2nd Generation Cowls. • •

ATCHISON, TOPEKA & SANTA FE "FP45" Numbers 100-108- Original version, OMI #5991

MILWAUKEE ROAD "FP45" Number 1-5- Passenger service units, circa 1969 without dynamic brakes, OMI #5993

BURLINGTON NORTHERN "F45" Numbers 6614-6625 - (ex-Great Northern numbers 441-452) Circa 1980, OMI #5998

BURLINGTON NORTHERN "F45" Numbers

6626-6645 - Circa 1974, OMI #S999 Each of these fine models is beauti­ fully handcrafted in brass by Ajin Precision of Korea in HO scale. PACIFIC RAIL NEWS

0 500 River Line 2 Along the scenic Mississippi from St. Paul to Muscatine Steve Glischinski 3 2 � �J:v�n��!I������4 dellgh� �eam fans In California Elrond G. Lawrence

34 Focus California: 5P's Oakdale Local Branchline action in the Central Va lley Ken Rattenne

40 Focus Missouri: UP in Poplar Bluff A junction of three busy mains in the state's southeast corner Randy Woods M.D.

Images: In the City The California Limited, led by AT&SF 3751, enters 48 Tunnel Two on Dec. 29, 1991. Elrond G. Lawrence The cities of the West offer a pleasing backdrop for railroading

PACIFIC RAILNEWS and PACIFIC NEWS are registered trademarks of Interurban Press, a California Corporation. I DEPARTMENTS I PUBLISHER: Mac Sebree EXPEDITER FOCUS MISSOURI EDITOR: Don Gulbrandsen 4 40 AMTRAK/PASSENGER UNION PACIFIC NEWS EDITOR: Carl Swanson 6 42 ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Michael Falk SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES 43 COMMUTER CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Elrond G. Lawrence 9 SANTA FE SOO LINE EDITORIAL CONSULTANT: Dick Stephenson 10 45 12 REGIONALS BURLINGTON NORTHERN ART DIRECTOR: Katie Kern 46 PRODUCTION ARTIST: Tom Danneman 14 TRANSIT 52 IMAGES OF RAILROADING CONTRIBUTING ARTIST: John Signor 16 CANADA WEST 54 PRN LETIERS CIRCULATION MANAGER: Bob Schneider 18 ILLINOIS CENTRAL 54 PRN ADVERTISING INDEX © 1992 INTERURBAN PRESS 19 CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN 55 PRN CLASSIFIEDS Mac Sebree, President/CEO FOCUS CALIFORNIA Jim Walker, Senior Vice President 38 Don Gulbrandsen, Vice President

COVER: Running down the main street of Lansing, Iowa, 500 754 trundles southward on the River line in October 1985 in the days following the Milwaukee Road purchase. Following the west bank of the Mississippi from St. Paul, Minn., to Muscatine, Iowa, the little-known-but immensely scenic-route is a photographer's paradise. Fred Hyde

PACIFIC RAI!.NEWS (ISSN 8750-8486) is published monthly by Interurban Press (a corporation). 1741 Gardena Ave.. Glendale, CA 91204. Second-class postage paid at Glendale, CA 91209 and additional mailing of­ fices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: PACIFIC RAILNEws, P.O. Box 6128, Glendale, CA 91225. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 530 (U.S.) for 12 issues, 558 for 24 issues. Foreign add 56 for each 12 issues. Single copy $5 postpaid from Glendale office (subject to change without notice). CHANGE OF ADDRESS: The Post Office does not regularly forward 2nd Class Mail and PACIFIC RAILNEWS is not responsible for copies not forwarded or destroyed by the Post Office. Replacement copies/PO notifications will be billed. Please allow us at least four weeks for any address change. ADVERTISING RATES: Contact Interurban Press, P.O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187; (414) 542-4900. MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: For all subscription problems and inquiries call: (800) 899-TRACK. Heading up the Super Bowl XXVI Special is 6269, the first UP SD60M with a two-piece windshield; the cab side bears the Safety Award for Palestine (Texas) Shops, one of 11 units so adorned honoring vari­ ous UP operations. The train, shown here at Omaha, departed Jan. 25 and took an all-Chicago & North Western routing to the Twin Cities. George R. Cockle

WC ACQUIRES GB&W, Illinois. Its principle gateways that GB&W survived only by FRVR: Already the largest re­ include Chicago, Duluth/Su­ having no debt and an owner gional railroad in the United perior, Green Bay, Milwaukee, willing to accept a near-zero States, Wisconsin Central an­ Minneapolis/St. Paul and rate of return on investment. nounced on Jan. 8 that it plans Sault Ste. Marie, Onto Any abandonments, he to acquire three Itel railroads GB&W operates 227 miles of said, will be limited to no-busi­ in Wisconsin: Green Bay & track, running from East ness or low-volume lines for Western, Ahnapee & Western Winona, Wis. (on the Mississip­ which there is no hope. "We're z and Fox River Valley Railroad. pi River), eastward to Green long-term players," Burkhardt z Terms of the agreement are Bay. A&W is a subsidiary of said, "and we have never subject to approval by the In­ GB&W serving the port of Al­ found any route to success in terstate Commerce Commis­ goma, Wis. Fox River Valley this industry other than by sion. The railroad expects an Railroad lines consist of 208 serving and ensuring the com­ ICC decision in about six miles of trackage, running from petitiveness of our customers." months, with the final transac­ Green Bay south to Milwaukee. tion taking place in late 1992. Speaking at a Jan. 15 meet­ STRONG EARNINGS POSTED: The sale was conducted ing of the Midwest Shippers Union Pacific, Santa Fe and through a wholly owned sub­ Advisory Board in Milwaukee, Kansas City Southern posted sidiary of WC called the Fox WC President Edward solid fourth-quarter earnings Valley & Western Ltd. WC will Burkhardt said the purchase despite a struggling national pay $8.4 million in cash for would mean "major service im­ economy. UP earnings ad­ GB&W and A&W, subject to ad­ provements for FRVR and vanced 5 percent to $184 mil­ justments, and $52.8 million, al­ GB&W shippers." He also said lion, compared with earnings of so subject to adjustment, for the that WC has struggled to oper­ $176 million this time last year. operating assets of the FRVR, of ate a low-traffic-density system Santa Fe recorded net in­ which $30 million may take the in an area dominated by truck­ come of $32.8 million for the form of WC common stock. ing competition, and noted that quarter ending Dec. 31, a sig­ Prior to the sale, WC oper­ times have been much more dif­ nificant improvement over the ated 2,029 miles of track in ficult for GB&W and FRVR. fourth quarter of 1990, when Wisconsin, the Upper Penin­ Burkhardt said that operating the railway had a $31.2 loss on sula of Michigan, eastern cash flow on the FRVR has been continuing operations. Railway LLI Minnesota and northeastern insufficient to service debt and operating income was $65.1

4 • MARCH 1992 million-nearly triple the $22.4 million reported one year earli­ er. The operating ratio for the fourth quarter of 1991 was 88.3 percent, compared to 95.8 per­ cent 12 months earlier. Rev­ enues increased 5 percent to $556.8 million as carloadings increased 8 percent due to con­ tinued strength in intermodal shipments and a fourth quarter surge in grain exports. Kansas City Southern marked a $9.9 million increase, a 9 percent gain, in fourth quarter net income. In the last quarter of 1990, KCS earned $9.4 million.

SMALLER CREWS FOR ATSF: Santa Fe announced Jan. 22 that it has reached an agree­ ment with the United Trans­ portation Union to operate long-distance trains in its San Joaquin Va lley Railroad is up and running. One of the Kyle property's first trains is shown westbound western section with two-per­ on SP's former Visalia Branch, approaching the Goshen Junction interchange with SP, on Jan. 2, 1992. son crews. The railroad also Power is provided by Arizona Eastern 1754. Joseph T. Bispo said it has won union approval to assign over-the-road crews to some jobs previously re­ SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY UP holds title to more than 200 pied by Visalia Electric Railroad. served for yard crews. AND RUNNING: On Jan. 2, 1992, miles of ex-Southern Pacific Motive power for the new carri­ The change in crew size San Joaquin Valley Railroad branch lines between Fresno er currently consists of five effects about 1,200 employ­ Company, the new Kyle opera­ and Bakersfield. The SJVR office Geeps obtained from other Kyle ees, but the railroad is not tion in California's Central Val­ and diesel shop are located in operations: Kyle 101 and 104 planning layoffs. ley, started operations. SJVR Exeter, in facilities once occu- and Arizona Eastern 1751, 1754 and 1755. Currently, not all of the branch lines acquired by the new short line are actually be­ ing serviced. SJVR is reviewing its options as to which of the branches will become a perma­ nent part of the operation. Re­ portedly, lines not desired by the new Kyle operation will be abandoned.

TEXAS TGV?: On Jan. 22, the Texas High-Speed Rail Author­ ity voted to grant a 50-year franchise to the Texas High­ Speed Rail Corporation, which allows that group to proceed with planning a $6.8 billion high speed rail project. The AmericanlFrench corporation, formerly known as Texas TGV, had to raise $10 million in funding by Jan. 29 to meet the agreement. In about a year, the company has to gather about $170 million in financial back­ ing or face losing the franchise. By 1994, the agreement calls for Texas High-Speed Rail to have raised $5 billion. If the company meets all of the dead­ lines, it will then have until mid-1997 to start construction. The proprosed high speed net­ work will join the largest cities in the state-DallaslFort The changing of the guard on Metra's Aurora line as F40PHM-2 189 joins E9 99 16 on Jan. 11, 1992. Num­ Worth, Houston, San Antonio ber 189 is one of six of the new locomotives now working the BN line. Engineers are being trained on the and Austin-and will be built new units by running between the coach yard and West Eola interlocking. James D. Ponzo by Morrison Knudsen Inc.

PAC IFIC RAILNews • 5 berboards. So intense was the lighting that modifications had to be made to limit the area that the strobes cover. The units also are equipped with classification lights for use as red markers when the units run in "push mode." The last six of the Amtrak order for 20 units were delivered as a group in Chica­ go on Dec. 29, and as with all the units, they worked their way to California on No. 3, the Southwest Chief With the GEs firmly in place in L.A., a number of the older F40s have left the area. They were welcomed at points such as Chicago, which have been very short of service­ able power for many months. Look for a number of F40s to be worked through various shops this year. Reportedly as they are reconditioned, they will be re­ painted in the new paint scheme like the GE Dash 8-32BWHs.

Business Looking Up tor Amtrak

The outlook for 1992 for Amtrak is not as i bleak as other businesses. Additional ser­ vices are planned to be added, such as a The Southwest Chief is about to depart westbound from Kansas City on Dec. 29, 1991, with near­ ninth San Diegan in April, an additional ly a full load of passengers and some new motive power on the front end. Three of Amtrak's train between Philadelphia and Pitts­ new 832-S8WH units led the train, the GEs highly visible in their new paint. George R. Cockle burgh, and by October, the extension of the Sunset Limited through Jacksonville to thousands of onlookers as it lead No. 36, Miami. Down the road there are further New GEs Arrive the Desert Wi nd, east from L.A. on Dec. planned expansions of service in Califor­ 27, overtaking AT&SF steam engine 3751 nia for San Diegan and San Joaquin ser­ New Amtrak Dash 8-32BWHs 500-519 ar­ at San Bernardino. vice, though specific details and schedules rived on the scene during December with The new units are fairly sensitive by remain to be negotiated between the a splash. Sporting a new and distinctive nature, and are covered under a mainte­ State, Amtrak and the operating carriers. paint scheme, the GEs have had their nance contract by GE. Whenever some­ Additionally, Amtrak is expected to be the share of teething problems as they found thing goes wrong with the new units me­ contract operator of commuter service in their way into service on the Southwest chanically or electrically, they are set out, both the Bay Area and L.A. Basin, moves Chief, Sunset Limited and San Diegans. repaired, then picked up again. They are that will add a number of employees to its There were some incorrect reports among fairly powerful, but not real quick to load payroll, and greatly increase the compa­ fans as to where the new units were to be up, and as such, may lose some time on ny's revenues. used. For example, unit 501 was the first the San Diegans where frequent stops and to arrive in L.A. (on NO. 3 on Dec. 9), and starts are a way of life. One thing about the first and only such unit to be used on the new paint scheme is that with the ex­ The Coast Star-Late the Coast Starlight as it was moved north tensive use of Scotchlite, the units show to participate in the inaugural of the Capi­ up well at night. When an SP freight train derailed near tol Corridor service between San Jose and Crew members complained about the Crescent Lake, Ore. (north of Klamath Sacramento. Unit 501 also was viewed by strobes that are mounted beside the num- Falls), early on the morning of Dec. 30, lit-

Visit the largest full-service hobby shop in the Twin Cities, where model­ ers and railfans alike will feel at home. Along with a wide selection of model­ ing supplies, we stock every new rail­ road book and video title and carry all railfan magazines.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK IN THE HEART OF THE METROPOLlIAN AREA

458 N. Lexington Parkway St. Paul, MN 55104 (612) 646-7781

6. MARCH 1992 tIe did anyone suspect that it would have a drastic effect on Amtrak service Am-bits throughout the area. Northbound train During late December and early January, PACIFIC RAIL No. 14 was rerouted between Chemult NEWS and Portland, Ore., over BN trackage, Amtrak switchers 554 and 566 (SW1200s) with some delay to those passengers. But and SW1 736 were all out of service at LA this was nothing compared with the fate for repairs. Tired CF7 594 carried on, aug­ NEWS STAFF of No. 11 due through California on Dec. mented by an F40, frequently 291, in 31. Due to slow orders covering about 60 switching the coach yard and depot. Two miles, the train was more than eight yard jobs are required on both daytime and News/information submissions: If you would like to afternoon shifts to do all the work. The one share items on any of the topics listed below, please hours late out of Klamath Falls, and was contact the appropriate columnist at the address list­ model that disappeared during December annulled at Oakland. A stub train was op­ ed for each section. NOTE: Do not send photos to erated between Oakland and L.A., made from LA was the P30CH. No more are they the columnists. up of Horizon equipment from the Oak­ to be found on the Sunset Limited, as the land pool. This meant that New Year's last active unit was shut down on Dec.15. It Day northbound No. 14 took on a very in­ doesn't mean that freight units haven't RAILROAD COLUMNISTS teresting appearance, with SP SD40T-2 been seen on the Sunset, with SP GP60 9663 arriving LA on Dec.30 on No. 1. On AMTRAK/PASSENGER-Dick Stephenson 8550 working with Amtrak F40 302, 1595 E. Chevy Chase #20. Glendale. CA 91206 Jan.14, No. 1 set out new GE 500 at EI Pa­ handling a baggage car, Amfleet coach, AT&SF-Elson Rush so, and picked up SP GP40-2 7110 (with the three Horizon fleet coaches, a snack bar P.O. Box 379. Waukesha. WI 53187 coach, coach-dormitory, Superliner diner new lettering) to work with 516 to LA BURLINGTON NORTHERN-Karl Rasmussen and sleeper, plus private cars Santa Cruz, Custom class service for the San 11449 Goldenrod st. t;-NV. Coon Rapids.MN 55448 CANADA WEST-Doug Cummings Pl aza Santa Fe and Royal Gorge returning Jo aquins came a step closer when two of 5963 Kitchener SI.. Burnaby.BC V5B 2J3 after the AT &SF 3751 steam excursion. the Horizon snack cars transferred to Cali­ C&NW- Michael W. Blaszak fornia for the Capitol Corridor service Passengers transferred to the regular 211 South Leitch Ave.. La Grange.IL 60525 showed up with Custom class seats. The equipment on arrival at Oakland, and COMMUTER-Dick Stephenson things settled down to normal. State is interested in seeing this travel op­ 1595 E. Chevy Chase #20.Glendale. CA 91206 During the holiday period, one could tion, plus reserved seating placed on the D&RGW-Richard C. Farewell count on the Starlight being anywhere San Joaquins. As on the San Diegans, and 9729 w. 76th Ave.. ANada. CO 8CXXJ5 ILLINOIS CENTRAL-David J. Daisy from one to three hours late nearing the other trains, Custom class makes sense if you prefer more legroom, and the chance to 746 N. Bruns Lane Apt. A.Sp ringfield.IL 62702 end of its run. Especially between MEXICO-Clifford R. Prather read, talk or work on the train.It is well Guadalupe and L.A., where a lot of track P.O. Box 925.Santa Ana. CA 92702 work is being done, slow orders are fre­ worth the differencein price. REGIONAlS-Dave Kroeger quently encountered, and time lost. Thanks to Bill Farmer, Ed Von Nordeck, 525 6th Ave.. Marion. IA 52302 George Manley, Rich Brown, Elm o Sandri­ SHORT LINES-Robert C. Gallegos ni, Fred Fields and Eddie Sands. P.O. Box 379.Waukesha. WI 53187 SOO LINE-Karl Rasmussen A Capitol Idea 11449 Gold enrod st. NW.Coon Rapids.MN 55448 SP/SSW-Joseph A. Strapac The numbers are in from the first month of P.O. Box 1539. Bellflower. CA 90707 Capitol Corridor service, and the 13,000- * A NEW VIDEO RELEASE! * TRANSIT-Mac Sebree plus riders handled indicate the new ser­ P.O. Box 6128.Glendale. CA 91225 UNION PACIFIC-Wayne Monger vice has been well received. Trains consist LTV STEEL ORE LINES 1300Southhampton Rd. #214.Benicia. CA 94510 of an F40 and three Horizon cars. During LTV Steel Mining Company RR the spring, a discounted fare promotion is (formerly Erie Mining Company RR) offering return trips for just $1 more than CONTRIBUTING TRANSIT COLUMNISTS • • the one-way fare. This, plus some adver­ LOCATEDF9S ON ALCOSMINNESOTA'S FAMOUSBALDWINS IRON RANGE tising, is expected to help introduce more MAINLINE ORE TRAINS. SHIPS. ORE DOCKS Robert Blymyer, Chris Cucchiara. Don Jewell. Richard R. Kunz, Matthew G. Vurek riders to the new trains. • TACONITE PLANT Want a place to see plenty of Amtrak action in a day? Try Martinez, where be­ FOCUS CORRESPONDENTS tween San Joaquins, Capitol Corridor trains, the California Zephyr and Coast Mike Abalos, Greg Brown, Rich Farewell. Paul Starlight there are 16 passenger trains to Fries. Dove Gayer, Steve Glischinski, Wayne Kuchinsky, Carl M. Lehman. Scott Muskopf, Dan be seen each day. This area has become Pope, Ken Rattenne. Dick Stephenson like the San Diego line, where passenger trains far outnumber freights. A system-wide look at the SUBMISSIONS: Articles, news items and photographs Duluth Missabe & Iron Range RR are welcome and should be sent to our Wisconsin edito· ORE TRAINS· FREIGHTS· YARDS. PASSENGER rial office. When submitting material for consideration, MINES & PLANT. ALL-RAIL. ORE OOCKS • SHIPS include return envelope and postage if you wish it reo turned. PACIFIC RAlLNEWS does not assume responsibility 2 Hours. VHS • Color Live Audio. Narration for the safe return of material. Payment is made upon publication. Plus $3.00 $44 • 95 Shipping EDITORIAL ADDRESS: Submit all photos, article sub­ 1 ) WI residents add 5% sales tax missions and editorial correspondence to: 2) UElIlbrii19 ------PACIFIC RAn.NEWS 3) "''',0 cli:l1'Ti' P.O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187 * COMING SOON * (414) 542-4900 4) '"laconHa Trains Of Minnesota" FAX: (414) 542-7595

5) The Iron Ore Operation of the: BN BUSINESS ADDRESS:Address all correspondence reo DM & IR - LTV Steel - Cyprus North Shore garding subscription and business matters to: ------Interurban Press P.O. Box 6128, Glendale, CA 91225 'I'i"\"'�<)�O \��6��AnON (818) 240-9130 P. o. Box 1429 FAX: (818) 240-5436 TX 78627 :PP'Ef5'EiPRiSF� MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: For all subscrip­ Georgetown, tion problems and inquiries call: (800) 899-TRACK P.O. BOX 217 • ALTOONA, WI 54720

PA CIFIC RAILNews • 7 Three New Videos From GREG SCHOLL VIDEO PRODUCTIONS Available In We want to share with you our three new video tapes which are sure to satisfy your viewing pleasure and your budget. Articulated steam in Africa abounds PAL with "Garratts of Zimbabwe" and two contemporary diesel tapes feature For mainline diesels in the western U.S. mountains. We bring all the action to Overseas

A Day On Soldier Summit I Spend a day along the Rio Grande mainline in the mountains of Utah. You'll be treated to good weather for a variety of heavy trains, including some with helpers. In addition to Rio Grande power you will see one of the first script-letter SP units leading an eastbound over this steep mountain grade. The scenery is grand with snow-capped moutain backgrounds, and a couple of tunnels. You'll even see a coal train with mid-train helpers and a real caboose on the rear. View contemporary mountain railroad action with informative narration. 30 Min. $19.95

Burlington Northern's Marias Pass Travel to Montana to see the northernmost crossing of the Rocky Mountains of a class one U.S. railroad. The action is varied and nonstop including many types ot t{e\g\1ts, and even Amtrak's Empire Builder. Watch the pushers from Essex assisting eastbounds as they march up Marias Pass through numerous snowsheds, and across several high trestles. Also see the lovely canyon west of Essex. Autumn colors and a dusting of snow add to this mountain action. If you like contemporary action and mountain scenery this tape is a must. 30 Min. $19.95

Garratts of Zimbabwe Venture to the African country of Zimbabwe to see the last stronghold of the unique Garratt locomotives. While steam is nearly extinct around the world, the Garratts of Zimbabwe still flourish on both freight and passenger trains. In addition to plenty of trackside views you will visit the shop and hear from the head of engine rebuilding. Also see workers inside the shops, and visit the engine servicing areas. Mainline action abounds on the I Thomson Junction line to Victoria Falls, and on the • • Plumtree line. African wildlife also shown. 60 Min. $29.95

• Preview Tapes Preview Tape-Volume 1: Sample more than 15 feature tapes made between 1985 and 1988 20 Min. $10.00 Preview Tape-Volume 2: Sample newest titles made between 1988 and 1991 25 Min. $14.95 Special Preview Combo: Combine both preview tapes onto one cassette and save $4.95 45 Min. $20.00 1992 I Write or call for our color catalog listing all of our exciting railroad video tapes Ordering Information: Order at once. Call, write, or fax us today . Tapes available in VHS, Beta, or PAL fonnats. Shipping $3.00 for United States orders. Canada $3.00 for first tape then $1.50 for each additional tape. Europe $7.00 each, Pacific $8.00 each. Ohio residents add 6% sales tax. Complete video catalog sent with each order ... over 50 titles available. Your Mastercard and Visa are welcome here. Greg Scholl Video Productions P.o. Box 123 Batavia, Ohio 45103 Phone 513-732-0660 Fax 513-732-0666 SOUTHERN PA CIFIC LINES

Oregon Branchlines to Go?

