WRIX GP9 #3186 at Kalama, Washington, on April 22, 2006

On April 22, 2006, I photographed this former Southern Pacific GP9 at the Kalama Export Company grain elevator at the north end of Kalama, Washington.

This 1,750-horsepower GP9 was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors as Southern Pacific #5603 and was placed in service on June 27, 1954.

It was the last of a group of four GP9s numbered #5600-5603 that were built for secondary passenger service and featured steam generators, dual-station cab controls, plow pilots, large signal lights at each end, dynamic brakes, and fuel and water capacity of 800 gallons each. Originally equipped with 61:16 gearing, it was regeared to 60:17 between June 1960 and July 1961, and at some point the dynamic brakes were disconnected.

It was renumbered to #3003 as part of Southern Pacific’s systemwide renumbering of 1965. As Southern Pacific’s secondary passenger trains were discontinued, it was reassigned to San Francisco-San Jose commute service.

On February 26, 1975, it was upgraded at Southern Pacific’s Sacramento Shops to GP9E #3186, the first of Southern Pacific’s passenger GP9s to be upgraded. As part of the upgrading, the dual-station cab controls and dynamic braking were removed.

It remained in San Francisco-San Jose commute duties until Caltrain’s F40PH-2 locomotives were delivered in 1985, and then joined Southern Pacific’s many more common GP9s in freight service. It was retired on September 18, 1995, and sold to Progress Rail in Exeter, California, on January 31, 1996. It wound up as Nevada Industrial Switching Services #3186 at Apex, Nevada. In January 2000 it was sold to Joseph Transportation, Inc.

It ended up as Western Rail Incorporated (WRIX) #3186 and came to the Kalama Export Company in 2006. Still looking largely as it did in its final days with the Southern Pacific a decade earlier, it would soon be rebuilt with a chopped short hood and repainted.

BNSF Freight Train at Kalama, Washington, on April 22, 2006

I photographed the locomotives of this Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train on April 22, 2006, from along the West Frontage Road in Kalama, Washington.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #754 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in August 1997.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #5275 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in August 2001.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #4139 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in October 2002.

Norfolk Southern #9140 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 9-40CW that was built by General Electric in February 1998.

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.

Trains on February 25, 2006

I took these train pictures from my car on February 25, 2006. The first was taken along Interstate 5 near Martin's Bluff near Longview, Washington. Leading a southbound train, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #7916 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in June 1979 as Colorado & Southern #7916. 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 #7916. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #7916.

Closer to Longview Junction, Washington, is this southbound train led by Union Pacific #3143, a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1972. Trailing is Union Pacific #2419, a 3,800-horsepower SD60M that was built by the General Motors Locomotive Group in London, Ontario, in November 1990 as Union Pacific #6263 and was renumbered on January 6, 2005.

At the Longview Switching Company yard in Longview, Washington, Union Pacific #1434 is a 3,000-horsepower GP40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1980 as Southern Pacific #7949. After the Southern Pacific was merged into the Union Pacific on September 11, 1996, this locomotive became Union Pacific #1434 on December 20, 2000.

Trains in Late 2005

Photo by Cliff West

My dad, Cliff West, took these train pictures in late 2005. First are three photos of a Willamette & Pacific locomotive in Rainier, Oregon.

Photo by Cliff West

Willamette & Pacific #2307 “Independence” 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 #3606. It was retired in December 1992 and was sold to the Willamette & Pacific Railroad in June 1993.

Photo by Cliff West

This bridge over Fox Creek in Rainier, Oregon, is located at railroad milepost 46.0. This wooden bridge probably dates from the railroad's original construction in 1897-98. The first train came through Rainier from Astoria to Portland on the morning of May 16, 1898. The railroad was originally called the Astoria & Columbia River Railroad. On February 24, 1911 the Spokane, Portland & Seattle took over. The SP&S became part of the Burlington Northern on March 2, 1970. The line to Astoria was purchased by the Portland & Western Railroad in 1996. 

Photo by Cliff West

This picture of BNSF equipment was taken at the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington. In the foreground, BNSF #518 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40BW that was built by General Electric in October 1990 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #518.  Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, it became BNSF #518 in April 2001 and was repainted into BNSF’s “Heritage II” paint scheme in May 2001. In the background, BNSF #3126 is a 3,500-horsepower GP50 built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August 1985 as Burlington Northern #3126. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, it became BNSF #3126 on June 3, 2002. 

