Trains in Portland & Vancouver in March 2002

My dad, Cliff West, took these pictures around March of 2002.

Photo by Cliff West

First, at Union Pacific’s Albina Yard in Portland, Oregon, Union Pacific SD70M #4867 is a 4,000-horsepower SD70M that was assembled by Bombardier Inc. in Sahagun, Mexico, for the General Motors Locomotive Group in January 2002.

Photo by Cliff West

Moving to the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington, Chicago & North Western #8603 is a 4,380-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in November 1993. The Chicago & North Western was merged into the Union Pacific on April 24, 1995.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #3547 was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1957 as Great Northern 1,200-horsepower SW1200 #31. After the Great Northern was merged into the Burlington Northern on March 2, 1970, it became Burlington Northern #163 and was classified as an SW12. 

Photo by Cliff West

Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #3547 in July 1998.

Photo by Cliff West

This is a Harsco Track Technologies RGH10C Rail Grinder. It uses independently adjustable grinder heads to restore the profile of the rail and remove irregularities to extend rail life, reduce wear on equipment, and reduce fuel use. Harsco is a company based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with a history that dates back to 1853, when it was founded as the Harrisburg Car Manufacturing Company. It became Harrisburg Steel Corporation in 1935, and in 1956 it became Harsco Corporation with three divisions: Metals & Minerals, Rail, and Industrial. In 1979, Harsco Corporation merged with Fairmont Railway Motors, Inc., founded in 1905 by Frank E. Wade as Fairmont Machine Company, a small machine shop in Fairmont, Minnesota. Fairmont began producing small single cylinder engines in 1907, and was incorporated in 1909 and began to manufacture handcar-like rail vehicles powered by the two-cycle engines. Fairmont Railway Motors became Fairmont Gas Engine and Railway Motor Car Company in 1915, and then became Fairmont Railway Motors, Inc. in 1923. Fairmont acquired Mudge & Company of Chicago, another railway motor car business, in 1928. In 1940, Fairmont developed HY-RAIL® attachments to allow automobile and trucks to be used on rails as well as roads, and in 1955, Fairmont acquired the railcar interests of Fairbanks-Morse. In 1992, Harsco Corporation acquired Tamper Corporation, which was founded in Canada in 1934, creating Fairmont Tamper. In 1999, the Pandrol Jackson Company was merged with Fairmont Tamper to form Harsco Track Technologies. Pandrol Jackson had been formed in 1990, when Pandrol International, which in 1980 had formed a North American rail grinding joint venture with Speno Rail Services, acquired a 75% interest in ultrasonic rail flaw detection company Dapco Industries, as well as a controlling interest in Jackson-Jordan, Inc., which was created when Jackson Vibrators of Ludington, Michigan purchased the O.F. Jordan Company. Corwill Jackson founded the Electric Tamper & Equipment Company in Ludington, Michigan, in 1923, and created the electric vibrating hand tamper. Electric Tamper & Equipment Company was incorporated as Jackson Vibrators in 1937. In 1960, the O.F. Jordan Company was purchased by Jackson Vibrators of Ludington, Michigan, forming the Jackson-Jordan Company. The O.F. Jordan Company was founded by Oswald Falcus Jordan in 1898 to produce Jordan spreaders based on his 1891 patent with Robert Potts in Chicago, Illinois.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #1040 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in October 1996.

Portland & Western #1202 in the 1998 Rainier Days in the Park Parade

On July 12, 1997, the Portland & Western Railroad, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc., purchased Burlington Northern Santa Fe's 91.7-mile rail line from Willbridge Junction in Portland, Oregon, to Tongue Point, near Astoria, Oregon (the line from Tongue Point to Astoria had already been sold to the City of Astoria.) On July 11, 1998, a locomotive from the Portland & Western Railroad was part of the Rainier Days in the Park Parade in Rainier, Oregon, and spent the rest of the weekend parked near Rainier Riverfront Park.