Southern Pacific's acquisition in 1988 by Rio Grande Industries left the railroad with a need to reduce debt by trimming marginal operations.One approach, being explored with ever-greater enthusiasm, is divestiture of branch lines. Now that the Kyle organization has been induced to take over many of SP's San Joaquin Valley branches, the railroad is looking for ways to sell or lease its branch lines in western Oregon, including the West Side line that serves the Willamette Valley, connecting cities like Corvallis, McMinnville and Hills­ boro. Also included are branches serving Toledo, Mill City, Molalla and Stayton. SP hopes to sell or lease the branches to a short line operator with labor costs lower than its own, allowing the branch lines to be run at a profit and leaving it to concen­ trate on long-haul freight and intermodal service. Rail traffic has declined with the slump in the wood products industry. A traditional bulwark of SP's traffic, the out­ bound carloads of lumber loaded on these branches have become scarce during the SP's Ridgely Turn-BLSFL-is on its way back to Bloomington, III., on Jan. 20, 1992, as it splits recession.While it can obviously use the the B&O position light signals at Funks Grove, III. One of the last upgrades of the Chicago-St. traffic and revenue, SP says it cannot af­ Louis line will be replacement of the signals with SP-style searchlights. Steve Smedley ford the taxes and labor costs associated with infrequent branchline operations. tector vehicle was brought in and the slow SP Notes Ideally, SP could locate a single contrac­ order was reduced from its original 64 tor/operator to take over all its Oregon Val­ miles as breaks were located and fixed. Legal titles to fiber optic right-of-way ley branches, running them as a single sys­ More diesel units have been taken out leases along the San Francisco Peninsula tem in complement to SP operations. How­ of service and stored at Eugene: 2577, have been transferred from SP to Denver ever, it may be more practical to transfer in­ 3782, 3859, 4364, 4433, 6307 and 7357. & Rio Grande Western, as revealed in es­ dividual branches to small operators who Cotton Belt GP35E 4203 continues to be crow filings ...State-financed track up­ may or may not rely upon governmental as­ used on the Coos Bay Hauler and other grading on the Mulford line in San Fran­ sistance. Elsewhere in Oregon, pubic agen­ branchline locals out of Eugene.This dis­ cisco's East Bay is expected to commence cies are helping to keep former SP rail lines tinctive rebuilt carries the normally aspi­ soon, as part of the new Capitol Corridor. in operation: Lake County subsidizes the rated 645 prime mover and related electri­ Track crews are currently engaged in a Great Western in its operation of the rail cal gear found in a post-1972 GP38-2, in­ massive upgrading project between San­ line connecting Lakeview to Alturas, and stead of a turbocharged 567 engine. ta Clara and San Jose on the No. 1 track, the state helped the Port of Tillamook Bay with new ties and 136-pound welded rail take over the branch connecting Tillamook being applied. State financing is also be­ to the Willamette Valley. locomotive lettering Changes hind this job ... The large bridge cross­ Now that SP has adopted a version of the ing the Trinity River east of Houston re­ More Oregon Notes Grande's "speed lettering" for its locomo­ cently lost a span to flood conditions, tives, the long-awaited corollary appears to forcing SP and Amtrak to detour on near­ Early on the morning of Dec. 30, the east­ be waiting in the wings. We have it on good by Santa Fe and Union Pacific (ex-MoPac) bound ROEUM derailed 21 cars at mile­ authority that future repaints of D&RGW lo­ trackage.A replacement span is expected post 532 on the Cascade Subdivision, a comotives will be painted as "Southern Pa­ to be installed by March. mile east of Crescent Lake, Ore.Apparent­ cific," and that the combined rail operation ly, the cause was a broken wheel on a will gradually phase out the "Rio Grande" freight car, which also broke a number of name on locomotives and rolling stock. Steam at San Jose rails between Chemult and Crescent Lake. Amtrak No. 14 was detoured from Kla­ Present plans for the 1992 National Rail­ math Falls to Portland via Bend. It was the locomotive Repairs way Historical Society convention envision only train detoured because of the derail­ three steam locomotives bringing trains to ment. The track was restored later that SP apparently plans to reduce its backlog San Jose: UP 3985, SP 2472 and SP 4449.If same day. Clean-up continued on Jan. 2 af­ of bad-order units by sending close to 100 these plans work out, 4449 will operate ter the holiday. Engine 6814 and a car of repairable late-model locomotives to other from Portland via Klamath Falls and Oak­ track panels were dispatched form Klamath railroads for shop work and FRA compli­ land July 18-20; 2472 will bring a Day­ Falls to assist in restoring the track. When ance. Non-carrier shops, such as Morrison light train down from San Francisco on the the trackwas opened, a slow order of 20 Knudsen, will presumably not be involved; 23rd; and 3985 will operate from mph for freight and 12 mph for passenger all work will go to shops unionized by the Cheyenne to San Jose between July 11 was imposed, due to the broken rails. Sub­ same crafts at SP. As yet, we haven't seen and July 19.For information, contact the stantial delays ensued, such as Amtrak's a list of candidates, but tunnel motors and Central Coast Chapter NRHS, P.O. Box Coast Starlight which arrived more than more recent four-axle power would be the 36301, San Jose, CA 95158-6301. eight hours late at Klamath Falls.A rail de- logical place on the roster to begin. Thanks to Fred Fi elds.

PA CIFIC RAILNews • 9 ELSON RUSH SA NTA FE

Santa Fe is taking full advantage of its St. Louis access via Gateway Western; consequently, many GWWR jobs have a strong AT&SF flavor. A blue-and-yellow GP30 leads a GWWR 322 train-which originates at Santa Fe's Argentine Yard in Kansas City-past the soon-to-be-retired WR tower at Granite City, III., on Jan. 10, 1992. This trackage into East St. Louis is jointly owned by GWWR and SP. Scott Muskopf

parture-the 3751 was sitting on Califor­ to close the San Bernardino System Mainte­ 3751 Defies the Skeptics nia Steel track at Fontana with only two nance Terminal, better known by its historic passenger cars coupled to the tender. name, the San Bernardino Shops. Within 12 Confounding those (including this writer) However, with the help of an extra road to 18 months, the railroad will move all of who doubted that it would ever make it switcher, which rounded up private cars the shop machinery to the Topeka SMT, out the gate, steam locomotive 3751 of the based on the Santa Fe in Southern Califor­ ending 106 years of locomotive mainte­ San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society nia, the special was made up and moved nance on the 60-acre site just north of the successfully powered the long-awaited to LAUPT, leaving there just 20 minutes San Bernardino passenger station. California Limited excursion train be­ after the scheduled departure of 11 a.m. The news was mixed for the 352 re­ tween Los Angeles and Bakersfield from What next? SBRHS's immediate concern maining employees at the shops. They all Dec. 27 through 30. The suspense contin­ as 1992 dawned was finding a new home would end up with jobs-if they agreed to ued virtually to the last minute, though. for 3751; its arrangement for use of Califor­ pack up and move to Topeka. Santa Fe SBRHS resolved its insurance dispute with nia Steel's Fontana facility expired when hopes that at least 50 percent of the highly Santa Fe in time for 3751 to make success­ the engine became operational. The prof­ skilled craftsmen will make the move, con­ ful break-in runs in mid-December. By itability of the hurriedly slapped-together ceding that the company would be in trou­ then, however, only a few days remained trip was questionable, as ridership appar­ ble if that didn't happen. Some employees to assemble equipment and sell tickets be­ ently did not reach SBRHS's break-even interviewed by the San Bernardino SUN fore the FRA's engineer licensing program point. Santa Fe officials were mum on the said they would gladly leave Southern Cal­ would become effective, preventing possibility of future trips. Thanks to the ifornia's smog and high real estate prices SBRHS's retired, steam-qualified engi­ perseverance of SBRHS and its indomitable for Kansas, but that seemed to be a minori­ neers from running on the Santa Fe. members, though, at least we got to enjoy ty view. The first job transfers, involving The ex-Santa Fe coaches from the Indi­ those glorious four days of steam passen­ about a third of the San Bernardino work ana Transportation Museum, on which ger train operation on the Santa Fe. force, are likely to occur in April 1992. SBRHS was relying to provide most of the City officials in Topeka had encouraged seating on the California Limited, couldn't the shop consolidation, which obviously make it to California in time for the trip San Bernardino Shops to Close will boost employment in that city, by of­ due to a 72-hour Christmas shutdown on fering tax incentives, job training and $4.5 CSX. This resulted in a near-panic situa­ Santa Fe Vice President-Maintenance Mike million in low-interest loans for renovation tion, since suitable substitute equipment Franke and other officials flew out to San and expansion of the existing shop build­ was scarce. Indeed, at 3 a.m. on Dec. Bernardino on Dec. 2 with some bad news ings. Once it decided moving to Topeka 27-just eight hours before scheduled de- for the community-Santa Fe had decided would benefit its bottom line, though, San-

10 . MARCH 1992 ta Fe went ahead with the move without Prescott, Ariz., which Catellus had failed Joseph Cherry said the carriers had a "min­ consulting San Bernardino, which caused to complete. The 28-mile line from Abra imum goal of 1,500 trailers moved in 1992, some bitterness at City Hall there. was acquired by A&K Railroad Materials, but think it will be much more than that." "I have never considered Santa Fe a a frequent buyer of Santa Fe's little-used good neighbor," groused councilman Ralph branches. A&K, in turn, will sell a short Hernandez. "They do whatever they want, segment through the scenic rock-strewn Chico Chatter and it's hard to deal with them." hills at the south end of the line to the History suggests, though, that the City of Prescott, which has long held am­ Southern Pacific turned operation of the consolidation was inevitable. Employ­ bitions of running a tourist railroad from Sunset Railway back to Santa Fe effective ment at the Shops had been declining the landmark Santa Fe depot it had ac­ Jan. 1. SP and Santa Fe each own half of steadily over the decades from 2,000 dur­ quired some years earlier. the 36-mile Sunset, which branches off ing World War II, and San Bernardino's The first lines to be sold in 1992 likely SF's Buttonwillow Branch at Gosford and freight car repair work had been lost to will be the C.v. and Manter subdivisions, runs to Taft, Calif. The owners alternate Topeka some years ago. reaching southwest from Dodge City, Kan. as operator of the wobbly 10-mph branch This 370-mile package is one of Santa Fe's every five years. Santa Fe serves the more attractive offerings, having a strong branch with crews based at Bakersfield. Line Sale Update traffic base, and is likely to attract consid­ The borax plant at Boron, Calif., is op­ erable interest from shortline operators. erating just one shift a day. As a result, "Bought 1928; Sold 1991." If Santa Fe's Santa Fe hopes to sell the lines by the the Boron Local out of Barstow runs just ownership of the Kansas City, Mexico & winter wheat harvest in late spring. five days a week, down from seven. Still, Orient had a tombstone, that's how it the tonnage moved by this job is impres­ would read. Santa Fe sold the segment of sive, requiring two to four four-axle units. the line between Cherokee, Okla., and Carload Business Unit The crew is called for 6 a.m. at Barstow Sweetwater, Texas (including the and returns to the yard in mid-afternoon Maryneal Branch), to Texas & Oklahoma Though Santa Fe's business in the reces­ after switching the plant. Railroad in May 1991, and disposed of the sion year of 1991 was up 3.2 percent over­ Save Our Station, the group which is rest of the line to the lonely outpost of Pre­ all, non-intermodal carloadings were es­ trying to preserve the 1914 station build­ sidio, Texas, on the Mexican border, by sentially flat. Chairman Krebs' demands for ing at Hemet, Calif., which it acquired in sale to the South Orient Rural Railroad improved performance in this high-profit 1989, is looking for help. It offers a mod­ Transportation District on Dec. 31. Ki­ market segment probably led to the Dec. estly priced history of the San Jacinto amichi Railroad was hired to operate the 30 announcement that Santa Fe had hired Branch for $6.95 plus $2.50 postage and line, now known as the South Orient Rail­ Steven Marlier, formerly general manager handling. Contact SOS at P. O. Box 334, road, effective Jan. 2. Prior to the sale, Na­ of IBM's Wisconsin trading area, as senior Hemet, Calif. 92546-0334. cionales de Mexico had repaired the flood vice president to head up the Carload Busi­ Thanks to Starpacer, Mi ke Kiriazis, Keith damage which had closed the internation­ ness Unit, which is intended to function Ogle, 0. R. Bixler and Save Our Station. al bridge earlier in the year. across traditional departmental lines in Meanwhile, to no one's surprise, Texas marketing and selling carload traffic just as & Oklahoma sought ICC authority to aban­ the Intermodal Business Unit, created in don a 76.81-mile segment of the Orient 1989, does on the intermodal side. Vice New England Railroading Calendar from Cherokee to Thomas, Okla. T&O President-Marketing Don Skelton, who had claimed that it had handled only 33 car­ previously been in charge of carload mar­ loads to and from points on this segment keting, reports to Marlier. since acquiring it and that there were no prospects for additional traffic, making a $226,200 operating deficit for 1992 in­ New Trucking Partner evitable if the line is not abandoned. As of Jan. 1, 1992, following the South Santa Fe announced in late December that Orient transaction, Santa Fe owned 1,100 it had established a new partnership with fewer miles of railroad than it had a year KLLM, Inc., a motor carrier based in Jack­ 12 Full Color 8" x 10" captioned photos earlier. These sales netted $53 million for son, Miss., which specializes in transporta­ $6.00 Post Paid U.S. Only the company-more than sales of non-op­ tion of refrigerated cargo. KLLM had begun Canada $7.00 Postal Money Order erating property during the year, which loading its trailers on trains last fall be­ Please allow 3-4 weeks delivery are managed by former real estate affiliate tween California points and Dallas, and Dealer inquiries are invited Catellus Development Company. started putting them on Chicago-California Indeed, Santa Fe officials on Dec. 19 trains in mid-December. Kansas City ser­ Mystic Valley Railway Society, Inc. closed a sale of the abandoned line to vice started in January. KLLM President P.O. Box 486, Hyde Park, MA 02136-0486

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PAC IFIC RAILNews • 11 REGIONALS

routes and in fact, creates several redun­ Grand Trunk Western. CN wants a partner CC&P Buys Cedar Va lley Trackage dant routings (including three Milwau­ to complete the Twin Ports-Chicago route kee-Green Bay lines) . Probably the most and help it compete with CP Rail and its In early December, Chicago Central filed important component of this deal to WC Soo-aided southern route. Though WC has an ICC exemption to acquire the Cedar was access afforded to lucrative paper a good shot at this lucrative agreement, Valley Railroad, which the CC has been traffic, a commodity which has offered CN is also talking with BN, C&NW running under a direct service order since WC most of its buisiness. Direct access and-ironically-Soo Line. last June. With this acquisition, the CC to Burlington Northern and the Missis­ has formed the Cedar River Railroad, a sippi River at East Winona, Wis., is an­ wholly owned non-carrier subsidiary. It other attractive aspect of the line pur­ Santa Rides the Gateway was expected that this new railroad chase. In terms of motive power, reports would start service around January 1. indicate that Alcos may not be part of Santa didn't need his eight reindeer on It is not known where CRR will be FV&W's future; apparently, the famed Dec. 21. Instead, he was aboard the first based, however one logical location is Os­ GB&W locomotives are approaching the Santa Cl aus Sp ecial on the Gateway age, Iowa, where the Cedar Valley was date they are to be returned to their Western. The consist was GP38 2044 and based. Look for the Cedar River to use lessor and will probably not be retained. two Gateway waycars. The attendance Chicago Central power, since the remain­ A special train ride was held Dec. 10 at all the stops was excellent according ing Cedar Valley power is reportedly on its during which a banner was cut to mark to GWWR officials, especially at Van­ way to Iowa Northern. the completion of two new girder spans dalia, Mo. , where some 200 people In other CC news, the seven ex-Gate­ on Wisconsin Central's 1.2 mile interna­ turned out to greet the train. Gateway way Western GP38s are on a six-month tional bridge across the St. Mary's River at Western hopes to experiment with more lease from Helm, and not bought, as re­ Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. The new span rais­ excursions in 1992. ported last month. The lease expires in es the bridge's capacity to handle larger Santa Fe continues to experiment April, but it is possible that a couple of lo­ 100 ton shipments, compared to 89 tons in with six-axle power on the Gateway. comotives may be purchased. These units previous years. The original bridge was Dec. 21 saw a westbound through Van­ have been getting a workout on just about opened for service in 1887 and until the dalia with SD39s 1562, 1572 and 1579. every train CC operates. early 1970s, Sault Ste. Marie offered the This is quite unusual for these units, This column previously misstated the shortest and most economical route be­ since they are used for hump duty on the call spread on the Cedar Rapids-Manch­ tween the Midwest and Canada. The Santa Fe. The Kansas City Power & Light ester turn. Tuesday-Friday it is called be­ bridge consists of 23 spans, including a coal train saw a pair of Oxford Leasing tween 3 and 6 p.m. ; on Sunday and Monday 569-foot lift bridge, and a 410-foot swing SD40-2s wandering around in late De­ it is called between 6 and 9 a.m. span. The bridge is owned by the Sault cember. They were the 4016 and 4018, Ste. Marie Bridge Co., but is maintained still in MoPac blue. and operated by WC. I'm looking for updates on Arizona & Iowa Interstate Update And speaking of bridge traffic, Wiscon­ California and Montana Rail Link. Please sin Central is aggressively wooing Cana­ send the information to my address on Traffic on the Iowa Interstate was on the dian National to be the road which com­ page 7. rise in December, especially grain. IAIS pletes the Canadian carrier's loop through Thanks to Mike Blaszak, Rik Ander­ moved several grain extras from elevators the U.S. in combination with CN sub­ son, Craig Williams, Allan Hunt, Wiscon­ along the Fourth Subdivision (Newton­ sidiaries Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific and sin Central and Mi chael Udelhoven. Bluffs), to Rock Island and Bureau, Ill. Some grain however, was interchanged to the Cedar Rapids & Iowa City for delivery to Cedar Rapids grain processors. In motive power news, NRE SD40-2 THE EXPANDING we 6910 made a test trip on the IAIS in early December. The unit went west trailing on To Superior train 011 to Newton, then went east on 012 from there to Blue Island, where it was delivered to the B&OCT. Iowa Inter­ To Minneapolis state moved four ex-C&NW SD40s, 869, 878, 889 and 892 out of Silvis to Chicago "" Shawano Algoma and an unknown destination Dec. 29. Fi­ � q; -¥ Casco Jet. nally, IAIS Alco RS36 900 is still in the Black Creek '\ 'h , Council Bluffs dead line, with no word on # � N ew � �v Ke waunee London §' when it will return to service. � REEN BAY

Two Rivers WC Increases Route Miles and Bridge Capacity

The big news, as reported in Expediter, laCrosse is Wisconsin Central's planned acquisi­ New Lisbon tion of Itel properties Green Bay & West­ o ern, Fox River Valley and Ahnapee & - WISCONSIN CENTRAL Western, which will form subsidiary Fox -- AHNAPEE WESTERN Valley & Western and add almost 500 & WISCONSIN route-miles to the regional's system. - FOX RIVER VALLEY MADISON Looking at the revised railroad (see ac­ o 111111111111 GREEN BAY & WESTERN companying map), it's apparent that the new trackage doesn't add too many new

