Trains in Vancouver and Portland in October 2001

Photo by Cliff West

This group of pictures was taken by my dad, Cliff West, in October of 2001 at the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington, and at Union Pacific’s Albina Yard in Portland, Oregon. We begin in Vancouver with Burlington Northern #7807, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1977 as Colorado & Southern #937. 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 in the Burlington Northern’s main numbering system in December 1978, and this locomotive became Colorado & Southern #7807. The Colorado & Southern was formally merged into the Burlington Northern on December 31, 1981, and this locomotive became Burlington Northern #7807. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #7807.

Photo by Cliff West

These four Chicago & North Western 100-Ton 5,250-Cubic-Foot 4-Bay Covered Hoppers at the Great Western Malting Company at the Port of Vancouver are part of a group of 100 numbered #490000 to #490999 that were built by Thrall between September 1993 and April 1994. These were some of the last freight cars built for the Chicago & North Western, and they became much more common in the Pacific Northwest after the Chicago & North Western was merged into the Union Pacific on April 24, 1995.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #7336 was originally built by General Motors Diesel, Ltd. in London, Ontario, in December 1968 as Canadian National #5075, a 3,000-horsepower SD40. It was retired in 1999 and was rebuilt by Alstom to an SD40-2 on October 5, 1999, and became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #7336, one of a group of 40 former Canadian National and Grand Trunk Western SD40s that became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #7300 to #7339.

Photo by Cliff West

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #853 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40CW that was built by General Electric in October 1992.

Photo by Cliff West

It was still somewhat rare at this point to see older locomotives that had been repainted in Burlington Northern Santa Fe's "Heritage I" paint scheme, so here are some more pictures of Burlington Northern Santa Fe SD40-2 #7336.

Photo by Cliff West

The motive power consist for this freight train represented the 1995 merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, with a BNSF-painted locomotive leading a locomotive in Burlington Northern's Cascade Green and a locomotive in Santa Fe's Blue & Yellow "Warbonnet."

Photo by Cliff West

It is interesting that despite being recently rebuilt for BNSF service in 1999, this unit did not have its headlight moved from the cab to the short hood following the Santa Fe's practice that BNSF continued.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern #7052 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1978. Though this locomotive's BN paint scheme has not been modified yet, it has had its headlight moved from the cab to the short hood .

Photo by Cliff West

Moving on to Albina Yard in Portland, we see Union Pacific #5762, a 4,400-horsepower AC4400CW that was built by General Electric in March 2001. Union Pacific refers to this locomotive as a C44ACCTE, to make the model designation correspond to the form introduced by General Electric with the “Dash 7” line of 1977, and to indicate that this locomotive is equipped with General Electric’s “Controlled Tractive Effort” software, which limits maximum tractive effort when the locomotive is used as a distributed power unit in the middle or at the rear of a train.

Photo by Cliff West

Union Pacific #4011 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, and was delivered on July 31, 2000.

Photo by Cliff West

Southern Pacific #67342 is a O-100-7 Class 23,500-Gallon Tank Car built by American Car & Foundry at Milton, Pennsylvania, in early 1974, part of a group of 50 numbered #67300 to #67349.

Photo by Cliff West

Union Pacific #8725 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40T-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1978 as Southern Pacific #8525. After the Southern Pacific was merged into the Union Pacific on September 11, 1996, this locomotive became Union Pacific #4455 on November 23, 1997. It was renumbered to Union Pacific #8725 on May 6, 2001.

Photo by Cliff West

Finally, Union Pacific #4203 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was assembled by Bombardier Inc. in Sahagun, Mexico, for the General Motors Locomotive Group in August 2000.

Railfanning in Vancouver & Portland in January 2000

I took these pictures in January 2000 while railfanning with Fred Anderson. Our first stop was the Amtrak station in Vancouver, Washington, where we saw out first train come around the Vancouver wye from the Columbia River Gorge to head north toward Seattle.

The lead locomotive was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #4449, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in May 1999.

Also in the consist was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #709, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in June 1997.

Here is another view of Burlington Northern Santa Fe #4449. This number is significant because nearby Portland is home to Southern Pacific Daylight GS-4 4-8-4 #4449. Since my dad wasn't able to come with us on this day, we made a point of telling him we "saw 4449."

On the other side of the depot, a Union Pacific motive power consist included Southern Pacific #8696, a 3,000-horsepower SD40M-2. It was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August 1970 as 3,600-horsepower SDP45 #3659 for the Erie Lackawanna. The Erie Lackawanna became part of Conrail on April 1, 1976, and this locomotive became Conrail #6690. It was retired in January 1984 and was sold to VMV Enterprises of Paducah, Kentucky, for lease service, becoming VMV #6690. In 1993, Southern Pacific contracted with MK Rail Corporation to supply a fleet of 133 secondhand locomotives rebuilt to a common standard as SD40M-2s. Most of the 133 locomotives were rebuilt from SD40s and SD45s, but this one was the last of six rebuilt in Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, from former Erie Lackawanna SDP45s. It was completed and released on January 27, 1995 as Southern Pacific #8696.

