Trains in Albany, Oregon, on August 31, 2006

I took these pictures near the depot in Albany, Oregon, on August 31, 2006.

Leading a freight train, Portland & Western #3003 is a 3,000-horsepower GP40 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1967 as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #380. This was one of a group of seven GP40s that the Rock Island was rebuilding to Dash 2 standards in its Silvis shops when the railroad went bankrupt and shut down in 1980. Before the shutdown it was completed as GP40u #3004. 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. This locomotive became GO Transit #725. 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 and this locomotive became EMDX #200. In 2001, EMD transferred the locomotive to Locomotive Leasing Partners (LLPX), a partnership with GATX Leasing, and the locomotive was leased to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic as #3203. St. Lawrence & Atlantic was taken over by Genesee & Wyoming in 2002. The locomotive was transferred to the Portland & Western Railroad in April 2004, where it was considered a GP40-2, even though it lacks all the Dash 2 external spotting features like the water level sight glass, rear cab overhang, and vertical shock absorbers on the trucks. Renumbered to PNWR #3003 in mid-2005, it still wears its St. Lawrence & Atlantic yellow and black paint scheme.

Next, Willamette & Pacific #1852 was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1955 as Southern Pacific #5438, a 1,750-horsepower SD9 that was placed in service on May 24, 1955. After the 1965 system renumbering, it became Southern Pacific #3916. On January 9, 1975, it was rebuilt by Southern Pacific’s Sacramento Shops to SD9E #4397. It was retired on November 12, 1993, and sold on March 4, 1994, to the Willamette and Pacific Railroad where it became #1852.

Trailing, Portland & Western #3603 was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1970 as St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt) #9153, a 3,600-horsepower SD45 that was placed in service on January 4, 1970. On January 15, 1985, it was upgraded by Southern Pacific’s Sacramento Shops to Southern Pacific SD45R #7537. It was retired on sold on July 31, 1995, to Helm Financial Corporation and became HLCX #450. In 1996 it was sold to the Buffalo & Pittsburgh, part of the Genesee & Wyoming system, retaining the road number #450. It was transferred to the Illinois & Midland, another Genesee & Wyoming railroad, in 2001 or 2002, still numbered #450, then transferred again to the Portland & Western Railroad in April 2005, being renumbered to #3603.

There was also a pair of Union Pacific SD40-2s near the Albany depot.

Union Pacific #3160 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1972.

Union Pacific #3380 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1977.

This unit still had its red sill stripe, while on the other SD40-2, the sill stripe had been changed to yellow in accordance with a Federal Railroad Administration ruling from March 5, 2005, that required yellow or white reflective striping 42 inches above the rail by May 31, 2010.

After leaving Albany, I spotted this specially-decorated truck trailer heading north on Interstate 5. Carrying the slogan "TRACKS ARE FOR TRAINS! STAY OFF! STAY AWAY! STAY ALIVE!", this trailer #538717 was sponsored by Washington Operation Lifesaver, Washington Utilites and Transporation Commission, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, and the trailer was donated by Interstate Distributor Company.

Trains on May 13, 2006

I took these train pictures on May 13, 2006. First, I photographed this southbound Union Pacific freight train near the undercrossing of Portland Road NE in Salem, Oregon. Union Pacific #3576 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1979.

I photographed this pair of locomotives from my car as I passed Willbridge Yard on NW St. Helens Road in Portland, Oregon. Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8733 is a 3,800-horsepower GP60 that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in August 1989 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #4033. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8733 on November 19, 1998. Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8632 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40B that was built by General Electric in April 1989 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #7442. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8632 on February 22, 2000, and was repainted in Burlington Northern Santa Fe's "Heritage I" paint scheme on January 21, 2001.

I took this picture from my car on U.S. Highway 30 in Saint Helens, Oregon. Portland & Western #3006 is a 3,000-horsepower GP40 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1967 as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #375. This was one of a group of seven GP40s that the Rock Island was rebuilding to Dash 2 standards in its Silvis shops when the railroad went bankrupt and shut down in 1980. Before the shutdown it was completed as GP40u #3002. 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. This locomotive became GO Transit #721. 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 and this locomotive became EMDX #205. In 2001, EMD transferred the locomotive to Locomotive Leasing Partners (LLPX), a partnership with GATX Leasing, and the locomotive was leased to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic as #3208. St. Lawrence & Atlantic was taken over by Genesee & Wyoming in 2002. The locomotive was transferred to the Portland & Western Railroad in April 2004, where it was considered a GP40-2, even though it lacks all the Dash 2 external spotting features like the water level sight glass, rear cab overhang, and vertical shock absorbers on the trucks. Renumbered to PNWR #3006 in mid-2005, it still wears its St. Lawrence & Atlantic yellow and black paint scheme.