12 . MARCH 1992

TRA NSIT

Wi th this issue we welcome PRN publish­ would have to be made up at the expense - 40-foot diesel buses and 37 30-35 foot er Ma c Sebree back to a regular spot on of future light rail projects, such as the Blue transit buses. Edmonton owns 37 light rail the pages of the magazine. Mac's monthly Line extension to Pasadena. Already there cars, 100 trolley coaches (some leased to Western rail transit column will recall the is serious talk that bus operating subsidies Toronto), 574 40-foot buses and 28 30-35 style of his popular "Interurbans Newslet­ will be slashed later this year, and plans for footers. Calgary operates 83 light rail cars, ter " while providing a comprehensive a trolley bus network might be shelved. 453 40-foot buses and 51 30-35 footers. look at the fa st-growing world of rail tran ­ LA CTC was going to spend $3 million sit in the Western U.S. and Canada. -D .G. apiece for automated Green Line cars, probably the most expensive ever de­ San Diego signed. The original idea was that driver­ Los Angeles less cars would save a lot of money on TROLLEY LABOR CONTRACT: Train oper­ platform costs, but the LACTC now ad­ ators and other hourly employees should SUMITOMO CONTRACT AXED: Faced mits that the projected $276 million cost have a happy new year. After three years of t with a fire storm of demands to buy Ameri­ overrun on an automated Green Line working without a contract, union members can, the Los Angeles County Transportation would have eaten up all those savings. ratified the trolley's latest offer. The settle­ Commission executed an abrupt about-face The turnabout means that Morrison ment includes a 13.5 percent raise over four and canceled the award of a $121 million Knudsen will have another chance to win years, more vacation time and a signing contract to the Japanese carbuilder Sumito­ the contract; as the only U.S. builder it bonus. By the contract's fourth year, train mo for 41 driverless light rail cars. would seem to have a clear-cut chance to operators will make about $17 per hour. Weeks before the Jan. 22 reversal, the comply with the CTC's new guidelines. LACTC had affirmed the award despite Sumitomo may sue; its U.S. unit president PROJECT STATUS REPORT: The Cedar the fact that Sumitomo's bid for Green seemed shocked by the news. Street-County Administration stop on the Line equipment was higher than a rival Further delays in completing the Green Bayside segment (ultimately to become bid by U. S. builder Morrison Knudsen and Line and perhaps other rail lines may be part of the North Line) is on schedule for a despite warnings that the automated the result of this latest debacle as local spring opening ... MTDB was to decide technology is unproven and more costly politicians and transit leaders wrestle Jan. 9 whether the trolley will stay at than conventional light rail. with the distractions of trying to scratch­ ground level, or go underground between As usual, L.A. political leaders man­ build a railcar industry in the wake of the Grape and Hawthorne streets. To elimi­ aged to complicate matters even as they departed auto and aerospace industries. nate a Pandora's box of traffic problems at struck a blow for American jobs. At a tu­ Meanwhile, the LACTC must quickly those intersections, MTDB is trying to con­ multuous meeting packed with outraged come up with a new conventional light rail vince the port district to match the City of union and local business leaders, the car design which still will not be "off the San Diego's $8 million contribution toward LACTC voted to scrap the Sumitomo con­ shelf" since MK does not at present have building the underground segment ... tract, advertise for conventional light rail a light rail car in production, and nobody Work on the Mid-Coast Draft Environmen­ cars which could be converted later into seems to know if the other world builders tal Impact Report (DEIR), scheduled to be­ automated cars and try to create a county­ could qualify-or would want to. gin in September, continues to be delayed owned facility to equip rail systems here because an agreement can't be reached and elsewhere. MIAMI CARS TESTED: The City of An­ on the project description and possible Southern California has lost thousands gels now has four operating subway light rail alignment alternatives ... of aerospace jobs in the recession and cars-but they are not the ones that will Among the issues under consideration in General Motors is closing its huge Van carry passengers after June 1993. Miami the recently completed DEIR for the trol­ Nuys auto assembly plant. It is that very cars 126-127 and 141-142 were borrowed ley's Mission Valley West segment: six plant that local politicians are eyeing for for test running and arrived on Nov. 22 acres of sensitive natural habitat along the railcar (and bus) production-but in case and Dec. 3. The first four real Red Line San Diego River, potentially important ar­ that doesn't work out LACTC also re­ cars (501-504) are working out at the chaeological sites along the alignment, solved to require that 60 percent of future Transportation Test Center near Pueblo, traffic and circulation, land use and visual railcar contract dollars be spent domesti­ Colo. First power-on operation through and noise impacts. The line's proposed cally as the county builds its $150 billion, the entire Red Line tunnel with the Miami alignment takes the trolley north from the 400-mile rail system. It took only hours fol­ cars was scheduled for early January. Old Town Transfer Center at Taylor Street, lowing the Sumitomo award for local then across the San Diego River and east politicos to begin the Japan bashing, and through Mission Valley. Running east it intensified on the heels of President Portland along the northern bank of the San Diego Bush's unsuccessful trade junket to the River, it would cross to the south side of Land of the Rising Sun. VINTAGE TROLLEY: Vintage trolley cars the river between Mission Center Road Lost in the shouting was the main is­ began running on Thanksgiving between and Camino del Este. Nine stops are sue, as far as transit professionals were downtown and the Lloyd Center shopping planned, and will include several commer­ concerned: the automation. That seems to mall, carrying capacity loads. The cars are cial centers and proposed developments. have been cancelled, too, much to the re­ replicas of the deck-roof wooden cars once The end of the line will be near Jack Mur­ lief of those concerned with dollars and operated on the narrow-gauge Council phy Stadium, just west of I-15. Eventually, system compatibility. Because the reces­ Crest line and cost $400,000 each. The cars the Mission Valley West Line is supposed sion has cut into sales tax revenues, the operated daily during the Christmas-New to connect with the Mission Valley East LACTC is wrestling with a $133 million Year's season on a 30-minute headway. Line, which will continue east to Gross­ budget shortfall. The board could have mont Center in La Mesa. saved that much by going with conven­ Chris Cucchiara tional light rail for the Green Line. In­ Western Canada stead, the CTC originally listened to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley who insisted TRANSIT STATS: Canadian Urban Transit Denver that automation would put Los Angeles Assn. reports these 1992 statistics for the on the " cutting edge. " three major transit systems : Vancouver MILE HIGH TROLLEY: Beginning in late Others pointed out that the extra cost of operates 130 automated Skytrain cars, 244 1993, eight Siemans-Duewag light rail ve­ the automation and the budget shortfall trolley coaches, 21 articulated buses, 593 hicles are scheduled to be delivered to

14 . MARCH 1992 Denver's first light rail commuter opera­ conserve energy and reduce pollution. along the waterfront, a 6,000-square foot tion. The Denver order totals $12.8 million UMTA and the FHA have discouraged the carbarn and a power substation. Cars and uses the same design as the San Dei­ state from applying for a subsidy, so awaiting restoration include BC Electric go Metropolitan Transit cars. Denver plans Iowa's DOT is looking for private funding. Birney 400 and TTC PCC car 4504. to spend about $67 million on the initial 3.2 miles of light rail line. New Orleans Honolulu

San Jose STREETCAR LINERESTORED: The Cres­ RAIL TRANSIT OKED: The long, linear cent City is serious about restoring the en­ city of Honolulu will get a rail transit sys­ LIGHT-RAIL FARE INCREASE IMPLE­ tire four-mile Canal streetcar line from the tem after all. The city council has ap­ MENTED : On Oct. 1, 1991, the fare in­ river to the Cemeteries, bussed in 1962, proved a Morrison Knudsen "turnkey" creases examined in PRN 334 took af­ and will apply for federal funding to build proposal to build a $1.7 billion, 15.6-mile, fect-the first increase in four years. Like this line as well as a one-mile branch in 22-station system. The technology is ex­ many local governments, Santa Clara Loyola Avenue and Rampart Street to serve pected to be similar to the elevated Sky­ County is grappling with financial prob­ the Union Station and Louis Armstrong train system in Vancouver, B. C. Streetcars lems blamed on the recession. At 11 per­ Park. A total of 38 streetcars-probably to last ran in Honolulu in 1941. cent, County Transit has the lowest rate of be replicas of the 1923-24 vintage Perley A. recovering expenses via the farebox of Thomas cars now serving the St. Charles any transit system in California. The agen­ line-will be needed. Streetcars and buses Houston cy claims that these new increases will would share neutral-ground running in the raise this rate to 15 percent. middle of Canal. There are also plans to ex­ BACK ON TRACK: Although previous rail tend the highly successful Riverfront trolley transit plans have come to naught, Houston FEDERAL FUNDING FORTHCOMING: In some 8.5 miles in both directions. has now decided to build a $1 billion mono­ December 1991, President Bush signed leg­ rail system and a much cheaper (and much islation providing more than $1 billion in shorter) light rail line. The city selected a funding for highway and transit projects. Twin Cities subsidiary of Bombardier to build a fleet of This will ensure needed federalmonies for driverless a.c. traction monorail trains, each the Tasman Extension from Old Ironsides to TRIMMINGPLANS: A pared-down light car to be about the size of a Duewag light Mountain View and hopefully, the San Jose­ rail plan, eliminating subway tunnels de­ rail car. The 20-mile, 21-station line would Los Gatos Extension (Vasona Corridor). manded by downtown interests in both be mostly elevated and link downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, will be submit­ with the southwest side. The street-run­ HISTORIC TROLLEY HAPPENINGS: ted to the 1992 Minnesota legislature. The ning light rail line will be 4.7-miles long Restoration work continues on the Milan previous 12-route plan has been cut to two and have seven stations. In 1982 Houston car in the Younger Street shops. It will routes, with the highest priority a link be­ authorized a 20-mile heavy rail transit line have the front of another Milan car grafted tween the two downtowns, and a Min­ and actually placed an order with Hitachi on to its rear to permit double-ended oper­ neapolis route paralleling Interstate High­ for 50 steel-wheel cars-but this plan was ation on the Transit Mall. It should be way 35W south to Bloomington. The two­ derailed by the city's voters. completed by Columbus Day 1992. The line system should cost about $450 mil­ 1992 NRHS Convention in San Jose is ex­ lion, of which $315 million would be state pected to be headquartered at the Fair­ funds and the balance federal funds. Edmonton, Alta. mont Hotel, with historic trolleys and LRVs running past the front door. A char­ SYSTEM EXPANSION: This year will see tered trip on the system is planned, as Nelson, B. C. extension of the light rail line to the Univer­ well as a visit to the LRV shops. sity Station, across the North Saskatchewan Matthew G. Vurek CAR RESTORED: The inaugural run of River from downtown. The deepest station Nelson's tourist trolley is planned to take on the system at 75 feet below ground, Uni­ - place in May. The Nelson Electric versity will open in August. Trackwork con­ Iowa Tramway Society has restored original struction is on schedule and rail has been Nelson car 23, built by Stephenson Car Co. laid across the Menzies Bridge, a new span HAWKEYE TROLLEY?: Everybody wants It is the only survivor from the original bridging the deep river gorge. Tunneling to get into the act. Prodded by the Iowa three-car fleet. The Nelson St. Ry. Co. op­ work has been completed. legislature, the state is studying the feasi­ erated from 1899 to 1949 and was the Th anks to WHEEL CLICKS';' RTN, D. W bility of operating a light rail system (pre­ smallest trolley system in Canada. Pontius, RAILWAY AGE and the Upper sumably in Des Moines) as a means to Volunteers have built a 1.3-mile route Canada Railway Society.

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PA CIFIC RAILNews . 15 CA NA DA WEST

Its crossing of mountainous British Columbia nearly complete, Canadian National SD40-2W 5314 waits in the hole near Chilliwack, B.C.; with the help of another Safety Cab EMD, the units are hauling a string of loaded grain hoppers westward to the Pacific coast. Just a few miles ahead is the Port of Vancouver and the end of a November 1991 journey. Lindsay Korst

derailed the 9581 plus 32 cars behind it. Biche Sub, just south of Boyle. Canadian National One of the more seriously damaged cars Also in Alberta, CN has applied to was handling a piggyback trailer loaded abandon the last remaining part of the LOCOMOTIVE NOTES: It looks like CN is with oatmeal cookies ; the first folks on the Sheerness Sub from Batter Junction (junc­ about to embark on a rebuild program for scene found themselves crunching over tion with the Oyen Sub) south to Sheer­ its SD40s; No. 5037 has entered Point Ste. copious quantities of the goodies. Main­ ness, beyond which the track becomes the Charles shops in Montreal and was sched­ line traffic was able to bypass the wreck TransAlta Utility spur. The line was built uled to be rebuilt to Dash 2 specifications, by using the siding within a few hours. by the Canadian Northern 1918-20, ex­ and emerge as number 8000 some time An unusual derailment occurred Dec. 27 tending south to St�lVeville, but for most of early in 1992 ...Rebuilt GP9 units re­ just west of Oyen when eastward Sarcee its life the track ended at Wardlow. It was leased from Point St. Charles Shops this Yard (Calgary)-Saskatoon speed freight 226 cut back to Cessford in 1978 and to its pre­ fall : 7028 (4524). 7029 (4391), 7030 (4394). suddenly became cabooseless. A drawbar sent status in 1983. 7031 (4284), 7032 (4533). 7033 (4365) and failed on a flatcar immediately ahead of ca­ CN has applied to abandon the entire 7034 (4572) ... SD40 5130 and SD40-2 5300 boose 79523, with the loose couple jam­ Pine Point Sub in the Northwest Territo­ were retired Sept. 23 as a result of the ming down into a crossing plank at a rural ries, from Pine Junction east to Pine Aug. 5 Kinsella crossing collision. The third road. The resulting action catapulted the Point Mines. The line made a profit 1988 unit involved, SD50 5418, has resumed ser­ caboose up and completely over ; it came to 1990, but has been totally inactive vice after repairs and repainting ...Of the to rest upside down in the north ditch since the former Cominco property three GP40-2 units involved in the collision clear of the track. The conductor was shak­ closed down in 1991. The line is part of at Meadowside, Ont., Sept. 19, 9521 was en up but not otherwise injured. the former Great Slave Lake Railwa'f scrapped at the scene while the 9532 and opened in 1968. 9537 were removed on flatcars and are to NEW TRACKAGE: On Jan. 11, CN pub­ CN has also applied to abandon a por­ be sold in Winnipeg for scrap. lished formal application to build a 24.39 tion of the Oak Point Sub in Manitoba, mile spur in Alberta to serve the new Al­ from just west of Steep Rock Junction DERAILMENTS: CN suffered a derailment berta Pacific Forest Industries pulp mill west to Gypsumville. From 1988 to 1990 at Pedley, mile 177 Edson Sub, on Nov. 30. near Athabasca. The line will run north this section handled an average of 57 car­ Train 217 led by GP40-2s 948119423/9581 from a junction at mile 71.09 Lac La loads of grain per year.

16. MARCH 1992 Order Toll Free 24 Hrs. A Day

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Santa Fe 3751 - Western Maryland Return To Steam Scenic Railroad Canadian Sunset Spectacularly restored and pulling a Classic Alco diesels painted in the Western Th e Canadian - from 1955 to 1989, this beautiful passenger train, the Santa Fe 4-8-4 Maryland "fireball" paint scheme and cab rides world-renowned streamlined train traversed 3751 drew huge crowds as it traveled over make for an exciting new tape from Pentrex. Canada across nearly 3,000 miles of lakes, Santa Fe rails once again. The four-day trip 30 Minutes PEN-WMSR $19.95 prairie and mountains, from Montreal, from Los Angeles to Barstow to Bakersfield Quebec to Vancouver, British Columbia, and back to Los Angeles was fa ntastic. The Preview Volume III throughout the dazzling imagery of all four 3751, in all its glory, provided our multiple This fantastic 80-minute tape will take you on a seasons, day and night. Come along as we camera crews with great action shots. tour of 34 of the greatest railroad videos ever pay tribute to North America's last great Included is coverage of both days on each of produced. Sit back and enjoy a trip across North train in this stunning, 112-page ALL-COLOR the greatest railroading landmarks in America without ever leaving your living room. hardbound pictorial album by Adolf Hungry California: Cajon Pass and the Tehachapi These are all NEW tapes never before included Wolf. Loop. in our Preview Volumes. Code# B307 $54.95 60 Minutes PEN-3751 $29.95 80 Minutes PEN-PREV3 $19.95

Chattanooga Steam Reunion Pioneers Of Electric The main attraction, Southern 4501, put on Railroading a grand show as it pulled a special excursion A comprehensive account, illustrated to Hollywood, Alabama, for Norfolk throughout, of the origins of the electric Southern's 25th Anniversary of its steam railroad and the men who brought it to a excursion service. The bright green Mikado state of practicability up to the incorpora­ was again honored by leading a triple­ tion of the General Electric Company in headed steam train out of Chattanooga. The The Making of the Scale Hudson - 1892. In addition to the U.S., pioneering proud engine was in its glory as it lead the From LIONEL work in Europe and Great Britain is described in this new 232-page book from 611, the 1218, and 28 passenger cars out of Lionel produced this excellent tape to show all the Electric Railroaders' Association. town. 40 minutes of great steam action plus the work that goes into the design and manufac­ HARDBOUND Code# BX82 $45.00 a bonus 35 minutes of the banquet featuring ture of their products. Many interesting scenes SOFTBOUND Code# BX83 $35.00 rail giants W. Graham and Robert Claytor. are shared that few people ever get to see. For 40 Minutes PEN-CHAT $24.95 Lionel enthusiasts, this tape must be included in your collection! Indiana Railroad - LTV Mining Railroad 45 Minutes HUDSON $29.95 The Magic Interurban This great tape takes the viewer deep into Orange "highspeed" cars, the Indianapolis the inner plant and strip mines of LTV Traction Terminal, trolley freights crawling Mining Company's Minnesota operations. Europe By Train through the night, and Sam Insull - all of 30 Minutes EBT $19.95 You'll see the last intact group of EMD­ these and more made up the Magic that was delivered F-units in operation and also their the Indiana Railroad. And it's all covered in Great Britain By Train fleet of Baldwin switchers. Pentrex takes marvelous detail in this new, lavi'shly­ 30 Minutes GBBT $19.95 you on a complete tour, including cab rides, illustrated, hardbound, 224-page book by in this special tape. Switzerland By Train George K. Bradley, from the Central Electric 60 Minutes PEN-LTV $39.95 30 Minutes SBT $19.95 Railfans' Association. Code# BX77 $55.00 Three great tapes that are a must if you Logging Railroads of plan to travel to Europe and use the rail the Sierras systems. Interesting and informative, these Travel back to the 1950's to visit both the are a great way to experience the rail West Side and Pickering Lumber Compa­ systems of each country. nies. Follow the logs as they are cut and SjJ� transported back to the mills to be cut into # boards. View the various Heisler and Shay locomotives in action and learn about each. Check or Money Order P.O. Box 94911, 20 Minutes WESTSIDE $24.95 Visa/MasterCard VHSor BETA Pasadena, CA 91109

Available at your local hobby store or direct from Pentrex -

Please add $4.00 shipping per order, plus $1.00 for each additional item. Canadian customers add $5.00 shipping per order, plus $1.00 for each additional item. CA residents please add 8.25% sales tax. MN residents please add 6.5% sales tax. All other foreign customers add $10.00 per item. - units with PTC: 6070, 6072, 6062, 5767, - CP Rail 6073, 6064, 6065, 6075, 6074, 5768, 6066, BC Raii 5770, 6076, 5771, 6068, 6078 and 5772. LOCOMOTIVE NEWS: Leased MPI SD40s In a reverse move, "B" cab 5714 has The last of the eight Alco M630s retained 9017-9020 have been transferred from become a leader again, complete with U.S. after the arrival of the new General Elec­ Alyth to Toronto for maintenance ; they FRA-modification; it was outshopped from tric Dash 8-40CMs in 1990 was retired are used primarily in international ser­ Ogden on Nov. 26. and left the property at the end of vice. CP has also leased 15 SD40-2 units Rebuilt SD40 5535, 5545 and 5548 have November 1991. Big Aleos 702, 710, 715 from GATX; to avoid conflict, the GATX been equipped with QTron, a modification and 719 were officially retired November units are identified GSCX and are num­ similar to Positive Traction Control which 27; 706, 720, 723 and 726 had been re­ bered 7358-7373. CP leased SD40-2s 1731 is designed to increase hauling capacity. tired October 11. All were shipped to GE and 1732 from Ontario Northland Dec. 5, at Montreal. and will also be leasing three SD40 or NEWS SHORTS: On Nov. 8, a culvert pipe Meanwhile, M630 705, retired in 1990 SD40-2s from the Algoma Central, three collapsed under a westward freight on and traded-in to GE , has been rebuilt by ex-Rock Island GP40s from GO Transit the Thompson Sub in British Columbia GE Montreal as the first Alco Super 7. and three SD40s and one SD60 from EMD. derailing SD40-2s 5694/5957/6056 plus 12 The GECX 5000 was sent to Mexico as a Soo Line is delivering through Win­ cars. The trio of damaged units went to demonstrator in November. This unit re­ nipeg up to eleven SD60 units it is loaning Ogden Shops for repairs ...Alyth- Co­ tains all of the Alco features including CP in payment for horsepower hours quitlam drag freight 967, formerly 67, is the Alco 251 motor and Aleo carbody, but owed: 6008, 6013, 6017, 6023, 6043, 6047, now 991; and 969, Coquitlam empties, is has been completely overhauled and the 6053, 6055, 6060, 6061 and 6062. now 571, carrying that number through electrical system has been upgraded to SW900 6716, renumbered 6195 on from the Soo Line. It will connect at Super 7 standards. With the sizeable September 24, will eventually become the Golden with traffic from the KCN (Koote­ fleet of Alcos still in service on CN and new Ogden Shops (Calgary) switcher. In a nay Central North freight from Cran­ CP, and tight budgets, the Alco Super 7 temporary move, the 6195 has gone to Co­ brook) which will no longer run through might be just what CN and CP have been quitlam, with veteran SW900 6720 resum­ to the coast ...CP has applied to aban­ looking for. ing its duties at the Calgary backshop. don most of the remaining part of its The sixth RS18C Cat rebuild, the 608, SD40s released from Angus Shops re­ Shamrock Sub in Saskatchewan, from entered service on Dec. 18. As of January built to Dash 2 specifications : 5542, Tyson west to McMahon ...The Radville the 610 and 614 were in Squamish Loco­ 5541, 5544, 5548 and 5535. SD40-2 units Sub in Saskatchewan from Exon to Wil­ motive Rebuild Center being rebuilt. released from Ogden Shops with PTC low Bunch, recently acquired from CN in The British Columbia government has modification: 5955, 6014, 5952, 5941, exchange for CP's Meadow Lake Sub, is appropriated $500,000 towards necessary 5956, 5958, 5964, 5967, 5980, 5988, 5994, getting its light 60 lb. rail replaced with mechanical work and the overhaul of Roy­ 5996 and 6020. SD40-2 units released "newer" 85-lb. rail dating back to 1890 al Hudson standby 2-8-0 No. 3716. It form Ogden Shops as "B" non-control and 1913-1917 should be operational sometime in 1992.