Southern Pacific #8696 still has its original SDP45 carbody. The SDP45 was intended to be a passenger locomotive, with a steam generator in the space at the rear behind the radiators, and Southern Pacific and Great Northern each purchased SDP45s for passenger service with a steam generator in the space and the end squared off. Erie-Lackawanna, however, wanted to use the long frame of the SDP45 to carry a 5,000-gallon fuel tank, and ordered SDP45s without steam generators, with the extra space empty. The tapered end identifies this SDP45's Erie-Lackawanna heritage.

Leading another consist, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #2346 is a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1972 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #676. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern on November 21, 1980, and this locomotive became Burlington Northern #2346. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #2346 and was painted in Burlington Northern Santa Fe's "Heritage I" paint scheme on February 5, 1999.

Back on the other side of the Vancouver wye, a manifest freight train from the north was heading toward the Columbia River Gorge, led Burlington Northern Santa Fe #4525, a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in August 1999.

The second unit in this consist was Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8256, a 4,300-horsepower SD75M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in January 1996. This was one of the first locomotives to be delivered with BNSF lettering; the "Cigar Band" on the nose still reads "Santa Fe."

This freight train also included rare mid-train helpers, in the form of Burlington Northern Santa Fe #1010 & #4510, 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CWs that were built by General Electric in October 1996 and August 1999, respectively, that were oddly coupled nose-to-nose.

Leading a freight train in the opposite direction, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #7867 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in October 1978 as Colorado & Southern #7867. Colorado & Southern was a subsidiary of Burlington Northern and its locomotives were painted in Burlington Northern colors. The Colorado & Southern was formally merged into the Burlington Northern on December 31, 1981, and this locomotive became Burlington Northern #7867. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #7867 on July 3, 1998.

We then went to Union Pacific's Albina Yard in Portland, Oregon, where we found recently-painted Union Pacific #8615, a 3,000-horsepower SD40T-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1975 as Denver & Rio Grande Western #5357. After the Denver & Rio Grande Western was merged into the Union Pacific along with the Southern Pacific on September 25, 1995, this locomotive became Union Pacific #8615 on December 28, 1999.

Union Pacific #2533 was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1970 as Chicago Rock Island & Pacific #4706, one of 60 3,000-horsepower GP40s purchased by Union Pacific and leased to the Rock Island when the two roads planned to merge. The merger never happened and after the Rock Island shut down on March 31, 1980, the locomotive was returned to Union Pacific and was repainted in Union Pacific colors, becoming Union Pacific #637 on April 14, 1980. It was later transferred to the former Missouri Pacific lines in Texas and was relettered as Missouri Pacific #637 on May 10, 1985. It was retired on October 26, 1988 and was sold to VMV Enterprises of Paducah, Kentucky, then resold to Helm Financial, which leased it back to Union Pacific on July 14, 1989, and it became Union Pacific #856. In May 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 on July 30, 1998, becoming Union Pacific #2533.

When the locomotive 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.

Finally, Southern Pacific SD70M #9816 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in July 1994.

Train Pictures from Fall 1999

Photo by Cliff West

  
These pictures were taken by my dad, Cliff West, around October of 1999. First, we start at the Amtrak station in Vancouver, Washington.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #1600 is a 1,750-horsepower GP9 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1954 as Northern Pacific #202. After the Northern Pacific was merged into the Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #1702. In early 1976, Burlington Northern #1702 derailed on the Camas Prairie Railroad near Lewiston, Idaho, and rolled into the Clearwater River. Considered 70% destroyed, after recovery it was sent to Burlington Northern's Hillyard diesel shop in Spokane, Washington. A low priority, Burlington Northern #1702 had to wait 3 years for a rebuild incorporating the latest modifications. It was finally completed on June 30, 1979, emerging with a low short hood and an anticlimber pilot, and considered a better locomotive than it was when it was new. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe in 1996, it became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #1600 on April 3, 1998.

Photo by Cliff West

Moving on to Union Pacific's Albina Yard in Portland, Oregon, we find Union Pacific #3285, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1974.

Photo by Cliff West

Union Pacific #6632 is a 4,400-horsepower AC4400CW that was built by General Electric in June 1997.

Photo by Cliff West

CP Rail #5808 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the General Motors Diesel Division in London, Ontario, in January 1974.

Photo by Cliff West

Southern Pacific #9821 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in August 1994.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is another picture of Southern Pacific #9821.

Photo by Cliff West

Union Pacific #5524 is a 3,500-horsepower GP50 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1980 as Chicago & North Western #5068. Following the merger of the Chicago & North Western into the Union Pacific on April 24, 1995, this locomotive became Union Pacific #5524 on June 25, 1997.

Photo by Cliff West

Denver & Rio Grande Western #5405 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40T-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1980.

Photo by Cliff West

Southern Pacific #9823 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in August 1994.

Photo by Cliff West

Union Pacific #6044 is a 3,800-horsepower SD60 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1986.

Photo by Cliff West

Union Pacific #6003 is a 3,800-horsepower SD60 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1986.

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.