Portland & Western SD40-2MR #3300

Photo by Cliff West

Portland & Western #3300 is a 3,300-horsepower SD40-3MR that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1968 as Colorado & Southern #880, a 3,000-horsepower SD40. Colorado & Southern was a subsidiary of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and its successor Burlington Northern, and its locomotives were painted in its parent’s colors, but they had their own numbering system. These locomotives began to be renumbered in the Burlington Northern’s main numbering system in September 1979, and this locomotive became Colorado & Southern #6340. 

Photo by Cliff West

The Colorado & Southern was formally merged into the Burlington Northern on December 31, 1981, and this locomotive became Burlington Northern #6340. It was retired in February 1987 and sold back to the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1987. EMD added the locomotive to their lease fleet and it became EMDX #6340. 

Photo by Cliff West

In 1992 it was rebuilt by EMD as a 3,300-horsepower SD40-3MPR with EM2000 microprocessor controls, HTC trucks and extended range dynamic brakes and became EMDX demonstrator #2000, eventually ending up back in lease service. It was sold to the Portland & Western in August 2004.

Trains on April 8, 2006

I took these train pictures on April 8, 2006.

We begin at the Portland & Western's small base of operations on Salem Industrial Drive NE in Salem, Oregon, with Willamette & Pacific #2316 “Albany.”

This is a 2,300-horsepower GP39-2.

It was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August 1974 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #3615.

 

It was retired in December 1992 and was sold to the Willamette & Pacific Railroad in June 1993.

Portland & Western #3004 is a 3,000-horsepower GP40 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1967 as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #381.

This was one of a group of seven GP40s that the Rock Island was rebuilding to Dash 2 standards in its Silvis shops when the railroad went bankrupt and shut down in 1980. Before the shutdown it was completed as GP40u #3000. 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. This locomotive became GO Transit #726. 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 and this locomotive became EMDX #201.

In 2001, EMD transferred the locomotive to Locomotive Leasing Partners (LLPX), a partnership with GATX Leasing, and the locomotive was leased to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic as #3204. St. Lawrence & Atlantic was taken over by Genesee & Wyoming in 2002.

The locomotive was transferred to the Portland & Western Railroad in April 2004, where it was considered a GP40-2, even though it lacks all the Dash 2 external spotting features like the water level sight glass, rear cab overhang, and vertical shock absorbers on the trucks.

Renumbered to PNWR #3004 in mid-2005, it still wears its St. Lawrence & Atlantic yellow and black paint scheme.

This base of operations formerly belonged to the Oregon Electric (O.E.) Railway, later the Burlington Northern Railroad and now the Portland & Western Railroad. The Oregon Electric was owned by the Spokane, Portland & Seattle (SP&S) Railway, which also operated the route to Astoria nicknamed the "A Line." This safety sign, which depicts the East Coast railroads in the game of Monopoly while declaring "Railroading is not a game: work safely when on board" was erected by the O.E. - A Line Safety Committee, and may predate the 1970 merger that absorbed the SP&S into the Burlington Northern Railroad.

Moving on to Portland, Oregon, I took this photograph from my car of a Union Pacific freight train crossing over Interstate 205, led by Union Pacific #4707, a 4,000-horsepower SD70M built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, and delivered on October 6, 2001.

From my car on Interstate 5 near Martin’s Bluff near Longview, Washington, I took this photograph of Norfolk Southern #7516, a 4,000-horsepower ES40DC built by General Electric in November 2005 and delivered in primer gray so it could be placed in service as soon as possible.

Finally, I photographed this pair of 3,000-horsepower GP40-2s in the Longview Switching Company yard in Longview, Washington, from my car on Washington State Route 432. Union Pacific #1422 & #1434 were built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March and April of 1980 as Southern Pacific #7671 and #7949. After the Southern Pacific was merged into the Union Pacific on September 11, 1996, Southern Pacific #7671 became Union Pacific #5322 on October 10, 2002, then was renumbered to #1422 on October 30, 2003, while SP #7949 became Union Pacific #1434 on December 20, 2000.