ILLINOIS CENTRA L

local children to have time to visit with 1967 and 1978 at Paducah, Ky. Train Crew Size Reduced Santa Claus, walk through the locomotive Railroad management is thinking cabs and blow the horn and ring the bell. about having the pre-1970 SD40s-6000- An agreement has been reached between 6018 and 6040-6071-upgraded to Dash 2 Illinois Central and the United Transporta­ standards this year. Also, the pre-Dash 2 tion Union allowing most IC trains to be Single-track Delays GP38s on the roster, 9510 and 9520-9552, crewed by a conductor, an engineer and may also be upgraded ...As of the first one brakeman, with the brakeman posi­ During 1991 IC completed its two year pro­ part of December, IC had 542 locomotives tion eliminated on through trains with no ject to convert the Chicago-New Orleans on the roster; of these, 107 locomotives more than two stops. Thanks to the new mainline from double track to CTC were in heavy bad order storage due to agreement average crew size should de­ equipped single track. The change over accident damage, bad wheels, truck or cline to 2.6 employees per train from the from double and triple-track to single track main generator problems: 22 SW14s, 11 current 3.4 employees. About 200 to 225 on the south side of Chicago had caused SD20s, two GP35s, five GP40s, six SD40s, jobs could be eliminated, UTU officials some problems with trains trying to enter 23 GP8s, 20 GP I0s, nine GPlls, one SD28 said. Severance packages of up to $60,000 and exit Markham Yard. The current year (9451), four GP38s and four GP38-2s. Six­ were to be offered to employees who de­ may see a few track changes in the Chica­ ty-seven locomotives were in ready stor­ cided to leave before Jan. 1. go area to reduce the delays of having age : six SW14s, one SD20, 27 GP8s, 29 crews die on the hours of service law wait­ GP I0s, one GPl l and three GP38-2s ... ing to get their trains into the yard facility. During November and December IC Special Movements leased 10 GPI0s to the Southern Pacific: 8021, 8217, 8274, 8292, 8313, 8314, 8316, On Dec. 14 and 15, Illinois Central ran its Decline of the First Generation Geeps 8321, 8331 and 8371. annual Santa Claus Train over the main line between Rantoul and Kankakee, Ill. IC management is looking at low-horse­ The 1991 Christmas season marked the power units as possible trade-in material Preservation News 21st anniversary of this all-volunteer em­ on more reconditioned SD40-2s-another ployee train. On Saturday, Dec. 14, the threat to the dwindling number of aging A group has been formed to save the Illi­ train ran from Rantoul to Gilman with a Geeps on the roster. For the past 20 years nois Central depot in Cherokee, Iowa (now special side trip run down the former St. you were almost sure to see either a GP8 located on the Chicago Central). The Louis main line to Thawville. On Sunday, or GPI0 on an ICIICG train, but now it's a group is working to raise $57,000 to pur­ Dec. 15, the train ran from Gilman to rare sight (in fact, there are no GP8s active chase and renovate the depot. Future Kankakee. The train consisted of at this time). At one time there were al­ plans include restoring the depot's canopy sparkling-clean GPlls 8715 and 8743 and most 400 GP8s and GP I0s on the roster, roof by the tracks and restoring the Chero­ safety cars Nos. 14 and 15. The special but since 1985 the railroad has sold or re­ kee yard turntable for excursion train use. stopped in many towns along the way for tired most of the units rebuilt between Th anks to Chuck Sp erlak and Jon Roma.

18 . MARCH 1992 TERN

hearings will be conducted by Chief Admin­ NRE , reported last month, along with the They're Back istrative Law Judge Paul Cross at Valentine, return of the four NRE SD40s, will permit Neb., on Feb. 4-6. Meanwhile, the Nebraska the storage of 13 Geeps: GP7s 4283, 4460, Last month we reported C&NW's sale of 53 Rural Development Commission voted on 4466, 4469, 4475, 4478 and 4484-85; and old EMD road locomotives to National Rail­ Dec. 13 to send a resolution to the Nebraska GP9s 4538-39, 4541, 4543 and 4545. Mean­ way Equipment Company. Most observers legislature supporting purchase of the line while, C&NW leased five ex-Santa Fe thought these veterans had seen the last by the State. To date, though, there has B36-7s from General Electric; these are of C&NW rails when they clanked through been no action by the legislature. among the locomotives Santa Fe turned the Iowa Interstate interchange in Des back to the builder for marketing in 1989. Moines in November and December. That The Santa Fe units, numbered 7484 and conclusion, though, proved premature. Omaha line Sale 7491-7494, are aSSigned to coal line service, Early in January ex-C&NW SD40s 869, replacing five SD40-2s, which will be stored. 878, 889 and 892, which were among On Dec. 23 the ICC okayed an agreement As of early January, seven of the 11 those sold to NRE, turned up in Proviso, under which a portion of C&NW's South NRE-Ieased GP38s were on the property. headed to Marshalltown, Iowa, on C&NW. Omaha, Neb., trackage would be sold to Their lineage and proposed assignments At the Marshalltown diesel shop C&NW Union Pacific. UP wants the C&NW track were reportedly as follows: employees set up the units for a return to segment, which measures 4,497 feet, to per­ service. All C&NW markings (heralds on mit westbound trains from the Falls City Number/Builders plate Proposed Assignment the cab sides and "CNW" initials on the Subdivision (ex-Missouri Pacific Kansas nose) were painted out and replaced with City-Omaha line) to continue west on UP's 4701 (SECX 3821) 786237-1 Kansas City "NRE" cab side initials. The units then re­ Council Bluffs Subdivision (Omaha-North 4702 (SECX 3822) 786237-2 Peoria turned to Proviso, where they were as­ Platte), and to permit trains from North Plat­ 4703 (SECX 3823) 786237-3 Kansas City signed to service on Job 72, the daily te to go to Kansas City without running all 4704 (C&O 4826) 7274-7 Twin Cities transfer round trip to CSX's Barr Yard, and the way through downtown Omaha to UP's 4705 (CSX 2105) 7274-16 Chadron Job 79, the daily Illinois Central transfer. Council Bluffs yard and turningaround, as 4706 (CSX 2070) 7060-71 Chadron they do now. UP willconstruct two connec­ 4711 (SECX 3820) 72689-4 Wisconsin tions to C&NW's track in order to complete labor Agreement Ratified this bypass route. C&NW has agreed to sell this track to UP and abandon the balance of Short Items North Western formally announced on Dec. its South Omaha line between South Oma­ 16 that its United Transportation Union ha and Dodge Street, a distance of 5.8 miles. General Motors' December announce­ employees had ratified the new crew At one time this line extended to a connec­ ment that it would close a number of do­ consist agreement reported in our last col­ tion with C&NW's Chicago-Fremont main mestic vehicle assembly plants sent a umn. The new agreement gives C&NW the line at Arlington, Neb. chill down the collective spines of most right to eliminate all brakeman positions U.S. railroads, but not North Western. GM and operate trains with only an engineer recently completed retooling an assembly and a conductor, and without any work Power Realignment line at its Janesville, Wis., plant to pro­ rule restrictions. C&NW estimated that ini­ duce Chevrolet Suburbans and Blazers. tially about 80 percent of its crews would The return of the old SD40s is part of a North Western expects the plant to con­ be cut to two persons. The company plans broader power realignment that appears tinue to generate profitable carloadings to operate all road freights with two-per­ to be aimed at reducing the number of old for some time. son crews, along with 85 percent of its Geeps and high-maintenance SD40-2s in Automatic Train Control-equipped UP wayfreights and 45 percent of its yard as­ service. C&NW officials have stated pub­ C40-8Ws in the 9456-9480 series have signments. This will permit the elimination licly that the company intends to retire its been appearing in the lead on C&NW of about 580 brakeman positions, saving Geeps as major repairs become necessary. trains through Iowa since they were deliv­ the company $20-25 million a year. The growing lineup of stripped GP7 car­ ered. Also putting in an appearance on Brakeman hired prior to Sept. 9, 1988, casses at Proviso Yard bears mute testi­ KCPRA for Dec. 22 was GP50 5074, a rare the effective date of the prior crew consist mony to this policy. Just before Christmas, sight on the main line these days. rules, were eligible for a $100,000 payment GP7s 4356 and 4357 were scrapped and Th anks to Jim Ford, Chris Um scheid, if they chose to resign. Brakemen hired af­ loaded in gondolas at Proviso. Bruno Berzins, Michael M. Bartels, Jim ter that date received $50,000 for quitting. North Western's lease of 11 GP38s from Sea crest and Mike Raimondi. If fewer than 580 brakemen take the buy­ out, the remaining displaced employees will be placed on reserve boards until their seniority will permit them to hold jobs. During that time, the affected employees FIRST - CLASS RAIL ROAD PINS ,. will be paid 75 percent of their normal wages. Employees staying on the job, The BEST in railroad pins - meanwhile, received a one-time bonus of RR heralds, name-trains, $15,000 as well as higher wage levels. manufacturer's logos, signs, builder's plates, North Western will take a charge against and more. fourth quarter 1991 earnings to cover the up-front cost of this arrangement. Custom pin service for - railroads, tourist railways, historical societies, clubs, museums and conventions. Cowboy line Developments

The Interstate Commerce Commission an­ nounced on Dec. 17 that it plans to conduct hearings on C&NW's application to aban­ don its Norfolk-Chadron, Neb., line. The

PACIFIC RAILNews . 19 eginning as a small stream at Lake Itasca in north central Junction (located in La Crescent, Minn.), and Sabula to Musca­ Minnesota, the Mississippi River eventually becomes one of tine, Iowa, have seen extensive physical improvements. Today it the mightiest rivers in the world as its winds its way more is some of the most well-maintained and heavily trafficked Soo than 1,000 miles to Louisiana. Since grades along the water Line trackage. The River Line not only offers trains along the are minimal, railroad builders found the banks of the Mis­ scenic Mississippi, but also is rife with bridges, depots and street Bsissippi a logical place to construct rights-of-way. Certainly one trackage through picturesque river towns. of the river'S most notable stretches is where it borders Iowa, Illi­ The rails from St. Paul to River Junction in La Crescent, Minn. nois, Wisconsin and Minnesota and the Burlington Northern hugs (across the Mississippi from La Crosse), were originally spiked the east bank of the Mississippi and the Soo Line the west. down by the St. Paul & Chicago Railroad between 1869 and 1872; Though BN's route is better known (see the August 1990 PRN) the line south of La Crescent was completed to the Iowa border by Soo's 361-mile "River Line" from St. Paul, Minn., to Muscatine, the Chicago, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad in 1872. The line from Iowa, is arguably more scenic and more intriguing. the Iowa border south to Clinton was constructed in 1871, with Soo's riverside trackage traces it's history to the Milwaukee segments south of Clinton completed between 1901 and 1903. To­ Road, which was purchased by Soo in 1985. Since that time, the day, these lines form an integral part of the Soo Line's Chicago-St. mainline portions of the River Line, between St. Paul and River Paul, Chicago-Kansas City and St. Paul-Kansas City routes.

20 • MARCH 1992 MINNESOTA

WISCONSIN

IOWA

ILLINOIS

Following the contours of the Mississippi River, a Soo Line 223 train passes Lake­ view siding just south of Lake City, Minn., on Oct. 16, 1991. Steve Glischinski

STEVE GLiSCHINSKI

CTC-signaling, using portions of the old double track to create St. Paul to River Junction-River Subdivision long passing sidings. The portion from River Junction to East Midland, near Wabasha, was single-tracked in 1988, and from The trackage from St. Paul to River Junction was once part of the Midland to Hastings in 1989. In the 1990s the project reached in­ Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific main from Chicago to the to Wisconsin. Another Soo Line goal is to have ribbon rail in­ West Coast, route of the storied Hiawathas. The first Hi awatha en­ stalled over the entire subdivision; only about 30 miles of track tered service on May 29, 1935 ; for 37 years a Hi awatha of one type are yet to be treated. or another served the River Line. Today, Amtrak's Empire Builder St. Paul marks the start of Soo's River Subdivision. It is also still continues the passenger train tradition on the River Line. Soo's main yard in the Twin Cities, with a major hump facility When Soo Line purchased the Milwaukee, the line from St. and diesel shop. For the 126 miles from St. Paul to River Junction, Paul to River Junction was primarily double track with ABS sig­ the River Sub follows the contours of the Mississippi on a series naling. While the trackage had been upgraded by the Milwaukee of sweeping and photogenic curves. Trains are under CTC con­ in the late 1970s, by 1985 it was not up to Soo's standards. Rather trol the entire distance. Chicago & North Western has trackage than invest millions to rehabilitate both main lines, Soo decided it rights over the Soo from Tunnel City, Wis., to Tower CK in was more economical to single-track the line and equip it with Winona, where it connects with spinoff Dakota, Minnesota &

PA CIFIC RAILNews . 21 LEFT: With the grain elevators of Lake City visible in the distance, 5D60M 6058 roars through a winter landscape on Dec. 24, 1990, with a 484 train . BELOW: In a River Line scene which recalls an earlier era of railroading, a westbound Milwaukee Road freight powered by 5040-2 163 passes the charming Red Wing depot, complete with semaphore signals. Both photos, Steve Glischinski

Eastern. From La Crosse to River Junc­ tion trains use Soo radio channel two (161.520) and from River Junction to St. Paul channel four (160.770) is used. From St. Paul to St. Croix (milepost 392.1), Soo's and Burlington Northern's river lines share trackage; there are two main tracks, controlled by BN's East Hump dispatcher at Northtown Yard in Minneapolis. From St. Paul, ascertaining track ownership can be confusing. The normal eastward track (No. 2) is owned by BN, while the westward track (No. 1) is owned by Soo. At Newport, four miles from St. Paul, ownership reverses. The trackage just west of St. Croix is very scenic, with track number 2 running very close to the Mississippi, while track 1 descends a stiff grade to Newport. BN dispatchers will usually, but not always, route westbound Soo trains onto track 2 at St. Croix so they can easily access St. Paul Yard. The two tracks come close to­ gether again at Newport where there are double crossovers; dispatchers will fre­ quently have trains change tracks here depending on traffic. At Oakland, anoth­ er set of crossovers allow trains access to and from St. Paul Yard from track 1. East of St. Croix, Highway 61 bridges the Soo; just west of the overpass is the former station of St. shots and a view of the recently restored depot. Photography is Croix Junction, where Milwaukee Road's branch to Bayport and best here in the afternoon, for westbound trains. Stillwater, Minn., left the main line ; it was abandoned in 1979 in The trackage heads inland southeast of Red Wing, but just favor of trackage rights over the C&NW. Just prior to entering north of Lake City the tracks return to the Mississippi, and there Hastings, Minn., Soo's River Line crosses the Mississippi on a is a panoramic view of the river. At the southeastern outskirts of huge, single-track lift bridge. Hastings is a classic river town, the city, Highway 61 bridges the tracks; just east of the overpass complete with a large depot at the foot of main street along with is appropriately named Lakeview siding. a one-stall engine house. Hastings was once the junction with a From Lakeview to Reads Landing is the most scenic segment branch that headed west to the Milwaukee's Iowa, Minnesota & of the River Sub as it follows the wide expanse of Lake Pepin. Dakota Division main at Farmington. For the next 10 miles the railroad is practically in the river it self, Leaving Hastings on Highway 54, you parallel the Soo past progressing southeastward through the tiny communities of Vermillion, then you use County 18 (reached via County 68) to ac­ Maple Springs and Camp Lacupolis in a series of dramatic, cess Blackbird, end of the double track. County 18 takes you past sweeping curves. Keep your eyes open in this area for the bald Northern States Power's Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant and a eagles that nest along the river. Soo hot box and dragging equipment detector; just south of From Reads Landing to Weaver the Soo main stays close to Prairie Island is Duke siding. Follow County 18 back to U.S. 61 the highway, but away from the Mississippi. Wabasha offers a which takes you into Red Wing. Red Wing offers three overhead good photo opportunity at the Highway 60 overpass. The town is

22 • MARCH 1992 -----� ST.PAUL YARD

VERMILLION

--- PRARIE ISLAND - �WER PLANT

LOCK & DAM NO. 3

W I S C o N S I N

also the site of Soo's rail welding plant and boasts Minnesota's 500 5060 6030 takes the low oldest operating hotel, the Anderson House, which opened in road on track No. 2 on the 1856. Three miles south of Wabasha is the passing siding of Mid­ joint BN-Soo trackage be­ land, near the former Midland Junction where a branch headed tween St. Paul and St. Croix west to Zumbro Falls and Zumbrota. Tower. In minutes, the two Kellogg offers a nice overhead view from an abandoned high­ routes will separate and the way bridge. Just south of town is another talking detector, and then 202 train will follow Soo track­ age across the Mississippi at Weaver there is another passing siding. Between Minnieska and - River to Hastings, Minn. Mike Whitman the tracks once again hug the river'S edge, offering many Cleary photo, Fred Hyde col­ LOCK DAM great photos. A dramatic view can be obtained by climbing a trail to & lection NO. 4 the top of the bluff at John A. Latsch State Park. Another good view is found at the overhead bridge to Lock and Dam NO. 5. At Minnesota City you encounter another Soo siding, as well as the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern line from Rochester which parallels the Soo main into Winona. Just west of the former loca­ tion of Tower CK, the DM&E enters Soo trackage to access Chica­ go & North Western's Winona yard east of the Soo main. Tower JOHN A. LATSCH � STATE PARK ---- LOCK & DAM WHITMAN NO. 5 CK, demolished in the 1980s, protected the C&NW diamond, Mississippi rivers on two single-track drawbridges. Just west of which has also been removed. Winona's recently restored Amtrak the Mississippi, at River Junction East, one leg of a huge wye ties depot is on the east side of the tracks in the center of town. into the main line to River Junction and St. Paul; the other leads Winona was once served by Burlington and Green Bay & to the Dubuque Subdivision. Western. Winona Bridge Terminal Railway, owned by CB&Q and GB&W, bridged the river into Winona. The bridge and 35 miles of BN trackage were also used by the Milwaukee Road to River Junction to Sabula-Dubuque Subdivision access Trevino and its branch line to Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, Wis. In recent years, business for BN and GB&W in Winona had been minimal, consisting primarily of interchange In contrast to the busy main line north of River Junction, the that could be handled at La Crosse. The Winona Bridge was Dubuque Sub has a more rural flavor, with slower trains and destroyed by fire on Dec. 17, 1989. smaller cities and towns. Maximum speed over the entire route is Highway 61 follows the Soo from Winona to River Junction, start currently 30 mph. The entire subdivision is controlled by track of the Dubuque Subdivision. Highlights in this stretch include a sid­ warrants, issued by the "Iowa" dispatchers in Milwaukee. Soo ing at Homer, a talking detector at milepost 299.2 and a great photo radio channel one (161.370) is in use on this line. location at Donehower siding. Just north of River Junction, at Dako­ This part of the Milwaukee was a popular target for photog­ ta, Interstate 90 joins Highway 61. Dakota also offers a small plat­ raphers right up to the Milwaukee embargo of 1980, thanks to form that serves as a river viewing stand for residents that is also local trains 412 and 413, typically powered by strings of or­ an excellent shooting platform for trains . Another good location for ange-and-black F-units. At the time of the embargo, the River eastbounds is found at Lock and Dam NO. 7. A mile north of River Junction-Marquette portion of the line was shut down, but lat­ Junction 1-90 swings east across the Mississippi to La Crosse, Wis.; er reopened for through traffic. at River Junction, Soo's main to Chicago follows suit. Heading south from River Junction, Highway 61 bridges the La Crosse marks the end of Soo's River Sub. La Crosse was railroad at La Crescent, where a small yard is maintained. Two once an important Milwaukee Road town, serving as a crew miles south was the former station of IM&D Junction, where Mil­ change point with a two-story depot containing dispatchers' of­ waukee's line west to Austin, Minn., and the Dakotas connected fices, as well as a large roundhouse and turntable. Today there until its abandonment in 1978. From La Crescent south, the rail­ are no dispatchers, the roundhouse is unused and there are crew road closely parallels Highway 26. At Reno, another branch once changes on only select trains (most run through and change at connected to the main, running to Preston, Minn., and a connec­ Portage, Wis.). The depot still is in use for Amtrak's Empire tion with the Austin-La Crescent line. It was abandoned from Builder. Just east of the depot the Soo crosses BN's River Line at Reno to Caledonia in 1948. Grand Crossing, which featured the last continuously manned in­ At New Albin, just over the stateline in Iowa, a small white terlocking tower in Wisconsin. The tower closed on Jan. 28, 1991. frame depot still stands. Now away from the river, the railroad Leaving La Crosse westbound, trains bridge the Black and continues to parallel Highway 26 from New Albin to Lansing,