The locomotive was Portland & Western #1202. It was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in October 1953 as a 1,200-horsepower SW9 for the Pittsburg & Shawmut Railroad. It was originally numbered #233, but was renumbered to #1774 and named "Ben Franklin" for America's bicentennial in 1976. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. purchased the Pittsburg & Shawmut on April 29, 1996, and this is one of four P&S locomotives subsequently transferred to the G&W's Oregon operations, and classified as a SW1200R. This locomotive was named "St. Helens" after St. Helens, Oregon, the city where most of the Astoria line's remaining business came from, but was temporarily renamed "Rainier" for the weekend.

Portland & Western #1202 in Rainier, Oregon, in Summer 1997

On July 12, 1997, the Portland & Western Railroad, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc., purchased Burlington Northern Santa Fe's 91.7-mile rail line from Willbridge Junction in Portland, Oregon, to Tongue Point, near Astoria, Oregon (the line from Tongue Point to Astoria had already been sold to the City of Astoria.) In late July, or, more likely, August, of 1997, I photographed this returning eastbound train in Rainier, Oregon, with what I believe is the first locomotive to run through Rainier in full Portland & Western colors. I don't remember if this was actually its first trip, but it might have been.

The locomotive was Portland & Western #1202. It was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in October 1953 as a 1,200-horsepower SW9 for the Pittsburg & Shawmut Railroad. It was originally numbered #233, but was renumbered to #1774 and named "Ben Franklin" for America's bicentennial in 1976. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. purchased the Pittsburg & Shawmut on April 29, 1996, and this is one of four P&S locomotives subsequently transferred to the G&W's Oregon operations, and classified as a SW1200R. It was named "St. Helens" after St. Helens, Oregon, the city where most of the Astoria line's remaining business came from.

Portland & Western Freight Train in Rainier, Oregon, on July 14, 1997

On July 12, 1997, the Portland & Western Railroad, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc., purchased Burlington Northern Santa Fe's 91.7-mile rail line from Willbridge Junction in Portland, Oregon, to Tongue Point, near Astoria, Oregon (the line from Tongue Point to Astoria had already been sold to the City of Astoria.) On July 14, 1997, I photographed this Portland & Western freight train in Rainier, Oregon. This may have been the first Portland & Western run on this line, or possibly the second.

The locomotive was Willamette & Pacific #1201. It was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in October 1953 as a 1,200-horsepower SW9 for the Pittsburg & Shawmut Railroad. It was originally numbered #232, but was renumbered to #1866 and named
"Oliver Winchester" for America's bicentennial in 1976. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. purchased the Pittsburg & Shawmut on April 29, 1996, and this is one of four P&S locomotives subsequently transferred to the G&W's Oregon operations. With a patched version of its P&S Bicentennial paint scheme, it was lettered for G&W's other Oregon line, the Willamette & Pacific, and classified as a SW1200R.

The train returned late in the evening, and there was barely enough light to photograph the returning eastbound 3-car train.

Though Portland & Western had purchased the line all the way to Tongue Point, it could not actually run trains that far. A landslide blocked the tracks to Astoria at Aldrich Point in February 1995, and since there was no freight business beyond that point anyway, Burlington Northern Santa Fe never bothered to clear the slide, and the tracks were still blocked when Portland & Western took over.

This train could have traveled no further than the James River Corporation paper mill at Wauna, Oregon, the furthest rail customer on the line.

At the end of the train, there was no caboose, or even a Flashing Rear-End Device, only a red flag on the coupler of ACFX covered hopper #42755.

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 at Interbay Yard in Seattle in 1994

While visiting Seattle in early June of 1994, my dad and I visited Burlington Northern's Interbay Yard. In those days, a man and his 12-year-old son could freely wander around Interbay as long as they stopped in the office to sign waivers, borrow hard hats, and promise not to go in the inspection pits. (Note: This is NOT the case today.) Originally a Great Northern facility, Interbay was Burlington Northern's main engine terminal on the west coast, and is still used today by the BNSF Railway.