Lewis & Clark Explorer in 2005

Photo by Cliff West

To commemorate the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Oregon Department of Transportation operated an excursion train along the south bank of the lower Columbia River from Linnton, near Portland, to Astoria, near the site of Fort Clatsop, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered over in 1805-06. The train ran for the summers of 2003 to 2005, making one round trip on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. My dad, Cliff West, took these pictures of the train during its final season in 2005, around July. These first pictures show the westbound train approaching Rainier.

Photo by Cliff West

Charles Fox founded Rainier in 1851. The town was originally called Eminence, but the name was changed to Rainier in 1852. The town is named after Rear Admiral Peter Rainier of the Royal Navy, for whom Mt. Rainier in Washington is also named. The town of Rainier was incorporated in 1885. According to the 2000 census, Rainier has a population of 1,687 people.

Photo by Cliff West

On another day, the westbound train is shown approaching Rainier from another vantage point.

Photo by Cliff West

Rainier is my hometown, so it is covered more extensively than the other towns. 

Photo by Cliff West

The railroad runs down the middle of A Street in downtown Rainier. Street-running used to be common for railroads in the United States, but today it is becoming rare.

Photo by Cliff West

Later in the season, around September 2005, the westbound Lewis & Clark Explorer passes Riverfront Park in Rainier.

Photo by Cliff West

On another day around September 2005, the westbound Lewis & Clark Explorer runs down East A Street.

Photo by Cliff West

The train consisted of three self-propelled passenger cars known as Rail Diesel Cars, or RDCs, introduced by the Budd Company in 1949 and built throughout the 1950s. Budd was a major builder of railcars at the time, specializing in stainless steel streamlined passenger cars. These cars were purchased by the state of Oregon's Department of Transportation from the British Columbia Railway, which had ended its passenger service in 2002.

Photo by Cliff West

RDC's are powered by 2 Detroit Diesel Series 110 V-6 engines, each producing about 275 horsepower, giving each RDC about 550 horsepower. This is enough power for an RDC to move itself rather quickly, however an RDC does not have much power for pulling additional cars. As a result, each RDC in a consist must be operational. RDCs have a control cab at each end, and a single RDC can control all the other RDCs coupled to it. The hump in the roof at the center of an RDC contains the exhaust and cooling for the engines, freeing up space inside the cars for passengers.

Photo by Cliff West

Leading the train, ORRX #31 is an RDC-3 originally built by Budd in July 1956 for the Great Northern Railway as #2350. The RDC-3 featured a section at one end of the car for baggage and mail. #2350 became Burlington Northern #2350 in 1970 and later became Amtrak #43. The British Columbia Railway purchased the car in January 1976 to replace their original #BC-31, which was destroyed in a fire on November 26, 1973. Trailing behind, ORRX #10 & #11 are RDC-1s built in August 1956 by Budd for British Columbia Railway's predecessor Pacific Great Eastern as #BC-10 and #BC-11. The RDC-1 was the passenger-only model of Budd's RDC line. The Pacific Great Eastern became the British Columbia Railway on April 1, 1972, when it was taken over by British Columbia's provincial government. The railroad began going by the name BC Rail on June 19, 1984. These RDC's are still in BC Rail paint, with only the BC Rail heralds replaced by the Lewis & Clark Explorer heralds.

Photo by Cliff West

On another sunnier day around September 2005, the westbound Lewis & Clark Explorer runs down East A Street.

Photo by Cliff West

How the three RDCs were coupled together varied. Sometimes the RDC-3 #31 was at one end, other times it was in the middle. The three were rarely separated, so they remained as they were coupled for quite a while.

Photo by Cliff West

Near the end of the final season, in late September 2005, the westbound Lewis & Clark Explorer enters Rainier.

Photo by Cliff West

The Lewis & Clark Explorer was the first scheduled passenger service on this rail line since 1952.

Photo by Cliff West

Clatskanie takes its name from the Tlatskanai Indians, a very warlike tribe that inhabited this area. The Tlatskanai were wiped out by a smallpox epidemic in the 1850s. Clatskanie was first settled in 1852. It was originally called Bryantville. Clatskanie was incorporated in 1891. According to the 2000 census, Clatskanie has a population of 1,528 people. Unlike the other towns, which the railroad runs right through the middle of, the railroad only skirts along the edge of Clatskanie. At the west end of town, the railroad crosses the Clatskanie River on a swing-type drawbridge built in 1897. 

Photo by Cliff West

This bridge must be manually swung by a handcrank in the center of the span. This is the first of three manual drawbridges the train crosses. The bridge is normally kept open for river traffic, and is only swung closed when a train is waiting. 