24 • MARCH 1992 /,LOCK & DAM /' NO. 5A TOWER CK

LAMOILLE

- LOCK & DAM NO. 6

RIVER JCT.

passing a siding at Kains. Lansing offers a variety of shots , as the OPPOSITE: Venturing onto the railroad runs right next to the main street. The Highway 9 over­ less-traveled iron of the pass is a choice photo location. After passing through town, the Dubuque Sub a 500 222 train tracks swing east along the river bluffs and past a coal-fired pow­ is about to cross the state line IM&D JCT. er plant which has a rail spur. into Iowa just south of New From Lansing to just north of Marquette the railroad is away Albin, Minn., in October 1990. John Leopard ABOVE: In from roads and is hard along the riverbank. Using county road M 1985, the River Line was pur­ X52, you can access the railroad by following dirt roads to the riv­ chased by 500 along with all er. At Harpers Ferry you access Highway 364, running south into I the other properties of the Waukon Junction, where a branch to Waukon, Iowa, left the downsized Milwaukee Road. N main ; this line was dropped in 1970. Highway 364 takes you to Showing the change in own­ Highway 76, which follows the railroad into Marquette. N ership at work, a Milwaukee The Mason City Subdivision, stretching 250 miles across north­ 222 train is led by 500 754 at E ern Iowa to Mason City and Sheldon, joins the Dubuque Sub at River Junction, Minn., in Octo­ Marquette. Dispatching for the Mason City Sub is handled by the ber of that year. Fred Hyde S · "Minnesota" dispatcher in Milwaukee using track warrants is­ REN sued on Soo radio channel four (160.77). A wye at Marquette al­ � O LOCK & DAM lows Dubuque Sub trains to access the yard on the Mason City NO. 8 line. Trains 380/381, 222/223 and a Marquette-based road switch­ er still switch here. The Milwaukee's original main line from A JEFFERSON

Chicago to the Twin Cities crossed the Mississippi from Prairie du - Chien to Marquette on a floating bridge ; it was removed in 1961. South of McGregor, the railroad sticks close to the river and NEW ALBIN the highways stay inland. Using back roads you can access Clay­ I ton and the siding at Eckards before Highway 52 begins to paral­ lel the tracks just north of Guttenberg. This community still o sports a small depot and a wonderful, ornate church which W makes a great backdrop for northbound trains. South of town, you can follow the tracks on county C9Y, though it is rough go­ A ing. There is a siding at Turkey River, a nice deck bridge at North Buena Vista and a pleasant river scene at Spechts Ferry. Just north of Dubuque is Edmore siding, then it's into the city itself. Dubuque is as interesting a city as you will find in the Mid­ west. Old buildings, an incline railway, and three railroads are among the highlights. The Soo winds through downtown, partial­ ly on its own rails, then swings onto Chicago Central & Pacific rails for 2.7 miles. The Soo maintains a medium-sized yard, but the Milwaukee had a large shop here, with an almost completely circular roundhouse, which remained standing into the 1980s. In LOCK & DAM addition to CC&P, EN locals cross the Mississippi River on the NO. 9 CC&P bridge to reach the city. Chicago Great Western trains also used the bridge. After C&NW took over CGW in 1968, the North Western gradually reduced its presence in the city, pulling out completely on March 31, 1981. Soo leaves CC&P rails at Wood interlocking, just south of the city; a great view can be obtained from the Julien Dubuque Mon­ ument. From this point, the rails stay close to the river while the main roads are inland, until just north of Bellevue. The Soo main bisects Bellevue's main street; the street running here is proba­ bly the most unique location on the entire River Line. For a spec­ tacular view of the rail line you can drive into Bellevue State Park located on a high bluff on the south side of town. Green Island is the former junction point where the aban­ doned Milwaukee main line headed west across Iowa to Oma­ ha; today it's hard to believe that Milwaukee/UP City streamlin­ ers roared through here until 1971. The sidings at Samoa are frequently used for meets or picking up and setting out cars destined to and from Chicago ; east/west Highway 64 bridges the tracks here. One mile further east is Sabula Junction, which is the end of the Dubuque Subdivision and the junction with the Davenport Subdivision.

Sabula to Muscatine-Davenport Subdivision

The Davenport Subdivision, part of Soo's Southern Division, be­ gins at Pingree Grove, Ill. (just west of Elgin and the end of the Chicago commuter district), and continues 261 miles to Ottumwa, Iowa. The primary mission of the Davenport Sub is to serve as a conduit for Soo trains destined to and from Kansas City, as well as to handle traffic off the Mason City and Dubuque subdivisions heading for Chicago and K.C. The Milwaukee Road considered dropping the Kansas City route from its system in the late 1970s, but the route became one of the Milwaukee's busier lines thanks to the emergence of Kansas City as a major rail center and new interchange agree­ ments with SP and Grand Trunk Western. In 1989, Soo agreed to sell the Davenport and Kansas City subdivisions to Southern Pacific (Sao would have retained trackage rights), but the deal fell through in August 1990. Because the line to Kansas City

26 • MARCH 1992 PRAIRIE DU CHEIN grew to such importance, the Milwaukee Road spent many of MARQUETTE its scarce dollars on improving and upgrading the line; Soo continues this practice, though reportedly the route is still on the sale block. The Davenport Sub encounters the Mississippi at Savanna, lll. , formerly a crew change point and major hub for the Milwaukee Road. After crossing BN's river line, the tracks enter a causeway on the river before double track ends at the Sabula Drawbridge. Up to this point trains are under ABS and track warrant control; the draw­ bridge marks the beginning of a short stretch of CTC. The bridge operator at Sabula is one of the last true "operators" on the line ; he is equipped with a fax machine and issues bulletins to crews. At Sabula Junction trains can swing north to the Dubuque Sub or south for Clinton, the Quad Cities and Kansas City. Top speed between Sabula and Muscatine is 49 mph, but there are numer­ I ous restrictions which keep trains under that speed. South of the junction trains pass the abandoned station of Elk River Junction o � LOCK &DAM where a line ran west connecting with the Milwaukee main to W NO.10 Omaha. At the west end of Deer Creek siding CTC ends and "­ track warrants are issued for the trip into Davenport. A talking A hot box detector is located at milepost 150.0. GUTTENBERG

At Clinton, C&NW's Chicago-Fremont main line is encoun­ TOP LEFT: The Julien Dubuque tered. The Milwaukee once crossed the North Western tracks on a monument offers a panoram­ diamond guarded by a large brick interlocking tower. This ar­ ic view of the city named for rangement was modified so that the Milwaukee used a short the explorer, the Mississippi stretch of C&NW and crossed over both mains, passing C&NW's River and Soo's riverside former passenger depot. Much business is generated in Clinton trackage. This scene from the TURKEY RIVER for C&NW, BN and Soo by the large Clinton Corn Processing Plant. Milwaukee era, in April 1977, Between Clinton and West Davenport the railroad no longer shows a 240 train departing NORTH belongs to Soo, but to Davenport, Rock Island & North Western Dubuque southbound. Note -�"" IBUENA VISTA Railway (commonly referred to as the Dry Line), a terminal rail­ Illinois Central Gulf's line to road jointly owned by Soo and BN. The Dry Line operates 48 Waterloo (now the CC&P miles of track and owns six SW1200s and two SW7s, all painted main), departing to the left white with black trim. Main line operations over the Dry Line are from Wood interlocking. Mark controlled by track warrants issued by the Soo Iowa dispatcher in Nelson BOTTOM LEFT: A spec­ Milwaukee. Running south out of Clinton, the tracks pass tacular blufftop view of a through Comanche and Princeton, where Soo plans to install a southbound 500 Line grain train rolling through the streets new hot box detector in 1992. At Le Claire the railroad begins a of Bellevue, Iowa, on March gradual east-west turn following the Mississippi. 10, 1991. Tom Danneman BE­ The Soo enters the Quad Cities at Bettendorf; the Dry Line LOW: Marquette is a busy has a yard here. Three miles later, at Water Works, the 10-mile junction point where Soo's spur to Eldridge, Iowa, leaves the main. This branch once contin­ line across northern Iowa ued north 12 miles to a crossing of the Green Island-Council joins the Dubuque Sub. On Bluffs line at Oxford Junction and a connection with other Aug. 12, 1990, a 500 west­ branches at Monticello, Iowa. Beyond Water Works the railroad bound backs off the wye and passes under the west end of the ex-Rock Island bridge over the past the depot at Marquette Mississippi and through the city of Davenport, passing Union Sta­ to clear for an eastbound tion. Just beyond the station, a wye leads to the Crescent Bridge from Mason City. Mel Finzer

I L L I N o I S and the branch to Nitrin and Albany, IlL, once the Milwaukee's main line from Savanna to the Quad Cities. River Line Operations At West Davenport, double track and ABS signaling begin again. From there, it's a two-mile hop to Nahant, nerve center of Operations over the three subdivisions that encompass the Riv­ the Davenport Sub with a large yard, roundhouse and car repair er Line are varied and sometimes complicated, but they make facility. Some trains out of Kansas City are reclassified here, with for a fascinating web of trains to watch and photograph. Note yard crews also making up local patrols and handling cars from that times listed are in 24-hour military time as per Soo operat­ trains 222/223 and 228/229. All trains change crews at Nahant. ing practice. Train times are, of course, subject to traffic levels Double track and ABS/Track Warrant Control continue west an­ and operating conditions and can vary. other 23 miles to High Bridge. This trackage formerly belonged to the Rock Island with Milwaukee trains having trackage rights; the River Subdivision Milwaukee acquired the line in 1982. The stretch from Nahant to High Bridge is paralleled by Highway 22 and the Mississippi; there The River Sub is one of the Soo's busiest main lines, handling traffic are hot box detectors at milepost 207.3. The end of double track is from Canadato Chicago, as well as Twin Cities-Chicago traffic and reached at High Bridge one mile before the yard at Muscatine. coal trains. Traffic is generally heaviest during the morning hours.

28 • MARCH 1992 nate and terminate at St. Paul Yard. However, they are permitted to travel at intermodal speeds and do have priority over other trains. In addition to these trains, Soo operates two to three extra trains each day between Chicago and the Twin Cities which can In the late 1970s, photographers flocked to the run at any time. There are also coal trains. Eastbound, train 882 Dubuque Sub to catch the aging Milwaukee comes off the BN at a new connection at Tintah, Minn., and trav­ Road F-units that regularly plied the line. On Aug. els the Soo to the Wisconsin Power Plant at Columbia, near 20, 1978, a 413 train is northbound atSpechts Fer­ Portage, Wis. Train 880 comes off the C&NW at St. Paul for ry wHh a trio of weather-beaten covered wagons Columbia. Both trains usually run through on the Soo with BN providing the power. Steve Glischlnski and C&NW power, which enables photographers to shoot BN SD60Ms cruising Soo's side of the Mississippi. North Western­ originated trains frequently carry Union Pacific power. West­ bound empties for both these symbols are commonly referred to as 881 trains. BN also delivers train 886 (887 empty westbound) to the Soo at St. Paul; this coal move is destined for Dairyland Power at Weston, Wis., on the Wisconsin Central and Soo retains trackage rights to reach the plant. There are also frequent potash trains (numbered in the 600-se­ ries), grain extras (300-series), and a coke train (888) which occa­ sionally puts in an appearance on the River Sub. Soo operates a variety of locals on the River Sub. At Hastings, a switcher goes on duty at 0800 weekdays, working the Con­ Agra flour mill and various feed mills. This job can also run west to 3M's Chemolite plant. At 8 p.m. a daily road switch crew takes over, which also works Hastings, 3M or the Cottage Grove auto­ mobile unloading facility. This job can work east as far as Wabasha, if necessary, although it seldom does. At RedWing and Wabasha, road switch crews go to work week­ days at 0800. The limits of these two locals overlap. Winona also has its own local service on weekdays. At 0700 a crew goes to work to handle local industry and C&NW interchange. At 1700 a road switch crew comes on duty; it works as far east as River Junction and La Crosse. All these locals usually rate GP38-2s for power.

Dubuque Subdivision The Dubuque Subdivision sees quite a bit of daytime train activi­ ty .. The hottest trains are St. Paul-Kansas City daily trains 430/431. Train 431 carries finished trucks, while 430 carries auto­ mobiles and parts. Train 431 is scheduled to leave St. Paul at 0045, River Junction at 0445, Dubuque at 0945 and Nahant at 1545. Eastbound, train 430 leaves Ottumwa at 0845, arriving at Nahant at 1100. Here, the train is switched, separating Chicago from St. Paul traffic, with departure at 1300. A one-hour stop is scheduled at Dubuque from 2030 to 2130, the River Sub is reached at River Junction at 0330, with arrival at the Cottage Grove auto unloading facility at 0800. The train usually beats this schedule and is into St. Paul by 0600. The "local" trains on the Dubuque Sub are 222 and 223. These used to be the through St. Paul-Kansas City auto-carrying trains, but were downgraded after 430/431 were inaugurated. Train 223 is called out of St. Paul at 0715, stopping at River Junction at midday. The 223 works at MarquettelMcGregor 1445 to 1530, Dubuque 1800 to 1900, and arrives at Nahant at 2330. Train 222 is scheduled out of Nahant at 0001, but frequently does not depart until 5 or 6 a.m. Ifon schedule, it arrives Dubuque 0414 and River Junction at 1015. Ar­ rival at St. Paul is scheduled for 1415. The trains are scheduled to run daily, but sometimes are annulled during periods of light traffic. Train 381 is a grain train, operating between Mason City and Muscatine. Its schedule is "customer driven" and is greatly depen­ dent on grain movements. Much of the grain is transloaded to Unlike many roads, the Milwaukee numbered southbound barges on the Mississippi at McGregor and Dubuque during the trains with even numbers. Consequently, trains from St. Paul and warm-weather months. During slow periods trains may be an­ Chicago to Kansas City on the River, Dubuque and Davenport nulled, but at harvest time two or more sections of 381 may oper­ subs, which were considered southbound, carried even numbers, ate. The 381 is scheduled to work at Marquette 2030-2050 and ar­ even though directionally they were traveling westbound. This rive in Dubuque at 2359. Departure is at 0200, arrival at Samoa, practice continued until June 1991, when Soo Line flipped the where grain for Chicago is set out, is at 0400. The 381 also works odd/even designations and also renumbered many trains to con­ Clinton, arriving at Nahant at 1000. During the Mississippi's naviga­ form with the numbering system of owner CP Rail. Even so, it can tion season, the 381 may end its trip at McGregor or Dubuque. be confusing to see Kansas City bound trains, such as 223 coming Train 380 usually consists of empty grain hoppers returning east down the River Sub but running as a westbound train. for loading and operates daily except Monday. It is scheduled to There are other oddities as well. While trains 425 and 430/431 depart Muscatine at 1300, arriving at Nahant between 1400 and carry Sprintsymb ols, they are not Sprint trains in the true sense: 1500. It makes stops at Clinton and Sabula/Samoa before arriving they carry other trafficin addition to intermodal business, such as at Dubuque at 2115. The train reaches Marquette around 0300. automobiles. While allother Sprinttrains originate at Soo's inter­ Crew changes for 380/381 are at Dubuque; these trains usually modal terminal at Shoreham Yard in Minneapolis, these trains origi- rate SD40s for power.

PA CIFIC RAiLNews • 29 LEFT: 500 66 19 and 662 1 have a 228 train in tow as they CUNe along the Mississippi south of Princeton, Iowa, in March 1991. The segment of track between Clinton and Davenport is actually owned by little-known short line Dav­ enport, Rock Island & North Western, jOinlly owned by 500 and BN. Subsequenlly, this segment of the river line sees traffic from DRI&NW and BN in addition to 500. Gregory C. Sieren BELOW: Nahant Ya rd just west of Davenport is the operational center of the DavenportSub. On Jan. 12, 1990, 500 SD60M departs the yard with a westbound train, while MP15 1517, switching a cut of hoppers, works on the adjacent track. Mark Zaputil

In addition to through trains, the Dubuque Sub has a few local jobs. A road switch job is based at Marquette, called at 0700 Monday-Saturday. This crew's work limits are south to Dubuque, north to River Junction, or west on the Mason City Sub to Calmar. The local from Mason City arrives at Marquette on Sunday, Tues­ day and Thursday. The crew rests and returns to Mason City on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. During peak grain periods, a second crew will be assigned to the Marquette road switcher, working at night. Power is usually a GP40 or GP38. At Dubuque, a yard job comes on duty five days a week at 0730. It handles the interchange with Chicago Central & Pacific, and lo­ cal elevators. Power is an SW1200, an MP15AC, or a GP7/9.

DavenportSub division The Davenport Subdivision, like the River Sub, hosts high-priority through traffic, but instead of Chicago-Twin Cities, through trains are Chicago-Kansas City. The Davenport Sub has a variety of yard and road switch jobs. A road switcher based at Clinton works Sunday through Friday,

DAVENPORT SUB SCHEDULED TRAINS

Train No. Days of Operation Destination/Type

220-22 1 Daily Bensenville-K.C. UP coming on duty at 0800. This job usually rates an MP15; switch­ connection ing limits are Deer Creek on the north and Comanche on the 226-227 Daily Bensenville-K.C. SP south. BN operates over the DRI&NW between West Davenport connection and Clinton with a local operating six days a week (Mon.-Sat.). 228-229 Daily Bensenville-Nahant (does This job comes on duty between 0900 and 1000 at Rock Island, Ill. local work westbound, DRI&NW usually operates a pair of switch jobs each week­ eastbound is blocked for day. One is based at Bettendorf, the other at Rock Island; both IHB and runs direct to IHB usually come on duty around 0800. At the old Rock Island Yard in Chicago) in West Davenport, the Soo assigns an SW1200 to service local industries and handle interchange with the Iowa Interstate. This 436-437 Daily Bensenville-K.C. Sprint job is maintained for two shifts, on duty at 0700 and 1500 Mon­ 442-443 As required Chicago-K.C. Double stack to SP day through Friday. At Nahant Yard there is continuous activity, with yard crews going to work at 0700, 1500 and 2300 daily. 786-787 Bi-weekly Coal seNice Oden, Ind., There is an additional yard job at 2359 on weekdays. Power is to Bettendorf usually MP15s, GP9s or GP38s.

30 • MARCH 1992 RIVER SUB SCHEDULED TRAINS I Eastbound L

Train No. Destination/Type Approximate St. Paul Frequency L DepartureTime I

420 Bensenville Sprint 0001 (Shoreham) Tu es.-Sat. N 214 Bensenville (picks up 0300 Daily o at Portage & Milwaukee) 223 Nahant (local) 0800 Daily I 430 K.C.-St. Paul Sprint 0600-0800 (arrives) Daily ELK RIVER JCT. 8 0720 S Amtrak Empire Builder (Midway Station) Daily BULGERS 216 St. Paul to Portage Local 1300 Except Sat. 570 Portal to Chicago, IHB 1600 Daily LOCK &DAM 200 / NO. Twin Ports-Chicago. NS 1700 Daily �.�.... 13 (switched at St. Paul) 422 Bensenville Sprint 1900 (Shoreham) Daily I 560 2330 Noyes-Chicago, IHB Daily o Westbound W A Train No. Destination/Type St. Paul Arrival Frequency Time (approximate)

43 1 K. C. Sprin t 0045 (departs) Daily 57 1 Chicago-Portal 0500 Daily 423 Bensenville-Minneapolis 0700 (Shoreham) Daily Sprint 215 Bensenville-St. Paul 0800 Daily 217 Portage-St. Paul Local 0900 Except Sat. 201 Bensenville-Twin Ports 1000 Daily 42 1 Bensenville-Mpls 1400 (Shoreham) As required Sprin t 56 1 Chicago-Noyes 1500 Daily 7 Amtrak Empire Builder 2340 (Midway Station) Daily 425 Bensenville, Ford 2400 Daily Intermodal LOCK & DAM NO. 14 PLEASANT VALLEY To handle local work along the River Line, Soo operates train RIVERDALE 109, known as the Stone Train, which comes on duty at Nahant Monday through Saturday at 1230. This train does all local and in­ ELDRIDGE dustry work between Nahant and Muscatine, continuing west as SPUR far as Washington, Iowa, as needed. Power is usually a GP38, with an MP 15 tagging along to be traded out for one at Muscatine. Also operating out of Nahant is train 108, which works a pair of branch lines in the Quad Cities area. On duty at 0500 Monday through Fri­ day, 108 crosses the Mississippi into Illinois and works the Nitrin Spur, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and on Tuesday and Thursday it works the Eldridge Branch. Power is typically a GP38. Muscatine also handles a variety of jobs. A switch job comes on duty at 0730 Sunday through Friday and at 0759 and 1559 sev­ en days a week. Monday through Friday there are also yard jobs NITRIN SPUR on duty at 1530 and 1545. Soo's River Line, with a variety of both scenery and trains, is NAHANT one of the most photogenic lines in the Midwest. With high-speed, mainline action as well as secondary lines and terminal activity, BUFFALO the River Line offers something for just about everyone-and all of it can easily be photographed from public roads. A visit to this side of the river is always a rewarding, and fun, experience. Sp ecial thanks to the following Soo Line employees for their assistance: Bud Bulgrin , communication engineer; Dick Ha ave, road foreman of engines, Southern Division, Nahant; Jerry Knickel, assistant division manager of transportation (ADMT), ALL MAPS BY St. Paul; Joe Kramer, ADMT, Nahant; Earl Peck, ADMT, Ma son TOM DANNEMAN AND OCK & DAM NO. 16 City; and John Bergene, director corporate communications. � DON GULBRANDSEN Som e historical data was obtained fr om Fred Hyde's excellent HIGH BRIDGE book, THE MILWA UKEE ROAD, published by Hyrail Productions in MUSCATINE 1991 and the MINNESOTA TRAVEL COMPA NION by Richard Olsenius, TO OnUMWA, K.C. published in 1982 by Bluestem Productions, Wa yzata, Minn.