Photo by Cliff West

Montana Rail Link #45028 is a Pullman-Standard PS2-CD 4427-cubic-inch 100-ton covered hopper that was originally built in March 1971 as part of lot 9532, a group of 200 such cars built for the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, or Frisco, numbered from 79300 to 79499. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad in April 1980, and these cars became Burlington Northern 439000-439199. A group of 50 of these cars went to the Montana Rail Link after its creation in October 1987, and were numbered 45001-45050. Initially painted dark blue, they were used to carry materials such as lime, talc, and decorative rock, which caused the dark blue paint to weather quickly. When my dad photographed this car in Linnton, Oregon, it had recently been renovated and repainted light gray, which was expected to hold up better than the dark blue. 

Espresso Express Caboose in Longview, Washington

This old caboose turned espresso stand is located at 745 Ocean Beach Highway in Longview, Washington. According to owners Dan & Laura Estey, it was built in 1933 for the Northern Pacific Railway, and it was eventually acquired by the Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad as their #6 and was used on log trains around Longview. Dan & Laura Estey purchased it from Weyerhaeuser in 1996 and kept "Old #6's" Weyerhaeuser number.

BNSF SD40-2 #6731 in Wishram, Washington, in Fall 2003

 

Photo by Cliff West

BNSF #6731 is a 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in September 1979 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #5072. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #6731 on March 12, 1999. My dad, Cliff West, photographed it at Wishram, Washington, in the fall of 2003.

Great Northern P-2 4-8-2 #2507 in Wishram, Washington on September 4, 2003

While riding the Portland section of Amtrak’s eastbound Empire Builder through Wishram, Washington, on September 4, 2003, I took this picture of former Great Northern Railway steam locomotive #2507 in a small park near the depot. This locomotive was one of 28 Class P-2 4-8-2 Mountain-type locomotives delivered to Great Northern by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. These locomotives were originally assigned to passenger service and were the initial power for the Empire Builder when it was inaugurated in June, 1929, but were replaced in Empire Builder service in 1930 by 14 new Baldwin Class S-2 4-8-4 Northern-type locomotives that pulled the Empire Builder until it was streamlined and dieselized in 1947. The Class P-2 Mountains were then assigned to freight service until their retirement in 1955. After its retirement, #2507 was put into storage in Minnesota instead of being immediately scrapped. Meanwhile, the Spokane, Portland & Seattle promised a steam locomotive to Klickitat County for display at Maryhill, only to end up having no steam locomotives left; #700 had been given to the city of Portland, #539 to the city of Vancouver, and the rest sold for scrap. To save face, the SP&S purchased #2507 from parent Great Northern, repainted it with SP&S lettering, and donated it to Klickitat County in 1962. For 30 years, #2507 sat on display in Maryhill in SP&S paint. An attempted restoration saw #2507 painted back to GN in 1992, and in 1994 it was moved from Maryhill to Pasco to be restored to operation. No restoration ever occurred, and eventually Klickitat County decided to put the locomotive back on permanent display. Track realignments had made a return to Maryhill impractical, so a new site in Wishram was chosen. The locomotive was given a complete cosmetic restoration and a structure was built to protect the locomotive from the elements. BNSF donated the locomotive's move from Pasco to Wishram.

Riding Amtrak's Westbound Empire Builder in December 2002

I took these pictures on December 21, 2002, while riding Amtrak’s westbound Empire Builder. This historic depot was built in 1912 and once served the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad, or Soo Line, which is now part of the Canadian Pacific Railway. This depot is no longer owned by the railroad. It is located in Minot's historic downtown district and houses the Old Soo Depot Transportation Museum.

This depot is the one currently served by Amtrak. It is located just west of the old Soo Line depot, on the opposite side of the U.S. Highway 83 overpass. This depot was originally built in 1910 by the Great Northern Railway. A major renovation in 1975 replaced the original gabled roof with a flat roof, covered the original brick with stucco and remodeled the interior. Here Amtrak's Empire Builder can be seen making its station stop. Just to the north of the depot, on the other side of the tracks and past some trees, is the Souris River.

Just to the west of the Amtrak station, and visible from its platform, is crossing of the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad and the Canadian Pacific Railway. In this 2002 photo, Amtrak's Empire Builder is stopped on the BNSF track and the freight train crossing in front of it is on the CP track. This crossing is the busiest rail crossing in the state of North Dakota. The building visible behind the Canadian Pacific freight train is the Minot Public Library.