Photo by Cliff West

For freight trains, a railroad employee swings the bridge. For the Lewis & Clark Explorer, the bridge was swung by specially trained volunteers. 

Photo by Cliff West

In these pictures, taken from the west side of the bridge, you can see the walkway to get to the span when the bridge is open, and the volunteer walking around the circular walkway in the middle, using the removable pole to turn the handcrank.

Photo by Cliff West

This is the bridge at which the Portland & Western freight train crew switching the Stimson Lumber mill at Clatskanie pushed a carload of lumber off the approach to the open drawbridge into the river on September 2, 2004. The train was operating on the east side of the bridge, so in the pictures it is the far approach that was damaged. Since the bridge was completely open at the time, the main span was not damaged.

Photo by Cliff West

This damage to the bridge approach closed the line for the entire Labor Day weekend, forcing that weekend's trips of the Lewis & Clark Explorer to be cancelled. The bridge approach was repaired and the line reopened in time for the rest of the season to be completed.

Photo by Cliff West

Between Clatskanie and Westport the Astoria line closely parallels U.S. Highway 30. This picture shows the eastbound Lewis & Clark Explorer in this area.

Photo by Cliff West

John West settled in Westport in 1850. The post office opened in 1863. Westport is located on Westport Slough, a side channel of the Columbia River. This location shelters the shore at Westport from the current in the river's main channel, making the slough a relatively good place for boaters and fishermen. Since 1925, a car ferry has connected Westport with Puget Island. This small ferry operation proves itself essential when construction or another emergency temporarily closes one of the bridges at Rainier or Astoria. This picture shows the westbound Lewis & Clark Explorer as it moves through Westport.

Photo by Cliff West

The town of Knappa was named after Aaron Knapp, Jr., an early settler of the area. The Knappa post office operated from 1873 to 1943. The actual town of Knappa is actually a little inland from the river, and the railroad stays close to the river here and doesn't actually go through Knappa. Two roads cross the railroad at Knappa. Knappa Road crosses above the tracks on an old wooden overpass. Waterhouse Road crosses the tracks at a traditional grade crossing. But this grade crossing is unique; it is still protected by an antique railroad crossing signal known as a Magnetic Flagman or wigwag.

Photo by Cliff West

Just north of the tracks, Waterhouse Road turns to intersect with Knappa Road, which is just to the east. The Knappa Road overpass is adjacent to the Waterhouse Road crossing, making this a very photogenic spot for train photographs. Unfortunately, the Portland & Western has no freight business this far down the line, so without the Lewis & Clark Explorer train, this area sees almost no rail traffic.

Photo by Cliff West

This type of signal was manufactured by the Magnetic Signal Company of Los Angeles, California from 1910 to 1949. It takes its name from the movement it makes; the black and white banner with the red light in the middle swings, "wigwags" back and forth. The movement is similar to that made by a human flagman while swinging a flag or lantern to stop traffic. The signal also features a bell. This wigwag was removed in March of 2007.

Photo by Cliff West

Astoria is the oldest settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. Fur traders sent by John Jacob Astor built Fort Astoria in 1811. Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County. According to the 2000 census, Astoria has a population of 9,813 people.

Photo by Cliff West

The tracks along the waterfront through Astoria are used by the Astoria Riverfront Trolley.

Photo by Cliff West

The Lewis & Clark Explorer's journey ends, appropriately enough, in front of the old Astoria railroad depot. The depot was built in 1924, the peak year for rail travel in Astoria. The railroad continued to use the building for decades after passenger service ended, but today the building is owned by the Columbia River Maritime Museum. It is closed to the public as it is in need of serious repair and is only used for storage.

Photo by Cliff West

Back in Rainier on another, wetter day, the Lewis & Clark Explorer makes one of its last trips down the middle of A Street.

Photo by Cliff West

The ditch lights on the front of the RDC shined brightly on this gloomy day.

Photo by Cliff West

The street running in Rainier ended at West 2nd Street, and the rail line ran alongside a narrower A Street from there.

Photo by Cliff West

On another day near the end of the final season, the Lewis & Clark Explorer runs down A Street in Rainier. 

Photo by Cliff West

At West 2nd Street, the train leaves the street and has its own separate right of way again.

Photo by Cliff West

After leaving the street-running behind, the railroad crosses over Fox Creek on an old wooden trestle that probably dates from the railroad's original construction in the 1890s.

Photo by Cliff West

I believe this was the last run of the Lewis & Clark Explorer on October 3, 2005.