PA CIFIC RAILNews • 31 ROLLS AGAIN

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELROND G. LAWRENCE

32 • MARCH 1992 � Ir ove over, 844. Look out, 4449. both high-priority freights and name passenger _"",_ There's a new 4-8-4 in the West. trains such as the Chief, Grand Canyon Limited, On Dec. 27-30, Southern California railfans re­ and, of course, the California Limited. The locomo­ ceived a belated Christmas present in the form of tive was an immediate success, and railway tests the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society's found the 3751 to be 20 percent more powerful than long-awaited California Limited excursion from Los AT&SF's previous order of 3700-class 4-8-2s. Angeles to Bakersfield, powered by former Santa Despite its then state-of-the-art technology, Fe 4-8-4 3751. During the four-day trip from Los 3751 received a number of upgrades during its Angeles Union Passenger Terminal to Barstow and Santa Fe career. In 1938, the Santa Fe decided to Bakersfield, 3751 steamed a 16-car train through undertake a major dozens of classic Santa Fe locations, sped across rebuilding of the the desert like a smoking demon, and once again 3751 class, to equal battled twisting grades over two of the most fa­ the just-delivered mous mountain passes in the railfan world. 3765-class fleet. In It was a sight many thought would never happen 1941, the 3751 itself and for those who remembered the 1927 Baldwin went into the re­ during her 28-year display at Viaduct Park in San building program Bernardino, Calif. , it was a sight beyond belief. For and emerged as a those who had contributed time, money and hard brand-new locomo­ work on what ultimately proved to be a 10-year tive, sporting 80- restoration project, it was a sight that finally made inch drivers, new all the hardships and frustrations worth enduring. cylinders, and an in­ creased boiler pres­ sure of 230 psi. The 3751: In The Beginning Baldwin's horse­ power rating was in­ creased to 3,600 in The 3751 began its first life in May 1927, when lo­ the 50 mph range, comotive number 60004 emerged from the erecting and top speed was hall of Baldwin Locomotive Works. The 13th 4-8-4 increased to 90 mph built in America, 3751 had already secured itself a (at one point, the big place in history, being the result of a unique partner­ 4-8-4 recorded an ship between Baldwin and Santa Fe Railway design­ all-time high speed ers. As with today's GP60Ms and Dash 8-40BWs, of 103 mph). The locomotive was now rated for 26 OPPOSITE PA GE: A memo­ 3751 was envisioned to be the first of a "Super passenger cars on level track at 65 mph, as well as rable steam portrait at Fleet" of modernized locomotives, to be used in San­ 15 passenger cars at 20 mph on a 2 percent grade. Summit in Cajon Pass as ta Fe's finest passenger and freight trains. For freight, the 4-8-4 was rated for 105 cars-5,949 ex-Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751- As delivered, 3751 cost $99,172.12. The 4-8-4 tons-on level track at 45 mph. assisted by a pair of 90- was considered conservative in design, with 210 The 3751 was again a mean machine. class warbonnets-charges Ibs. per square inch of boiler pressure, 73-inch Through the reminder of its career, 3751 contin­ past crowds assembled for a photo runby during the driving wheels, and a maximum drawbar horse­ ued to lead the Chiefs , California Limiteds and San Dec. 30 leg of the Califor­ power of 3,200 at 40 mph. Diegans, in addition to troop trains and Shriner spe­ nia Limited. ABOVE: Sunrise Upon delivery 3751 immediately went to work cials. And then in 1953 the end came. Displaced by greets the 3751 in Bakers­ between the West Coast and locations such as sets of blue-and-yellow FTs, the handwriting was field on Dec. 29 as the lo­ Wellington, Kan., and La Junta, Colo., powering already on the wall for 3751 's future when it pulled comotive is readied for a second assault of the Tehachapis. LEFT: The "Zephyr Chief," as the streamliner affectionately came to be known, rests at the Harvey House in Barstow on Dec. 29. Note the remains of the beautiful drumhead, shattered dur­ ing a switch move.

PACIFIC RAILNews • 33 Historical Society was born. And while the initial enthusiasm ran high, few were prepared for the long journey that lay ahead. By 1984, work on Project 3751 in Viaduct Park had visibly progressed, but still at a sluggish pace, due to a lack of major contributors and corporate sponsors. Also limiting the society's restoration schedule was a lack of heavy equipment and a fa­ cility to house the locomotive. In late 1984 the so­ ciety elected a new president-Scott Brittin, a member since 1982-and began to re-evaluate its long-term restoration plans and needs. All the while, nature continued to take its toll on the big 4-8-4, especially with its jacketing removed, and many vital areas exposed to the elements. And yet more obstacles arose to block the group's efforts, as the locomotive was declared a visual eyesore by residents, and was becoming a political liability to city officials. The first major turning point came in Septem­ ber 1984 when Santa Fe Realty Co., which owned the land under which 3751 stood, raised the rent of the park grounds from $2,100 to $7,200 annual­ ly. The City of San Bernardino voted to terminate the lease and suddenly things became clear that 3751, after 31 years of display, could no longer re­ main at Viaduct Park. In 1985, the 4-8-4 became SBRHS property, sold by the City of San Bernardino for one dollar. At­ tached to the sale was the stipulation that the loco­ motive be restored to operating condition within three years. Only one question now remained: Where was the group going to put the 3751? The answer came in 1986, when SBRHS found a new home for its locomotive at California Steel In­ dustries' former Kaiser Steel mill in Fontana, Calif. In April of that year, with the help of the city and SBRHS volunteers, 3751 finally left its home of 33 years, and moved via AT&SF and SP rails to Fontana. With a restoration shop prepared, SBRHS officials noted that the project had now become a matter of time ...and money. Motivated by the move, however, a steady stream of donations and volunteers began to ar­ rive, and the project began to pick up steam. Then, in 1990, the SBRHS finally made an an­ nouncement that fans had been waiting for-that 3751 would travel to Sacramento for the California The 3751 and train recre­ the last steam-powered train from San Diego that State Railroad Museum's Railfair '91, pulling a ate yet another timeless year. In August 1953, 3751's fires were dropped, recreation of the famous California Limited. With scene as the California and the Baldwin went into storage. Four years later Santa Fe approving the run in May 1990, SBRHS Limited steams toward 3751 was officially retired from Santa Fe's roster began taking reservations for the trip, with a size­ Tunnel Two in the and donated to the City of San Bernardino. In 1958, able portion of the reservation deposit becoming Te hachapi Mountains on 3751 was placed in the city's Viaduct Park for dis­ a non-refundable "donation" to Project 3751. Sunday, Dec. 29. play, within sight of the majestic passenger depot, With a goal now in sight, work furiously pro­ seemingly to spend the rest of its time watching its gressed on the 4-8-4 for the April 1991 deadline. diesel successors assume the 3751's former duties. But as arrangements were finalized, a car consist To most fans, it seemed that 3751's time had finally assembled, and reservations booked, a growing come and few believed that its fires would ever sense of doubt began to form regarding whether rage on Chico's main line again. 3751 would be ready in time. As Scott Brittin not­ Fortunately, they were wrong. ed in early 1991, the society was committed to do­ ing a first-class restoration, and as such the pro­ ject would likely go "to the wire" in making the The Restoration: 1981-1991 trip. But by early April, 1991, 3751's beautifully restored cab still lay separate from the boiler, and SBRHS officials found themselves with increas­ In June 1981, a fledgling group of railfans gath­ ingly less time ...to the point where no time ered at Viaduct Park, next to the static display of even remained for break-in runs. 3751. Battered by the elements and trimmed in Finally, in mid-April, less than two weeks be­ decorative silver, the 4-8-4 had been reduced to a fore the trip, SBRHS pulled the plug. It was evi­ brief tourist stop for visitors, in a 1.8-acre park with dent that 3751 would not be ready in time, Brittin no playground or picnic areas. Nevertheless, the explained, and rather than rush the project and group announced plans to restore 3751 to operat­ send an untested 4-8-4 (which hadn't moved un­ ing condition, and awaken the sleeping giant. With der its own power in 38 years) over two mountain that announcement, the San Bernardino Railroad passes with a train of 700 passengers, the society

34 • MARCH 1992 had decided to cancel the trip. Needless to say, it The 3751 was back, and the new California wasn't a popular decision, but SBHRS and AT&SF Limited, now shortened to a four-day trip to Bak­ agreed it was the right one. ersfield on Dec. 27-30, was a go.

Back In Steam On The Road Again

With the pressure now gone, the society went The scanner crackled to life as a group of fans ahead with a more-relaxed completion of Project waited on a hillside overlooking Santa Fe's San 3751, already planning a new California Limited for Bernardino Subdivision near Prado Dam, Calif., 30 late 1991. On Aug. 13, ten years after the first miles east of Los Angeles : "3751 East, we're passing group of volunteers first set eyes on a seemingly through Fullerton now. " Tensions mounted, bringing stuffed-and-mounted 4-8-4, the moment came. With nervous checks of cameras throughout the crowd. a blast from her whistle, 3751 moved out through Then, from the railway's PBX channel, a mainte­ the SBRHS shop doors under its own power for the nance official's answering machine announced: first time in 38 years. One small step for steam ... "I can't answer the phone right now; I'm going On Aug. 15-17, 3751 was officially debuted to to be at Frost all day ...this 3751 thing has got me the media and public under steam, making runs all steamed. " on a quarter mile of track in front of the Califor­ nia Steel complex. Hundreds attended the dis­ play, and the event was a massive success. After some fine-tuning, SBRHS officials decided the Northern was ready for its first break-in run. A November date was planned, to begin with a dedication ceremony at San Bernardino and con­ clude with a trip to Los Angeles and return to Fontana. However, insurance problems post­ poned the trip until December. Finally, on Dec. 17, 3751 arrived at San Bernardino on the first trip under its own power, and drifted to a stop at the majestic depot, with Santa Fe's 100-year old shops forming a backdrop. A brief dedication ceremony followed, with presen­ tations by Scott Brittin, Santa Fe officials and San Bernardino Mayor Bob Holcomb. Then, with an army of media and rail fans in attendance, the Baldwin was officially christened by Brittin's daughter Lani with a bottle of sparkling water. Fol­ lowing the event, the 4-8-4 powered a TOFC freight to Los Angeles, and returned to Fontana.

LEFT: The California limit­ ed climbs through the S­ curves at Sand Cut, Calif., bound for Bakersfield on Dec. 28. ABOVE: The 3751, SDFP45s 97 and 95 and a string of private cars make for an incredible scene from sleeper Belle McKee, as the California Limited rolls through Cajon Pass at Keenbrook, L.A.-bound on Dec. 28.

PA CIFIC RAILNews • 35 ABOVE: A night photo Such was the way tmngs were to go for the Cali­ incidence to No. 35's power assignment. session at Bakersfield fornia Limited that clear winter day. Santa Fe per­ The real show was still ahead, as the 4-8-4 and provided some spectac­ sonnel, not used to the pandemonium of a steam ex­ train assaulted the grade out of town, and made a ular images of the re­ cursion on their railroad, reacted to 3751 with a mix­ spectacular show up Cajon Pass in the late afternoon stored 3751 on Dec. 28. ture of frustration and amazement, and finally suc­ light. Since the train was running late, a photo runby OPPOSITE PAGE: The late­ cumbed to fascination when the train actually ap­ planned for Victorville occurred just minutes after running California Limit­ peared. And what a train it was: bemnd 3751 were sunset, although the surrounding crowds obliterated ed -slowed by trackside Super Fleet SDFP45s 95 and 97, added as helpers for any chance of a clean shot. Once out of Victorville, crowds in the L.A. the mountain grades, and a technicolor 16-car train, the California Limited was a magical sight as it glid­ basin-storms up Cajon obtained almost exclusively from private owners. ed across the desert in the growing darkness-fol­ Pass in the fading light of The SBRHS tool car was located immediately bemnd lowed by a river of tail lights on old Route 66-and Dec. 27, bound for the six-axle Fs, but after that it was a first-class train arrived at Santa Fe's former Harvey House (itself cur­ Barstow. all the way: ex-SAL coach-dorm Santa Cruz; ex­ rently undergoing restoration), in a moment reliving AT &SF sleeper Palm Leaf; ex-Amtrak lounge 3500 ; the classic railway images of Barstow in the 1940s sleepers Norma Peterson, Regina Wen dt and Belle and 1950s. The first day of 3751 's fi rst trip was com­ McKee; sleeper-lounge Colonial Crafts; baggage­ plete, and so far tmngs had gone smoothly ...with dorm Pony Express; ex-UP sleeper Na tional Forum; the exception of the 4-8-4 setting off a hot box detec­ ex-lounge Eagle Canon ; ex-ACL lounge-observation tor just west of Barstow, a piece of 1990s technology 257; ex-SAL diner New River Gorge; ex-CB&Q dome confounded by a piece of 1920s locomotion, not un­ Silver Garden; former AT&SF dome-lounge Plaza derstanding that the "sixth axle" it had pointed out Santa Fe; and ex-California Zephyr dome-lounge-ob­ to be defective is supposed to be hot. servation Silver Solarium, displaying a lighted Cali­ fornia Limited drumhead on its tail end. Noticeably missing from the train were any The Weekend of Steam: 3751 coach-class cars, due to some last-minute car substi­ over Te hachapi tutions earlier in the month. So while the final three domes were reserved for first class passengers, the car "swapping" resulted in an equally first-class A cold and crisp desert morning found 3751 ready environment for the "coach-class" passengers. with its train beside the Harvey House, preparing for After a brief stop in Riverside, the train arrived at what many fans expected to be a real show: the run San Bernardino for its planned water stop. Interest­ over the Tehachapi Mountains. One minor incident ingly enough, the train was preceded by Amtrak No. occurred during the night : while turning the train, 35, the eastbound Desert Wi nd, led by new Dash 8- one of the SDFP45s shattered the California Limited 32BWH 501 wearing Amtrak's colorful new paint drumhead, which was replaced with a last-minute scheme. ConSidering the crowds flocking around the standby sign. The train soon got underway across Spanish-style depot, there probably wasn't much co- Santa Fe's Mojave Subdivision, and an improvised

36 . MARCH 1992 photo runby was held at Edwards, catching the motorcade by surprise. Once out of Edwards the train rolled through Mojave and onto Southern Pacific trackage rights as clouds darkened the skies above. For fans staked out alongside the main lines, however, the moody atmo­ sphere only heightened one of the most spectacular displays of steam seen in 1991, as 3751 and the Fs lit­ erally thundered up the grade out of town, and 3751 sent a towering plume of gray smoke into the equally gray skies. It was a moment not soon forgotten ...and it was about all that lineside fans could get for a while, as the motorcade brought the westbound lanes of Highway 58 to a near-standstill. The chase was on, and the 3751 made good speed heading up the hill to Tehachapi, where the train made a water stop. West of town it was an equally spectacular show, as the Baldwin led its train through the familiar hills and twisting trackage and reached the moment fans had Fe's "Farewell to Steam" excursion in 1955. Once been waiting for: with what appeared to be a crowd through Pasadena, the train made its triumphant of thousands looking on, 3751 and train traversed arrival at LAUPT. Once passengers had safely de­ the Tehachapi Loop. trained, the entire train crew posed on the 4-8-4 for After the loop the 4-8-4 passed through the re­ a group portrait by photographer Stan Kistler. It's maining well-known locations-Tunnel Five, the signature moment to a spectacular trip ...and Bealville, Caliente, and Tunnel Two. Once out of a memorable beginning to a new life. the hills, the train made a spectacular sight as it Thanks to Scott Brittin and the San Bernardino rolled through the valley below Sand Cut, meeting Railroad Historical Society, David Lustig, Ken Rat­ an eastbound with A-A-B-B GP60M power. Then tenne, Fred Hill and Santa Fe Railway for their the train climbed through the S-curves of Sand Cut help with this article. rolling by yet another swarm of photographers, with a white plume of steam trciiling from 3751 into the blue sky-all framed by a backdrop of green hills and puffy white clouds. A CONVERSATION WITH SCOTI BRITIIN One had to wonder how the trip could get much better than this. O how did 3751 do? According to Scott Brittin, the engine "ran basically At Bakersfield the train was turned and 3751 pre­ S without a hitch." A broken tender spring problem, which occurred during pared for the return trip to Barstow and home ; the the December break-in run, was repaired a day before departure using a re­ evening was capped with a swarm of night photog­ placement from AT &SF locomotive 3450, at the R&LHS display in nearby raphy, including a photo session of 3751 and train Pomona. "From that point on," adds Brittin, "a couple of pipe fittings loos­ conducted by RAlLFAN & RAILROAD Editor Jim Boyd. ened, but other than ordinary servicing it was a routine trip." Brittin notes that The following day was essentially the reverse of at his request, they put 3751 through its paces during the run. "We weren't go­ Saturday, with the exception of rain through the pass ing to beat it to death, " he explains, "but we weren't going to coddle it ei­ and even snow near Tehachapi. One incident did ther. This was our opportunity to show what we could do ...a lot of people stand out to mark the day: Engineer Vince "Godfad­ were expecting a show, and we were going to give them one." da" Cipolla, who fired the 3751 over both Tehachapi While Brittin is pleased with the engine's performance, he's even more segments, recalls working the engine hard as it ap­ pleased with the response received from the railfan and general public. proached Tunnel Five near Bealville, with the two "The real gratification was looking at the faces of people trackside, and es­ '90s cut out and idling. With black smoke pouring pecially the ones who didn't know this was coming," he states. "To watch from its stack and a cab full of AT&SF and SBRHS of­ them just standing there in amazement and suddenly start jumping up and ficials, 3751 plunged into the darkness of the tunnel down, and see groups of people break into spontaneous applause was portal. What emerged from Tunnel Five was a notice­ quite a feeling-it's nice to have your work appreciated." able darker 4-8-4, two blackened FP45s and a cabload Brittin also has high marks for Santa Fe officials, and local railway crews of soot-covered officials. Arrival at Barstow was who volunteered to serve as pilot crews, helper and train crews. "The cooper­ early, and all three locomotives headed to the Santa ation and support we got were tremendous, way beyond our expectations Fe shops for a much-needed washing. ...they gave us a royal welcome, and showed their professionalism in getting us over the road." He's particularly appreciative of Homer Henry, AT &SF's Di­ rector of train practices, for his efforts. "It's through his efforts we got the insur­ Postscript: Endings and Beginnings ance problems settled, and the trip underway. " With the trip complete, the SBRHS is currently "regrouping," according to Brit­ tin. While no future plans for 3751 have yet been set, the society is busy working The final day was again smooth, as the train re­ to improve its car situation, and looking for a more appropriate home for 3751. traced its steps from Barstow across the desert (this And Brittin, after almost a decade of his life spent with one locomotive, says time in daylight), through Victorville and Cajon. he's finally starting to return to a more routine life. "It's been a real privilege and While much of the pass was lined with clouds, a honor to have been a part of this, and work with such a dedicated group of photo runby at Summit took place under clear skies. people," he adds. "We were very pleased with the way things went. We want­ After a stop at San Bernardino, 3751 rolled ed a trouble-free situation and a pleasant, on-time trip, and I feel we accom­ across the Pasadena Subdivision, visiting places plished that goal ...for a first effort we did a pretty decent job." that hadn't seen a steam locomotive since Santa

PA CIFIC RAILNews • 37 SP'S OAKDALE LOCAL

ired of chasing the same old mainline to a secondary route. A look in SF's June trains when visiting the CentralVal­ BRANCHLINE 1938 public timetable show's the line to ley? Are you weary of those UP wide­ Oakdale as a through route to Merced, Tnose units and high-tech Santa Fe warbon­ where it rejoined the Stockton Subdivision nets? Do you yearn for a little local action? ACTION IN THE main to Bakersfield. If so, then read on. By the 1980s, all that was left of this Nestled at the foot of California's CENTRAL line was 33.5 miles of trackage from Stock­ Motherlode Country is Oakdale. Mostly ton to the Oakdale area. In 1985, SP wan­ thought of as a fast-food watering hole gled a deal with anticipated merger part­ for day-trippers on their way to the Gold VA LLEY ner Santa Fe to use its main line between Rush tourist towns of Columbia and Stockton and Riverbank, then over Santa Sonora, this compact little town lies just Fe's Oakdale Spur to connect with SP's east of Modesto. TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY own trackage. Despite its unassuming stature, Oakdale is served by two transcontinental railroads By KEN RATTENNE Current Operati ons and a short line. The most interesting rail operation in Oakdale is Southern Pacific's Today, the Oakdale Local still sprints Oakdale Local, a Geep-powered job that us­ the 25.1 miles between Santa Fe's mile­ es rival Santa Fe's busyVa lley Subdivision post 1120.7 near Stockton Tower, and to attain its own isolated trackage in the Riverbank, where AT&SF's Oakdale Spur middle of downtown. departs east from the busy main line. San­ In this day of route rationalization, why ta Fe's own Riverbank road switcher also would cash-poor SP care about tiny Oak­ uses the Spur, working out of Riverbank dale? The answer is a sweet one. Oakdale Yard on an as-needed basis. is home to Hershey Chocolate's West Coast The two SP GP9Es that usually power plant, producing the famous Kisses, Reeses the train have their job cut out for them, cups and the farniliarchocolate bars. In ad­ as Santa Fe's dispatcher must find a win­ dition, SP serves a small feed mill and the dow of opportunity between his own com­ huge Hunt-Wesson cannery, which also pany's fast and frequent freights and the calls Oakdale home. six Amtrak movements that complicate the daily traffic pattern. The Oakdale Lo­ Roots cal's job is to scoot over the line and stay out of the way. (Interestingly, AT&SF typi­ SP's Oakdale Branch was originally cally expedites the local, occasionally built by the Stockton & Visalia Railroad, holding its own trains at Riverbank or Em­ which entered Oakdale in November 1871, pire until the SP train clears the main.) prompting the tiny burg to balloon to the If timed correctly, it is possible to sizable town that it is today. SP eventually chase the Oakdale Local while on the bought the S&V and relegated its trackage Santa Fe. For instance, you can take a