Burlington Northern #2834 was the first locomotive I photographed here. It was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in October 1962 as Union Pacific GP30 #874. It was originally powered by a 2,250-horsepower turbocharged 16-cylinder 567 engine. It was retired by Union Pacific in 1989 and sold to a dealer, who traded it to Burlington Northern. It was rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen in Boise, Idaho, in April 1990 as a 2,300-horsepower GP39M.

In the yard across the turntable sat a Burlington Northern crane. I believe this is Burlington Northern D-258, a 250-ton crane that was built by Bucyrus-Erie in August 1944 as Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #204376 and was originally assigned to Galesburg, Illinois. After the CB&Q was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern S-258. It was converted from steam to diesel power sometime in the 1980s and was renumbered to D-258. It was typically accompanied by Burlington Northern boom car #966026.

Burlington Northern #6198 is a 1,750-horsepower SD9 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in September 1957 as Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #451. After the CB&Q was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #6198.

Burlington Northern #6142 is a 1,750-horsepower SD9 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1954 as Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #340. After the CB&Q was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #6142. Note that it has white diagonal stripes on the end of the long hood.

Montana Rail Link #360 is a 3,600-horsepower SD45 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1971 as Burlington Northern #6513. It was retired in June 1986, and was sold to the New York, Susquehanna & Western in January 1987, becoming NYSW #3624. It was later sold to Montana Rail Link where it operated for a time in Susquehanna colors as seen here.

CSX Transportation #5866 is a B36-7 that was originally built by General Electric in 1985 as Seaboard System #5866. When the Seaboard System merged with the Chessie System to form CSX in 1986, it kept its original number, becoming CSX #5866.

Grand Trunk Western #5917 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1970.

Here is another picture of Burlington Northern SD9 #6142. This picture shows that it has diagonal white stripes on the end of the short hood, as well as on the end of the long-hood as seen in the other picture. Burlington Northern typically only painted the white diagonal stripes on the front end of its locomotives, which in this case would have been the short hood, but on some locomotives that were operated in both directions in branch line service, the stripes were painted on both ends for improved visibility at grade crossings. This idea was apparently suggested by a Burlington Northern locomotive engineer in 1973.

Riding the Interbay turntable is Burlington Northern #7813, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1977 as Colorado & Southern #943. 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 #7813.

Photo by Cliff West

Meanwhile, parked with its nose in one of the roundhouse stalls is Burlington Northern #2286, a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August 1974 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #431. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern in 1980.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern SD40-2 #7813 is pushed off the turntable and into one of the stalls of the Interbay roundhouse for maintenance.

Serving as the Interbay shop switcher is Burlington Northern SW12 #193, which had the honor of pushing SD40-2 #7813 into its roundhouse stall.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern #193 is a 1,200-horsepower SW1200 that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1956 as Northern Pacific #134. After Northern Pacific was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #193 and was classified as an SW12.

Rotary Snowplows for the mountain passes of the Washington Cascades are maintained at Interbay. Rotary Snowplow #972561 was originally built by American Locomotive Company's Brooks Works in November 1927 as Great Northern X-1510. It was converted from steam to electric power in 1961. After Great Northern was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #972561.

Photo by Cliff West

The rotary snowplow cannot operate by itself. The electric motors that power the blade need a power supply. The power supply comes from another locomotive that is coupled to it. Originally, any available locomotive was used, but eventually retired locomotives were converted into dedicated Rotary Snowplow Power Plants.