During the Empire Builder’s service stop in Minot, North Dakota, I braved the winter snow to check out the motive power consist and discovered Amtrak #383, a 3,000-horsepower F40PHR that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in July 1981 using parts from retired Amtrak SDP40F #518. It is painted to match the Pacific Surfliner equipment used in southern California between San Luis Obispo and San Diego.

Pictured in Havre, Montana, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #3441 is a 1,500-horsepower SW1500 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in January 1973 as St. Louis-San Francisco (also known as the Frisco) #356. The Frisco was merged into the Burlington Northern on November 21, 1980, and this locomotive became Burlington Northern #61. Burlington Northern classified EMD’s SW1500s as SW15s. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #3441 on February 19, 1998, and was repainted in Burlington Northern Santa Fe's "Heritage I" paint scheme on April 28, 2000.

Also in Havre near the shops, Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8615 is a 4,000-horsepower Dash 8-40B that was built by General Electric in June 1988 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #7425. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #8615 on January 12, 2000, and was repainted in Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s “Heritage I” paint scheme on December 16, 2000.

I took this picture the next day on December 22, 2002, while riding the Portland section of Amtrak’s westbound Empire Builder through Wishram, Washington. Unless running extremely late, the Empire Builder generally made an extended station stop in Wishram to allow cigarette smokers an opportunity to satisfy their addiction, as the smoking car was part of the train’s Seattle section. I merely turned my attention and my camera to the railroad equipment outside the window. Burlington Northern #2871 is a GP39M that was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February 1964 as Southern Pacific #7452, a 2,500-horsepower GP35. After 1965 it was renumbered to Southern Pacific #6564. It was retired in January 1991 and was sold to Morrison-Knudsen of Boise, Idaho, who rebuilt it into 2,300-horsepower GP39M Burlington Northern #2871 in July 1991. With it is Burlington Northern Santa Fe #2083, a 2,000-horsepower GP38-2 that was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1972 as Burlington Northern #2083. Following the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on September 22, 1995, this locomotive became Burlington Northern Santa Fe #2083 and was repainted in Burlington Northern Santa Fe's "Heritage I" paint scheme on October 2, 2000.

Trains in the Columbia River Gorge in Fall 2002

This group of pictures was taken by my dad, Cliff West, while railfanning with Fred Anderson in the Columbia River Gorge in the fall of 2002. These Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight trains were seen in and just west of Wishram, Washington.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #755 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in August 1997. It is painted in the BNSF version of the Santa Fe “Warbonnet” colors with small initials on the long hood.

Photo by Cliff West

This locomotive was part of the first order to be delivered in this variation.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #4423 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in April 1999.

Photo by Cliff West

Burlington Northern Santa Fe #5298 is a 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW that was built by General Electric in June 2001.

Photo by Cliff West

A vintage diesel locomotive and caboose were under restoration for static display at the site of the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum in Stevenson, Washington. This locomotive was built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in LaGrange, Illinois as a 1,750-horsepower F9A for the Northern Pacific Railway in March 1956. It was originally numbered #7013D and was a freight locomotive on the Northern Pacific Railway. In April 1965 it was reassigned to passenger service and renumbered #6704A, (taking the number of another 1956 F9A that had been reassigned to freight service and renumbered to #7052A in 1960). As #6704A, one of its assignments was to pull the Vista Dome North Coast Limited between Chicago and Seattle. The Northern Pacific became part of the Burlington Northern in March 1970, and the locomotive became Burlington Northern #9816. Amtrak took over passenger service in 1971 and the locomotive was reassigned back to freight service. In June 1973 it was renumbered to Burlington Northern #782. In December 1981 it was converted to Rotary Snowplow Power Unit (RSPU) #972569 and used in the Midwest. It was retired in 1998 and Burlington Northern Santa Fe donated the empty carbody to the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum for static display. The museum restored the unit as Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway #802. The real SP&S #802 was an earlier 1,500-horsepower F3A built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in November 1948. The Spokane, Portland & Seattle did not own any F9As. When SP&S became part of Burlington Northern, SP&S #802 became Burlington Northern #9752. In July 1972 it became Rotary Snowplow Power Unit #972551, but a locomotive shortage returned it to service as locomotive #9752 in 1974. It was renumbered to #712 in 1976 and was retired in November 1981 and scrapped.

Photo by Cliff West

The diesel locomotive is accompanied by this wooden caboose, which was built in 1947 for the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway as #701. It came to the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum before the locomotive.