38 • MARCH 1992 IHighway 108. Turn left onto Highway 108 to reach Riverbank. Once in town, keep driving straight on Patterson Road SP'S and you'll see the Santa Fe. At the grade crossing, look to the left and you'll see where the Oakdale Spur departs from the OAKDALE main. To your right is the Amtrak station. To follow the local to Oakdale, stay on Patterson, then make a left on Langworth LOCAL Road (the first four-way stop) and cut over to Highway 108, taking it into town. Highway 108 is the main drag through Oakdale and also the main route to the popular Motherlode country. In short, it can be very busy. To avoid the traffic log­ jam, make a right on South 3rd Avenue, SIERRA YA RD then a left on J Street. Cross South HERSHEY'S I Yosemite and make a right onto Sierra. A " SIERRA RR block down the street is the Sierra Rail­ " TO JAMESTOWN KAUfMAN road's faded green enginehouse with the Oakdale Spur running alongside. This is --- RAILROADS where the Oakdale Local enters the Sier­ ra's yard to back onto its own line . ••••••• ABANDONED RAILROADS If the crew plans on switching the feed --- ROADS mill first, you can drive along Yosemite, crossing busy F Street, to reach the mill. Be sure and check out the wig-wag sig­ nals on E Street, they're the last of their kind on the Stockton Subdivision and the

MAP BY KEN RATIENNE,TOM DANNEMAN AND DON GULBRANDSEN local often passes them several times while switching. To reach the Hershey factory, go back out Yosemite (across F photograph of the southbound local at Tracking The Oakdale Local Street again) and drive past the Santa Fe Escalon (m.p. 1101.4), and still photo­ line to Kaufman, making a right. Follow graph the train at Riverbank as it trun­ Current call times are generally at 10 this street to Greger, then make a dles up the Oakdale Spur. This is be­ a.m. out of Stockton Tuesdays and Thurs­ left-there is the plant and SP's access to cause once in Riverbank the local must days ; however, SP changes the schedule it is behind a locked gate. The train will pause on the main line to let the brake­ often. By listening to both the SP and San­ pause here to get inside the plant. man off to hand-throw two switches to ta Fe road channels (161.550 and 160.620 While the order of service to customers line the train up for the spur. The same is respectively) the whereabouts of the local depends on the day's switch list, a number true on the return trip. can be tracked. of decent photos can be obtained rather The Oakdale Spur is under Track War­ To get to Riverbank (and ultimately painlessly. No matter which customers are rant Control (TWC), so the local's crew Oakdale) from Stockton take Freeway 99 switched, however, catching the Oakdale must get their verbal train order from the to the Salida/Highway 219 exit east­ Local will give you the best of local branch­ dispatcher before proceeding the 6.5 miles bound; proceed to McHenry Avenue line action in the Central Valley. east to Oakdale. Once in town, the train passes a large tank farm belonging to the OPPOSITE PAGE: Passing Sierra Railroad's enginehouse on Nov. 24, 1990, the Oakdale Local Beatrice Hunt-Wesson tomato processing is reentering Santa Fe trackage. Fifteen minutes ahead, at Riverbank, the crew will ask the plant. The local then crosses its own AT&SF dispatcher for clearance back to Stockton. BELOW: An endangered specie in today's tracks at a 90 degree angle. Finally, the lo­ world is the wig-wag crossing signal. Oakdale boasts the last Wig-wags on SP's Stockton cal enters the Santa Fe interchange with Sub. On September 5, 1991, GP9E 3408 passes the specimen on I Street without a thought. Sierra Railroad, whose western terminus is in Oakdale. There are several interesting possibili­ ties here as the train enters the Sierra's yard and passes the metal enginehouse where the short line's Baldwins reside (kept, unfortunately, inside and out of view). Parked outside the enginehouse is usually one of the company's ex-SP ca­ booses. Once in the yard, the Oakdale Local backs its train across the yard tracks and onto the SP-Sierra interchange. Now the crew can get to work. The biggest customer served is the Her­ shey factory on the south end of town. (Be sure to take the short tour of the plant while in the area. The public is welcomed at Hershey's downtown Visitor Center, which coincidentally is next door to the old SP depot. Free shuttle buses take the tourist to the plant on a short seven-minute ride, and the tour itself is only about 20 minutes. And don't miss the Kisses produc­ tion line-it's very entertaining !

PAC IFIC RAILNews _ 39 he golden glow of an engine head­ light breaks through the darkness of a muggy Midwestern night moments beforeT dawn. As the train rolls closer, the MoPac markings on a pair of GP38s reveal the heritage of the yard in which they are working. A half-hour later the skies have changed to violet-orange as the short con­ sist eases through the yard and backs on­ to one of the tracks in front of the depot. It is a classic rail station adorned with a large Union Pacific shield sitting next to a plain sign lettered Poplar Bluff. Seconds after the train has come to a stop, the moan of a distant freight is heard almost simultaneously with the high pitched blast of a passenger horn. Soon, a pair of sleek Amtrak F40s glide smoothly beside the depot with the southbound Texas Eagle. As the passen­ gers board the Superliner cars, a low rum­ ble advances from the tracks to the east. Four Union Pacific SD40-2s emerge across the Black River trestle and creep to a red TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY By signal before a weary crew steps off the train and heads toward the station. RANDY WOODS M.D. Next, as sudden as it arrived, the Ea­ gl e streaks away into the morning mist and, with a fresh crew on board, the Union Pacific freight follows just minutes behind. After a short time, the MoPac locomotives return to the yard to continue their switch­ ing duties as a new day begins in this bustling railroad junction town. UNION Poplar Bluff, Mo., is a vital link in the Union Pacific system, serving as the junc­ tion of the Chester, Hoxie and DeSoto sub­ divisions. On an average day 30 to 40 PACIFIC trains pass through Poplar Bluff, including an interesting variety of through freights, locals and passenger trains. The busiest corridor is north-south traf­ fic between Illinois and Arkansas over the IN Chester and Hoxie subdivisions. This route may see as many as 17 of Union Pa­ cific's expedited "Z" trains in a single day. Conrail power is found on some joint UP­ Conrail freights such as the NYDAZ (New York to Dallas expedited). Besides piggy­ back, doublestack and automobile traffic POPLAR BLUFF generated by the "Z" trains, these lines al­ so see a considerable amount of chemical, petroleum and general merchandise traf­ fic, as well as local trains. In addition, an average of six trains op-

40 • MARCH 1992 OPPOSITE: In August 1991 a southbound UP freight rolls off the Chester Sub and into Poplar Bluff. Veering off to the left is the DeSoto Sub; next to it, the UP depot. LEFT: Ex-MoPac GP38 2258 crosses Black River trestle with a UP freight northbound on the Chester Sub in June 1988.

road has a more direct route to the airport area you should leave the depot before the train departs and travel east on Business (old) 60 to the airport. Often, while follow­ ing a northbound freight, a meet with a southbound will be held in the sidings at Junland (milepost 172) or Ives (milepost 179) thus providing an opportunity to chase a train back to town. Another point of interest for railfans is the old Frisco depot located on Fifth Street just north of the overpass. Frisco aban­ doned its trackage into Poplar Bluff in the early 1960s ; however, the station has been well preserved and houses the local railroad museum. With the early growth erate over the DeSoto Sub in a 24-hour pe­ old Highway 60 starting four miles east of and prosperity of Poplar Bluff closely riod. The Texas Eagle operates daily in the depot near the municipal airport. The linked with railroading, the town has a each direction with the northbound train railroad and highway continue to run side­ proud and distinctively Midwestern rail­ scheduled for 2:59 a.m. and the south­ by-side for another 12 miles east before road heritage. While it is true that the Mis­ bound due to arrive at 4:50 a.m. Two local taking separate paths toward Dexter, Mo. souri Pacific and Frisco no longer exist, freights also patrol the rails between St. The best plan for a chase is to wait for a the steady flow of Union Pacific traffic and Louis and Poplar Bluffser ving on-line cus­ northbound to arrive at the depot (mile­ the daily arrival of the Texas Eagles make tomers. Ballast trains operating out of post 165) for a crew change. Since the rail- Poplar Bluff a rail town to remember. Gads Hill, Mo., are responsible for most of the remaining traffic and these provide rock for points along the UP system. Although rail traffic is heaviest at night, there is still plenty of action during the daylight hours. The early morning typ­ ically brings a variety of local movements, TO yard switching and through freights be­ AIRPORT fore things slow down toward mid-day. The late afternoon often provides the best opportunities for photography when a number of southbound trains are sched­ FRISCO DEPOT uled to arrive. This parade of freights usu­ ally begins around 3 p.m. and reliably in­ cludes three of Union Pacific's hottest "Z" trains ; the CHDAZ (Chicago-Dallas expe­ CHESTER SUB dited), the AIZ (Chicago-Mexico City Auto­ TO motriz Industrial) and the NYDAZ. Two or ILLINOIS three general merchandise freights are

usually interspersed among the "Z" trains. BLACK RIVER There are several good locations for TRESTLE viewing trains in the Poplar Bluff area. The old Missouri Pacific depot is located on 400 5TH ST. OVERPASS South Main and it remains the center of rail activity. The structure is now owned by Union Pacific and is the site of UP crew changes. Additionally, it houses Amtrak's passenger facilities and serves as s stop for the Texas Eagle. The Black River trestle _RAILROADS on the Chester sub main lies just east of

the depot and to the south is UP's largest --- ROADS yard between St. Louis and Little Rock. Three bridges in town provide good van­ tage points for photography. The 5th Street overpass has a walkway and provides a view of the Chester and DeSoto main lines converging as they enter the north end of POPLAR BLU FF1 the yard. The Highway 53 bridge lies above the south end of the yard and the Black Riv­ er Bridge on Business 60 passes over the MISSOUR I DeSoto Sub main north of the depot. For those who prefer pacing, the well­ MAP BY RANDY WOODS AND TOM DANNEMAN traveled Chester Sub line runs parallel to

PACIFIC RAILNews • 41 N PA CIFIC

cost of reopening the existing half of what was a 588-foot tunnel well in ex­ cess of $4 million, far beyond the initial projections of expected $1 million. As 1992 began, UP operations south of Bieber averaged one run each week to the Almanor Railroad at Clear Creek Junction. Power is normally a UP GP35 or GP40 which is stored at Bieber until needed, but reports indicate a single UP SD40-2 was used in January to clear the line of up to four feet of drifted snow. It had been planned to move one of the Jordan Spreaders based at Portola to the SP for movement to Klamath Falls then over the BN to Bieber for further snow fighting, but mild weather in January delayed the plan. As previously reported, a sale of the High­ line to another operator is still possible -though all interested parties are taking a wait-and-see attitude until the line is reopened to through traffic.

UP Wins a Major Coal Contract

Atlanta-based utility Southern Company is This eastbound APL doublestack train has almost completed its crossing of Wyoming's Red the latest customer to contract UP to haul Desert as it digs in to crest a hill near Hadsell in October 1991. Once over the top, it's just a coal out of Wyoming. To help comply with seven-mile coast downgrade to Rawlins for the UP freight. A.J. Wolff national environmental laws at its giant Scherer Power Plant near Macon, Ga., the utility switched from Appalachian to low­ New Ya rd Planned tor Louisiana Highline Opening Further Delayed sulphur Wyoming coal-to the tune of an estimated five to eight million tons annually. Union Pacific Railroad is planning to spend The long anticipated reopening of the As of January, the Southern Company $42 million over the next two years to 112-mile ex-WP Bieber Subdivision did not yet have a mine selected to supply build a new 550-acre freight facility at "Highline" (PRN Issue No. 334) has been the coal. It is expected that trains will Livonia, La., 15 miles west of the current delayed for a few more months. It is now start to operate from the Powder River undersized facility at Addis, La., and 100 projected that the line will be reopened Basin to Macon some time around August miles west of New Orleans. The new yard to through traffic to the BN connection at 1992. The tonnage to be moved will mean (to be located on the Alexandria Subdivi­ Bieber some time in late April. Delays in one or two additional trains per day in sion) is planned to consist of a 3D-track the project to reopen fire-damaged Tun­ each direction moving from the WPRI con­ hump yard, eight additional tracks for re­ nel 2 have been attributed to federal and nection at South Morrill, Neb., to Kansas ceiving and departing trains, plus offices. state government agencies regulating the City, and then south to a connection with All functions now performed at the Addis work. The most recent delay is due to a either CSX or NS at Memphis. Yard will be moved to the new higher-ca­ new requirement that all of the millions pacity facility at Livonia upon completion of cubic feet of material removed from the in 1993. The yard at Addis will then be mountainside above the collapsed tunnel Motive Power News converted into a storage-in-transit yard, must be returned and replaced onto the which allows the railroad's customers to mountainside once the tunnel is re­ The latest order of 48 SD60Ms, 6271-6316, store materials in railcars until needed. opened. All of this work will push the continued to arrive through late December

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42 • MARCH 1992 and into January. Eleven of these units (932), SD60/SD60Ms (292). GP38-2s (326). not been able to permanently renew its were chosen by UP Chairman Dick David­ GP15-1s (190) and Dash 8-40C/Dash 8- operating permit from the local county son to carry brass plaques honoring the 40CWs (380). government due to vocal opposition from 1991 UP Safety Awards : In the category of During December, none of theactive some farmers and environmentalists. "Lowest Safety Index, " the winners were units on the roster still in their pre-merger UP, along with business leaders in the Palestine Service Unit (6269), San Antonio MoPac blue or Katy green were painted. area, has threatened economic retalia­ Service Union (6270), North Little Rock Only three former MoPac units that were tion (such as recalling the county super­ Service Unit (6271). Kansas City Locomo­ already yellow were relettered/renum­ visors and shutting down and moving all tive Shop (6272) and the Spring Texas Sys­ bered for the UP. These units were GP50s remaining railroad activities out of tem Engineering office (6273); in the cate­ MP 3525 (UP 985), MP 3529 (UP 989) and Oroville) if the ballast pit could not re­ gory of "Best Safety Performance as Mea­ GP15-1 MP 1656 (UP 1656). An unofficial new operations. The rapid completion of sured by FRA Reportable Injuries per count during the first week of January the entire concrete tie program is depen­ 200,000 Man-hours," the winners are Van found that there were 64 locomotives still dent upon the ballast pit at Elsey being Buren Service Unit (6274), Cheyenne Ser­ in MP blue, 46 of which are GP38-2s, plus open. Green Mountain Quarry has been vice Unit (6275). Palestine Service Unit only six locomotives remaining in MKT able to obtain just 30- and 60-day tempo­ (6276). North Platte Diesel Shop (6277). paint. There is some speculation that rary operating permits from the county Omaha System Structures Engineering De­ SW1500 MKT 53 in yard service at Fort while the UP has been moving and dis­ partment (6278) and Omaha Personnel Worth may be one of the very last units to tributing new ballast as fast as possible Services Department (6279). be painted yellow due to its excellent con­ up and down the western half of the In a recap of the status of Union Pacif­ dition and captive service. Feather River Service Unit. ic's motive power at the end of the year, In all, UP will be spending $19.4 million the numbers are impressive as usual. As on this project to place concrete ties under of the first day of 1992, UP owned 3,043 lo­ Concrete Tie Program Update the main line and four sidings in the Feath­ comotives producing 8,796,350 h.p. with er River Canyon. In all, 124,000 concrete an average of 2,891 h.p. per unit. Of these, With the continued dry winter weather ties will be placed, adding to the thou­ 2,825 are considered freight units, 212 are leading to a projected sixth year of sands that were installed in the first phase considered switcher units and six are pas­ drought in Northern California and with a of the project two years ago. senger locomotives which include the threatened loss of ballast supply to the Thanks to John Walker, Steve Kalthoff, three E9s, DDA40X 6936 and steam loco­ project, the concrete tie program for the Chris Fry, George Cockle, Norman motives 844 and 3985. Looking closely at Feather River Canyon was fired up again Holmes, FLIMSIES i, NORTHWEST RAILFAN, the freight locomotives in the fleet, models as of January. The Green Mountain Quarry JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, John Miller, Ken that predominate the fleet include SD40-2s at Elsey, Calif. , ten miles from Oroville, has Meeker and Un ion Pacific Railroad.

COMMUTER

Moorpark. Additionally, track work was the signing ceremony in Los Angeles. GE l.A. Metrolink underway during January in the San Fer­ Dash 8-40CW 9386 did the honors of pow­ nando Valley, as ties, rail and ballast re­ ering the seven-car special, which included Work continues at a rapid pace on all ceived an upgrade. Some observers have two dome cars. The train may have been three lines scheduled to start service in commented that the only growth indus­ one of the last UP trains to use L.A. Union October. Additionally, work is progressing try left in Southern California was ribbon Station, since the trackage acquired by the on the UP line to Riverside. Here is a look rail trains, with SP delivering about a commuter agency is between East Yard at each line: half a dozen in late December and early and the depot, including the key bridge January for Metrolink projects. across the L.A. River leading to Mission East Line (L.A.-Pomona) : By mid-January, By late summer, the West line will be Tower (of which SCRRA now owns a con­ the first phase of the upgrading of track double-tracked between Van Nuys and trolling interest, a fact not wasted on Santa had been completed between San Dimas L.A., with CTC installed to control (and Fe, which through subsidiary Catellus De­ and Covina, with 136 lb. rail placed on con­ expedite) movements. Due to longer lead velopment, owns L.A. Union Station). crete ties. The second phase is from Cov­ time to construct the lineside equipment ina to Baldwin Park, where no freight cus­ the CTC will not be in place as soon as the STATION NEWS : SCRRA is encouraging lo­ tomers remain, and the third phase will be track improvements. cal cities to take the lead in developing, from San Dimas to Claremont, at which building and maintaining stations for time the freight customers will be served North Line (Santa Clarita) : Track work is Metrolink. In Ontario, one station will be at from the west end, with a local originating also progressing on the North Line. One at City of Industry Yard. The fourth and fi­ significant part of the work is construction nal phase will be from Baldwin Park to of a new 8,OOO-foot siding west of Burbank Bassett. At this point, local freight service, Junction on the Valley line, which will al­ including the Azusa Branch will be from low freights to be held during commuter West Colton Yard, via Claremont. operations. The siding extends nearly to The biggest single undertaking on the Buena Vista Avenue and is placed on the You should have professional help to select the best one. East Line is the bridge across the San north side of the main line, next to the Serving the Rail Fancommuni ty Gabriel River between El Monte and Bas­ Golden State Freeway. sett. Work on the pilings began in January. for 15 years, we stock industrial quality portable, mobile, and Ranking right up there in importance is the Riverside Line (UP) : Considerable media at­ home receivers. "flyover, " or separation by which com­ tention was focused on this line when, on muter trains will reach the State Street Jan. 10, a ceremony at Los Angeles marked WRITE OR CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION. line, just west of El Monte siding. There is the sale of four miles of UP trackage to a heavy penalty in the construction con­ Southern California Regional Rail Authority, SOUTHWEST tract if Metrolink trains must use the SP plus trackage rights on the other 56 miles line instead of their own come October. of UP line through East L.A. to Riverside for ELECTHONICS P.o. Box 1099 • Prescott, A2 86302 use by commuter trains. A special train We st Line (Moorpark) : Work has begun was operated in the finest UP tradition to (602) 445·1942 ,..���,. to clear the site of the layover facility at bring local officials and invited guests to "It's smart to buy from an

PA CIFIC RAILNews • 43

Euclid Avenue, with access to both UP and of the system. From SP, SCRRA would 60. Service is planned for Gilroy in coming SP trackage on the town's main street. A like to acquire the Los Nietos-La Habra­ months, while on the north end, the station at Haven Avenue at the east end of Fullerton line, plus the Santa Paula longer-term goal of extending service from Ontario will offer access to a planned new Branch, an extensive portion of the Coast Fourth and Townsend to the Transbay terminal building for Ontario Airport, plus Line and trackage rights from LA. Terminal was reaffirmed. extensive parking. In general, space for at through Alhambra to Colton and Indio. Related to Peninsula and other state­ least 400 cars is sought to support each sta­ Progress has been made in negotiations sponsored rail service, Sen. Quentin tion site on the Metrolinksystem ...In the with Santa Fe for a combination of track­ Kopp, chairman of the Senate Transporta­ San Fernando Valley, Chatsworth station is age and rights in the area. Reportedly, by tion Committee, has introduced legisla­ being relocated from the current site at De mid-January the parties were very close tion to establish a California Rail Com­ Soto Av enue, around the curve closer to De­ on price and terms. mission, separate and distinct from the vonshire Boulevard ...The Burbank sta­ SCRRA plans for the next five years California Transportation Commission. tion site has been confirmed as the previ­ call for a 300-mile system with 57 stations Senator Kopp feels that the 55-year domi­ ously used location on Front Street. Sadly, in the greater L.A. area, capable of han­ nance of highway interests should be the classy stucco building which burned dling thousands of riders every day. broken on CTC, which is an outgrowth of out about six months ago was razed in ear­ the old California Highway Commission. ly January. The city resisted agitation for The recent influx of money for rail and mOving closer to BurbankAirport, as the ColTrain Sale Completed transit projects has shown that the com­ Front Street site serves both the West and mission is not well suited to deal with di­ North lines ...A choice has been made for On Dec. 27, SP and the Joint Powers Board verse and complex rail projects. As one the new commuter station at Simi Valley: in the Bay Area announced that the sale of critic pointed out, the commission never east of Los Angeles Avenue-hence east of the Peninsula line had been completed at met a highway that it didn't like. Senator the existing Amtrak location, but with a cost of $219.6 million, which includes Kopp's bill will face tough opposition in much-improved parking. 51.4 miles of track between San Francisco the legislature. and San Jose, plus 25 miles of trackage Th anks to Ken Douglas, Jim Sp eaker, FUTURE ACQUISITIONS: Negotiations rights to Gilroy. Plans are in the works to Rinard Auran t, Harry T. Stone, C.C. Julian are underway for considerable expansion expand the daily spate of trains from 54 to Jr. , and DOWNTOWN NEWS.