Photo by Cliff West

The diesel engine of the Rotary Snowplow Power Plant is used to supply power to the electric motors in the rotary snowplow. The Rotary Snowplow Power Plant no longer has traction motors, so additional locomotives are required to move the rotary snowplow along the track.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern #972577 is a Rotary Snowplow Power Plant that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in March 1956 as 1,750-horsepower F9B Northern Pacific #7013C. It was renumbered to #6705B, then became Burlington Northern #9811, and finally Burlington Northern #777. It was retired in June 1982, and was subsequently rebuilt as a Rotary Snowplow Power Plant.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is another picture of Burlington Northern SD40-2 #7813 inside the Interbay roundhouse. Yes, we walked through the roundhouse, and nobody questioned it. Also in the roundhouse was another high-hood SD9 that had been repainted in the "white face" paint scheme, but its nose was so close to the back wall of the roundhouse that a picture wasn't possible.

1991 Train Pictures

My dad usually got his train pictures developed as slides, but occasionally he would get them as prints as well. Here is a group of my dad’s train pictures from early 1991. 

Photo by Cliff West

This retired caboose was on private property in Tokeland, Washington. It was originally built between 1913 and 1921 as Northern Pacific #1710. Later it was renumbered to Northern Pacific #10710. Northern Pacific was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, and this caboose became Burlington Northern #10933, though it never received Burlington Northern's Cascade Green paint scheme before being retired.

Photo by Cliff West

Union Pacific GP15-1 #1584 is pictured at Albina Yard in Portland, Oregon.

Photo by Cliff West

This locomotive was built by EMD in December 1976 as Missouri Pacific #1584 and retained its original number after Missouri Pacific was merged into Union Pacific in 1982.

Photo by Cliff West

GP15-1 #1584 was painted in Union Pacific's Armour Yellow paint scheme on June 17, 1986.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern #28 is an EMD SW1500, or an SW15 as BN called them. It is pictured at Hoyt Street Yard in Portland, Oregon. It was originally built in October 1968 as St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF, also known as the Frisco) #323. The Frisco was merged into Burlington Northern in 1980.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern #214 is an EMD SW1200 or an SW12 in BN parlance. It is pictured at Hoyt Street Yard in Portland, Oregon. It was originally built in July 1957 as Northern Pacific 155.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern GP38-2 #2259 is pictured at Hoyt Street Yard in Portland, Oregon. It is another former Frisco locomotive, originally built by EMD in June 1973 as SLSF #404. It has been repainted in Burlington Northern's new "White Face" paint scheme, which was introduced in April 1989.

Photo by Cliff West

St. Louis Southwestern (SSW) GP60 #9684 at Southern Pacific's Brooklyn Yard in Portland, Oregon. It was built in March 1990. The SSW, as its name implies, operated from St. Louis, Missouri, southwest through Arkansas into Texas, and was also known as the Cotton Belt.

Photo by Cliff West

DLMX #9201 Clackamas River is a sleeping car for the crew of Daylight steam locomotive Southern Pacific #4449, which was stored in the roundhouse at Brooklyn Yard in Portland, Oregon. This car was built by Pullman in 1941 for the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific and Chicago & North Western's City of San Francisco as 10 roomette-5 bedroom sleeper Rincon Hill. It was transferred to Southern Pacific in 1947 as #9201 & was retired in 1966. The Friends of SP 4449 acquired it in 1990 from a private individual in North Dakota. Though a Southern Pacific car, the Daylight paint scheme isn't historically correct as it was only used on day trains, not sleeping cars.

Photo by Cliff West

Southern Pacific GP60 #9732 is pictured at Brooklyn Yard in Portland, Oregon. It was built in May 1991.

Photo by Cliff West

Southern Pacific #9732 was brand new and was one of the first locomotives to wear the new "Speed Lettering" that was introduced in 1991.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is another picture of Cotton Belt (SSW) GP60 #9684 at Brooklyn Yard in Portland, Oregon. The St. Louis Southwestern was a subsidiary railroad that the Southern Pacific had controlled since 1932. It would not be completely taken over by SP until 1992, but its locomotives could be found across the Southern Pacific system since the 1960s.

Photo by Cliff West

Southern Pacific C-40-3 Caboose #1140 is pictured at Brooklyn Yard in Portland, Oregon. It was built in 1942. It had probably been retired and sold by this point, and was only being stored here.