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.

Trains on April 1, 2006

I took these train pictures from my car on April 1, 2006. First, at Willbridge Yard in Portland, Oregon, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #4400 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in April 1999. With it is Norfolk Southern #9373, Dash 9-40CW that was built by General Electric in May 1999.

Next, at Saint Helens, Oregon, Willamette & Pacific #2306 is a 2,300-horsepower GP39-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August 1974 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #3605. It was retired in December 1992 and was sold to the Willamette & Pacific Railroad in June 1993.

Willamette & Pacific GP39-2 #2310 "Monroe" at St. Helens, Oregon, on October 1, 2005

Willamette & Pacific GP39-2 #2310 “Monroe” is a 2,300-horsepower GP39-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August 1974 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #3609. It was retired in December 1992 and was sold to the Willamette & Pacific Railroad in June 1993. It is pictured here at Saint Helens, Oregon, on October 1, 2005.

Willamette & Pacific #1801 in St. Helens, Oregon, in Fall 1997

Photo by Cliff West

In the fall of 1997, the Portland & Western Railroad assigned Willamette & Pacific GP9R #1801 to work on the Astoria Line between St. Helens and Wauna, Oregon. This locomotive was notable for being painted in Southern Pacific's "Black Widow" paint scheme from the 1950s, but with "Willamette & Pacific" lettering. Somehow, my dad got advance notice, and went to St. Helens to photograph it. I had other plans, but I gave him my camera so he could take some pictures for me.

Photo by Cliff West

Built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1959 as Southern Pacific GP9 #5830. (Interestingly, this locomotive was delivered after Southern Pacific had changed its locomotive paint scheme to Lark Dark Grey and Scarlet, and thus never wore the "Black Widow" colors while owned by Southern Pacific.) In Southern Pacific's system-wide renumbering of 1965 it became Southern Pacific #3693. On September 14, 1977, it was rebuilt at Southern Pacific's Sacramento Shops to a GP9R, and was renumbered to Southern Pacific #3855. It retained its original 1,750-horsepower rating after the rebuilding.

Photo by Cliff West

Southern Pacific retired the locomotive on December 10, 1992, and it was sold to Willamette & Pacific on May 14, 1993. It was painted in the "Black Widow" colors in November 1993.

Northwest Railroad Depots: St. Helens, Oregon

I originally posted this information on my old website on March 26, 2009, and last updated it on December 18, 2009.

Lewis & Clark Explorer passing the St. Helens Depot in 2005

The St. Helens depot was built in 1923 by the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway. There was no passenger service on the Astoria line after 1956, but the depot was still used by the railroad as a base of operation for train and maintenance crews for decades.

Lewis & Clark Explorer passing the St. Helens Depot in 2005

The depot was donated to the city of St. Helens in the 1990s, and was renovated into the Chamber of Commerce in 2000. The St. Helens and Astoria depots are the only two depots remaining on the Astoria line.

Lewis & Clark Explorer passing the St. Helens Depot in 2005

Lewis & Clark Explorer: Conclusion

…Continued from Astoria.

This concludes my coverage of the Lewis & Clark Explorer.

For a parting shot, here is a night picture of the Lewis & Clark Explorer passing the St. Helens depot on the return trip to Linnton.

Lewis & Clark Explorer passing the St. Helens depot on September 24, 2005.

After the end of the Lewis & Clark Explorer's final season in 2005, the Budd RDCs were stored for a time and were eventually sold to the Wallowa Union Railroad in eastern Oregon for use on the Eagle Cap Excursion Train beginning in 2007.

Lewis & Clark Explorer Links:
Lewis & Clark Explorer Train
Lewis & Clark Bicentennial in Oregon: Main Page
Brian McCamish's Lewis & Clark Explorer Page
Return of the Budd at The Northwest's Own Railfan

Lewis & Clark Explorer: St. Helens

…Continued from Scappoose.

St. Helens is the county seat of Columbia County, and the largest city in the county. According to the 2000 census, St. Helens has a population of 10,019 people. The first sawmill was built here in 1844. At that time, St. Helens rivaled Portland as the major port city on the Columbia River. St. Helens was first called Plymouth and then Casenau, but was quickly renamed named after Mt. St. Helens, which is visible from the city. The first post office opened in St. Helens in 1853 and the town was chartered on February 25, 1889. St. Helens became the county seat of Columbia County in August 1903.

The Lewis & Clark Explorer passing the depot at St. Helens, Oregon, on October 1, 2005.

I photographed the train at the old St. Helens railroad depot. The depot was built in 1923. Even though there was no passenger service on this line after 1956, the depot was still used by the railroad as a base of operation for train and maintenance crews for decades. The depot was donated to the city of St. Helens in the 1990s, and was renovated into the city's Chamber of Commerce in 2000. It is one of only two railroad depots remaining on this line.

The Lewis & Clark Explorer passing the depot at St. Helens, Oregon, on October 1, 2005.

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