern Pacific was merged into Union Pacific in September 1996.

Union Pacific #1302 is a 1,500-horsepower MP15DC that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1974 as Pittsburgh & Lake Erie #1575. It was purchased by Union Pacific in December 1984 and was delivered in mid-February 1985, initially becoming Union Pacific #1277 and operating in its P&LE black paint. It was painted in Union Pacific colors and renumbered to Union Pacific #1002 in May 1985, and was again renumbered to Union Pacific #1302 in June 1987.

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 #6325 is a 3,800-horsepower SD60M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in September 1992.

Here is another, better picture of Union Pacific SD60M #6325.

Railfanning in Portland, Oregon, in Fall 1994

These pictures were taken while railfanning in Portland, Oregon, in the fall of 1994. Most were taken at Union Pacific's Albina Yard, where we begin with a pair of locomotives moving through the yard.

Union Pacific #5030 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 July 1990.

Union Pacific #6021 is a 3,800-horsepower SD60 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1986.

This pair of locomotives disappeared into the engine terminal, and my attention turned to some of the other sights.

Union Pacific 906 & 907 are 3,000-horsepower GP40-2s that were originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1980 as Western Pacific #3551 & #3552. The Western Pacific was merged into the Union Pacific in 1983. Western Pacific #3551 was renumbered to Union Pacific #906 in January 1984. Western Pacific #3552 was repainted in Union Pacific colors with Missouri Pacific lettering in July 1985 as Missouri Pacific #907. It was relettered for Union Pacific in June 1988, but in this picture its Missouri Pacific lettering is showing through its Armour Yellow paint.

Stored in the back of the engine terminal were two old Baldwin locomotives. The red and yellow locomotive is Oregon & Northwestern #2, a 1,600-horsepower AS-616 that was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in September 1950 as Southern Pacific #5239. It was sold to the Oregon & Northwestern in 1964. The Oregon & Northwestern shut down in March 1984 and the locomotive was stored until the line was abandoned in 1990 and it was sold to the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

The white locomotive is a 1,200-horsepower S-12 that was built by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton in November 1952 as Southern Pacific #1498. In March 1956 it was transferred to Southern Pacific's subsidiary Texas & New Orleans and renumbered to T&NO #121. In 1965, it was renumbered again to Southern Pacific #2124. It was retired in July 1970, traded in to General Electric, and delivered to dealer Chrome Crankshaft in Vernon, California. In February 1972, it was sold to Ketchikan Pulp & Paper Company in Ward's Cove, Alaska, where it became #5321. It was donated to the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in March 1991.

Union Pacific #9057 is a 3,600-horsepower C36-7 that was built by General Electric in November 1985. It was originally delivered in Union Pacific colors but with Missouri Pacific lettering. It was relettered for Union Pacific in 1988.

Union Pacific #2025 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1974. Also pictured here are two Union Pacific switchers. I can't make out their numbers, but the closer one is an EMD MP15DC, and the other one is an SW10 that was rebuilt by Union Pacific's Omaha Shops from an earlier EMD switcher.

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 delivered in April 1985. It was initially assigned Union Pacific #1012, and was renumbered in September 1987 to Union Pacific #1312. Also sneaking into the frame is some visiting motive power from the Burlington Northern.

Burlington Northern #3053 is a 3,000-horsepower GP40-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1979 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #763. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern in 1980, and this locomotive was renumbered to Burlington Northern #3053.

Burlington Northern #2265 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1973 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #410. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern in 1980, and this locomotive was renumbered to Burlington Northern #2265.

Across the river, and possibly on another day, this private passenger car was on the end of an Amtrak passenger train leaving Portland's Union Station. I didn't get a good enough picture out the car window to be able to identify it, though it appears to have been built by Budd, but seeing as how I was looking into the late afternoon sun, it is amazing that it came out as well as it did.

4449-844 Doubleheader: Switchers with #844 in Portland

Sure enough, #844 was right where we were told it was, along with a couple of Union Pacific yard switchers that were going about their business. The switchers themselves were worth a quick look before they moved back toward the yard.

UPY MP15DC #1300

UPY #1300 is an EMD MP15DC built in June, 1974. It was built as Pittsburgh & Lake Erie #1577. It was the first of a group of 15 former P&LE MP15DCs purchased secondhand by Union Pacific in December 1984. It was initially assigned Union Pacific #1275, which it wore while remaining in P&LE paint. In mid-1985, it was painted in Union Pacific colors and renumbered as Union Pacific #1000. On June 3, 1987, it was renumbered to Union Pacific #1300. It was transferred to Union Pacific's new UPY reporting mark for yard locomotives as UPY #1300 on December 18, 2002.

UPY MP15AC #1445

UPY #1445 is an EMD MP15AC built in September, 1975. It was originally built as Southern Pacific #2716. It was acquired by Union Pacific along with the Southern Pacific in 1996. It was repainted and renumbered to UPY #1445 on August 21, 2003.

But, I wasn't really here to see switchers; I was here to see #844. And what a look I got.

Continue to Union Pacific #844 in Portland…