LINE

From National Railway Equipment, the Major Coordination with CN Possible Leased Locomotive Update two former American-European Express GP40s reported last month have been sup­ With CN's December announcement of Currently, 28 rented units are in service. plemented by GP38 2078 and ex-CSX GP40 merging all rail elements into a CN The covey of EMD Leasing units stands at 6696. The last vendor of secondhand loco­ "North America" system, there has been eight, with the six ex-N&W SD35s aug­ motives is Pac Rail Leasing, which has pro­ speculation as to what the impacts will mented by SD40-2s 6000 (ex-Soo 6300) and vided nine of ten ex-KCS SD40s expected be on the CP/Soo empire. With CN's plan 6048 (ex-ICG, overhauled at Cleburne). on the property. Pac Rail appears to be affil­ to ship considerable Toronto-destined From Helm, GP40 3111 remains supported iated with VMV/Paducah, as all of the units tonnage south of the Great Lakes, there by six SD40-2s, five in the former Soo 6365- received to date have been delivered by Pa­ is a potential for Soo to share in a slice of 6370 series, with the 8507 (ex-SP rebuilt ducah & Louisville and show Paducah as the traffic pie. Coupled with CF's desire tunnel motor) rounding out that group. the originating terminal. Specific units on to gain access to a proposed new tunnel under the St. Clair River between Port Huron and Sarnia, the existing Railrun­ ner could shift to GTW/CN between ARTICULATED STEAM LOCOMOTIVES Chicago and London, Onto OF The ability to handle doublestack cars NORTH AMERICA through the new bore will certainly en­ VOLUME II See tice CP to take a strong look at possible use of this route. It is speculated that CP N You In may bring a cash dowry to possible ne­ gotiations with CN in 1992, perhaps un­ E derwriting a portion of the St. Clair tun­ nel project. W

B an o o K WISCONSIN CENTRAL COMPLETES THE HISTORY OF INVENTION Athearn units done in Track One custom paint. Shell AND DEVELOPMENT OF $42.00; $65.00; Jose! shell plus Athearn drive shell plus 10,000 ARTICULATED LOCOMOTIVES tuned can dnve $85.00; Shell plus Overland power chassis $115.00 ( not avail. 5D-45). Directional 370 PHOTOS, 256 PAGES I $29 lightinl!; Gl>:J POSTPAID USA • ��/��� 5, GP-4 0-2, 50-45. Check, MO, Visa, MC Give number & expiration date. Shipping $2.50 or buy direct from our dealers. �S'VNDANCEPU BLICATlONS !f!iIIiIPd... GREENWAY PRODUCTS 250 Broadway, Denver, CO, 80203 Rt, Box 244J • Ligonier, PA 15658 '¥' Telephone 303 - 777 - 2880

PA CIFIC RAILNews • 45 Soo at this writing include 602, 606, 608, SD60Ms (6060-6062) were in service on have been leading coal trains on Soo. A 612, 613, 615-617 and 620. An interesting CPo Some of the straight SD60s reported to typical example found the 9473 leading aside for photographers is that the 612 has be assigned to CP were spotted on Soo C&NW Dash 8 8527 on No. 880 out of St. a yellow "Pac-Man" stenciled on its nose. during late December, however, so there Paul on Dec. 31. may be some fluctuation in specific loco­ Some interesting power consists to re­ motive commitments. port with the leased units include No. End of Year Roster Summary Soo has been handling the 11 ex-NS 384 out of Austin on Dec. 7, with Soo (nee Southern) high-nosed SD40-2s leased SD40s 7391741 leading Helm SD40-2 6365 As of mid-December, a total of 38 units by CP from GATX, moving the units from and 93 cars, while CP SD40-2s 5666/5660 were listed as stored, six being serviceable Bensenville Yard eastward on Railrunner led sister 6369 on No. 570 through SW1200s, while the balance of the group trains 500, 502 and 504. On Dec. 6, for ex­ Minneapolis on the 8th. A colorful selec­ suffered from various mechanical/electrical ample, units 3244/3249/3252 trailed Soo tion of EMDs powered the Humboldt problems. Units in the unserviceable cate­ SD40A 6408 and CP M636 4739/M630 4562 Transfer out of St. Paul on Dec. 15, with gory included ten GP40s (eight in the 2000- on No. 500 out of Chicago. These units Helm GP40 3111, Pac Rail SD40 602 and series as well as the 4602 and 4612), nine were waybilled for St. Luc Shop in Montre­ Soo SD10 543 mating for the assignment. GP9s, the pair of ex-BN SD45s (6491 and al for setup work. Operations aficionados should closely 6492), all six remaining SW9s and five Based on Dec. 13 inventory of locomo­ watch Soo operations out of the Twin SW1200s in 1200-series (all former Milwau­ tive carcasses parked at Shoreham, eight Ports in the coming months. Soo ran two kee units). Subsequent to the preparation former UP GP30s and an equal number of sections of No. 200 out of Stinson Yard in of that list, SW1200 328 was pulled from ex-CR GP9s remain available for future re­ Superior, Wis., on Jan. 3, each with 75-80 storage and leased to North Star Steel in St. building projects. It is reported that UP cars powered by a pair of SD40-2s. The Paul. In a follow-up to earlier conjecture in GP30 851 will be re-engined with a CAT first section met a solid CN/DW&P train this column, GP20 953 has been identified prime mover in 1992, with the work per­ of 103 cars at Nickerson, Minn., powered as the unit repainted and sold to Dakota & haps to be done in Canada. by a pair of SD60s. First 200 made re­ Iowa Railroad in early November. Sister 961 markable time from Boylston to Coon remains as the last former Milwaukee GP20 Creek, covering the 124 miles in three rebuild on Soo (it has been retired since Operational News Briefs hours, 14 minutes, quite an accomplish­ November 1987 and stored at Shoreham). ment in view of the hard pull from Boyl­ Soo suffered a serious derailment near ston up to Nickerson (about 20 miles of Maple Lake, Minn., on Dec. 20, when 37 constant upgrade). Soo does appear Motive Power Miscellany cars of No. 574 jumped the tracks, apparent­ poised to aggressively go after the CN ly due to a broken rail. Trains were rerouted business, with superb handling of these As speculated earlier, Soo has indeed over BN's parallel Willmar line, with Nos. 150 loads of Canadian natural resources. shipped SD60/SD60Ms to Canada for ser­ 571, 574 and 882 noted on Dec. 21. Thanks to Mike Cl eary, Fred Hyde, vice on CP over the winter months. As of UP's newest order of Dash 8-40CWs, Pete Johnson, Tom Ki dd, Mike Kiriazis, mid-December, seven SD60s and three equipped with C&NW ATS equipment, Jesse Kattner and Nick Madders.

TON NORTHERN

the BN? During 1990, 28.6 million tons of planning to offer coordinated raillbarge ser­ Columbia River Bonanza for BN? grain were moved on the Columbia/Snake vice between two Texas and three Mexican River system, a significant amount of which ports by mid-1992. A jointly owned compa­ In mid-November, the National Marine may shift to rail or highway. In addition to ny, Burlington International SA de C.v. Fisheries Service placed the Snake River the equivalent of 286,000 carloads of grain, will operate the venture. BN plans to use sockeye salmon, as well as the 25,000 carloads of potential new intermodal its Texas port connections at Houston and spring/summer and autumn chinook traffic are at stake with this finding. Galveston to serve the Mexican ports. salmon, on the endangered species list. Initial shipments will be primarily Consequently, the U.S. Army Corps of En­ grain, where BN plans to load 106-car unit gineers was ordered to find ways of re­ trains on Protexa's barges, for delivery to Rail/Barge Service To Mexico ducing water levels in the Columbia and FNM and destinations in Mexico. Compa­ Snake rivers to four feet for a period of ny officials report that one or two unit Burlington Northern and Grupo Protexa four months, possibly starting this March. trains per month will be shipped in 1992, S.A. de C.v. (a Mexican conglomerate) are What is the impact of this decision on with levels to pick up if demand warrants. This concept will avoid the lengthy border inspections currently slowing movements between the two countries. The Original Slideseller Back Issues Original slides sold on approval fr om A Plan for Precision Scheduling the late 1950s to the presen t. Available Reasonable, quantity discounts, good With several portions of BN's system under AT ORIGINAL COVER duress because of concentrated traffic, the selection. State your requests, company is trying to develop a precision see before you buy! PRICE! scheduling system for manifest and inter­ modal traffic. During the 1990s, BN hopes to The Limited Cost Auction. Some issues are in limited quantities, develop a reliable schedule under which Wri te For Details. so hurry! For a complete list. send a trains stay within a plus/minus 30 self-addressed long (# J 0) envelope to: wW minute window of arrival/departure times. Pope Dan Areas of prime concern at this time include 5703 Shady Hill Lane, Arlington, TX 76016 PAC IFIC RAILNEWS portions of the Pacific Division between P. O. Box 612 8 Seattle and Portland, the coal line in the The Original Slideseller Powder River Basin as well as the Chicago buys colledions! Glendale, CA 91 225 raceway out to Aurora.

46 • MARCH 1992 Bulk Traffic Update

In these financially depressed months, it was surprising to see BN lease two sets of open top hopper cars from Bessemer & Lake Erie to move taconite pallets between Minnesota's Iron Range and Granite City, Ill. Trains NT400/401 have been cleared for 45 mph operation with the conventional hoppers, an increase of 10 mph over that of BN's newest 99000-series cars. In a related development, the 20-day closure of Mid­ west Energy Terminal's car dumper in Su­ perior, Wis., found BN with surplus SD60Ms in the Glendive pool, some of which are being used on trains NT400/401. With a short-term decline in coal ship­ ments in the Upper Midwest, BN with­ drew two sets of company-owned open­ top hoppers from coal service and equipped those cars for grain hauling (with heavy tarps to protect the wheat). These measures were required due to a massive movement of grain from the Dakotas and Minnesota to East St. Louis. Trains G25 (out of Grand Forks) and G38 (out of Willmar) are often changed to the G34 symbol for movement between Min­ neapolis, Galesburg and St. Louis.

Intermodal Update

Change continues to be the buzzword in the intermodal segment of BN's business plan, with nearly weekly schedule revi­ sions made to please shippers (both new and old). The movement of containers be­ tween Chicago and the Pacific Northwest A fall 1991 morning greets BN SD60M 9207 as it crosses the Nebraska-Colorado border with is the driving force behind many of these a trainload of Texas-bound Powder River Basin coal. At Sterling, Colo., the train will swing changes. Number 16 is a new symbol des­ southwest to Denver and a connection with the Joint Line. Wesley Fox ignated to move Hyundai and Mitsui OSK traffic on Saturdays out of Tacoma. Con­ 619) now owned by M-K. BN also bor­ versely, a weekly movement of Hanjin Motive Power Notes rowed KCS SD40-2s 687, 691 and 692 to containers to Portland is handled on an test the PTC adhesion system, with these Advance No. 11 or 13 between Spokane The first of two experimental SD60MACs units assigned to service in Washington. and Portland. BN also operates Sea-Land was delivered to Santa Fe via IHB on Nov. At year's end, BN had 13 units leased from train NO. 7 five or six days per week, mov­ 22, to be moved to the DOT test facility in GE, including nine ex-AT&SF C30-7s and ing additional containers to Tacoma. Pueblo, Colo. Unit 9501 is painted in a four Super 7 series rebuilds. The interchange of intermodal traffic special scheme, using cascade green Five Norfolk Southern GP40s were re­ between BN and Green Bay & Western at with a BN logo on the nose and a black ported across the system during Novem­ East Winona, Wis., began in early Decem­ underframe. There is a white lightning ber and December, perhaps balancing ber, with three to ten containers/vans stripe on the long hood along with a horsepower hours from unit sulfur moves moved each day through the interchange. Siemens logo. The nose and sides of the or Chicago area transfer service. Current traffic is handled on flats, spine cab have also been painted in white (sim­ BN GP39Es 2771-2778 were delivered cars and doublestack cars on existing ilar to the 9250-series SD60Ms no doubt). during December, completing the 20-unit GB&W trains 1 and 2 between East These units are equipped with a two­ order ...During the second half of 1991, Winona and Green Bay. BN has estab­ piece windshield to increase visibility BN rebuilt six C30-7s-Nos. 5047, 5056, lished Expediter symbols 31 and 32 over and lower costs. Sister 9500 should be 5064, 5069, 5084 and 5088-at its Alliance GB&W should traffic levels eventually shipped to Pueblo shortly, while units shops, upgrading various electrical and warrant a separate train. 9502 and 9503 will be constructed at Lon­ mechanical assemblies, resulting in units don, Ont., in April 1992. rated at 3,300 h.p.... Eighteen of the 27 BN continues to evaluate CSX serviceable U30Cs were stored at Alliance Corporate News Shorts C40-8Ws, raising further suspicions that on New Year's Day, while GP38-2 2360 the next order for SD60Ms will be de­ was retired due to wreck damage received BN implemented two-man crews in its layed. Units 7718, 7708 and 7709 worked at Greenbush, Minn., on Dec. 5 ...BN has Creston pool district (west of Galesburg) on a No. 24/22 combo at Parwater, Wash., received 38 units from GElMontreal after effective midnight on Dec. 1 ...Traffic on Nov. 22, while the 7718 was paired overhauls and repainting ...SW12000 213 volumes on BN's busy river line between with SD60M 9285 on the 34-Y36 at has been sold to Independent Locomotive La Crosse, Wis., and Minneapolis have in­ Burlington, Iowa, on Dec. 1. Service in Bethel, Minn. creased from 27 movements per day in Because of a shortage of serviceable Th anks. to Paul Catapano, Mike August to 32 per day in early December motive power, BN leased several locomo­ Cleary, P. J. Gratz, Morris Hobson, Mike ...BN operated a New Year's Eve special tives during the last two months of 1991. Kiriazis, John Kra ttinger, Dave Kroeger, train out of Amtrak's Fort Worth depot, Ten KCS SD40/SD40-2s were leased, along NORTHWEST RArLFAN, Tom Robinson and with two units and six business cars. with two additional ex-KCS units (614 and TRAFFIC WORLD.

PA CIFIC RAI LNews • 47 While rail photographers often flee to the mountains, the desert, the coast and other less­ civilized environs to pursue their hobby, some of the most spectacular images of railroading can be found in the heart of the urban centers of the West and Midwest. LEFT: A Union Pacific weed sprayer train gets to work in the shadow of downtown Oklahoma City, Okla., in July 1989. Note ex-MKT (originally ICG) GP38 1985 with its low-placement headlight and L-shaped engineer's window. F. D. Frisch BELOW: Former frontier outpost Denver has become the heart of the booming Rocky Mountain states. Its modern skyline offers a pleasing backdrop to a BN freight northbound on the Mid-Valley Line in July 1991. Ronald C. Hill RIGHT: Santa Fe B40-8W arrives in the heart of San Diego on June 27, 1991, with a company special run for the bene­ fit of executives from AT&SF customer Honda Motors. Dick Stephenson

_-----h----"-t� I,NT H E CITY OF RAILROADING .

48 • MARCH 1992

RIGHT: Chicago & North Western 6659-one of ten SD38-2s on the C&NW roster-negotiates track­ age in the heart of Chicago with a May 1991 transfer job. Mel Finzer OPPOSITE TOP: In the 1950s, at 15th and Dock Street in Tacoma, Northern Pacific Class W3 1728 negotiates the Drawbridge line en route to South Tacoma and the Prairie line. Running beneath the trestle is the NP main (Point Defi­ ance line) which leads to Union Station. W. Wilkinson OPPOSITE BOnOM: Transit systems often es­ cape the viewfinders of many rail photographers-but when you see intriguing scenes like this you wonder why. This view of San Francisco in March 1972 is a . pleasing mix of buildings, people and electric-powered transit vehi­ cles, including No. 1022 on the J line. R. Forty

______�-t-�--·_�-4-I --N T-H-E-C--I T-Y------­ OF RAI LROADING

. 50 . MARCH 1992 "

PAC IFIC RAllNews • 51 OPPOSITE PAGE: A pair of lMX units sprint out of Fort Worth with a BN stack train in Jan­ uary 1990. This former cow­ town now has a high-tech look-and is even home to Burlington Northern's corpo­ rate headquarters. Dan Pope RIGHT: The clouds hang low over Vancouver as VIA train 104, the inaugural run of the Rocky Mountain Special, swings out of the city on June 5, 1988. Peter Sieux BELOW: The futuristic skyline of Dallas makes a fine backdrop for photos taken at the rail yards at the west end of the city, where Katy No. 58 goes about its switching duties in March 1987. Harvey S, Loner

------�� --H E C -- �I o� �I I N T ITY I

52 • MARCH 1992

PRN LETTERS PRN AD INDEX Corrections and Clarifications timetable location of Quirk, milepost 63.5, noted as having set-out tracks for both di­ B rections of travel. Santa Fe in the Land of Enchantment Benchmark Publications ...... 54

Bob Finan has some updates to his two­ BN's Kettle Falls Locals C part "Santa Fe in the Land of Enchant­ CRV Productions ...... 55 ...... 42 ment" article. In part I: We extend our apologies to John C. Ill­ Carson Home Video ...... Crossing Gate ...... 15 On page 28, Rowe (with an e) was mis­ man, who penned the fine Focus article, "BN's Kettle Falls Locals " in the February spelled as Row. F David Myrick provided a correction re­ 1992 issue and also provided all the pho­ Four Ways West Publications ...... 42 garding the A&P/SP Needles/Guaymas tography. His byline was omitted from the first pages of the article, though you'll line swap discussed on page 30 : A&P G leased the line effective Oct. 1, 1884, after note that the table of contents correctly Gandy Dancer Productions ...... 55 only one year of SP operation. Santa Fe's lists him as author. Greenway Products ...... 45 Guaymas line was not involved in the first John has provided some additional in­ stage of this transaction; SP took over formation regarding trains working out of Kettle Falls. The caption for the photo on management of this segment July 1, 1897, Interurban Press ...... 11, 46 and leased it until 1979. However, on Dec. page 34 implies that the Nelson Local went 27, 1911, the "swap" was made ; SP ac­ no farther than Troup Junction, when the L train did indeed go to Nelson, backing the quired Sonora Railway and Santa Fe got Last Great Train Robbery ...... 55 title to the Needles line, subject to the five miles on joint BN/CP to the Nelson SPRR First Mortgage of 1937, which in yard where interchange took place. M An interesting aside on the unusual part was exchanged for the earlier SPRR Mystic Va lley ...... , ...... 11 First Mortgage, dated April 1, 1875, and lead/zinc ore cars which make their way due April 1, 1905. to the transload center at Quirk, carrying o product bound for the smelter at Trail Clarifying operation of Belen-Albu­ OM&C ...... 54 B.C.: The loaded ore cars move from v­ querque turns (page 31), the 737 train is E Original Slideseller...... 46 erett to Spokane, Wash., via unit train railroad eastbound and geographically Overland Models, Inc ...... 2 northbound, while the 747 is its west­ 604, moving with aluminum ore bound for bound (geographically southbound) Spokane and Columbia Falls. BN makes P counterpart. efficient use of the cars by loading them Pentrex ...... 13, 17, 44, 45, 56 The photo by Chris Raught on page 32 with wood chips bound for paper mills on Plets Express Inc ...... 7 shows the southbound Deming loads coal the backhaul to the Puget Sound. R train on the EI Paso Sub; the counterpart Railroad Information Service ...... 7 Jansen empties also use this line. Effingham, Ill. In part II: 5 The photo by Steve Todd on page 21 is Brian Carlson, author of the Effingham, Ill., Scale Model Supplies ...... , ...... 6 noted as being taken at Laguna, which is Focus article in the January 1992 issue, in­ Greg Scholl Video Productions ...... 8 located at milepost 71.1. This photo was forms us that Illinois Central's road fre­ Southwest Electronics ...... 43 actually recorded east of Laguna. Milepost quency is 161.19 MHz, rather than the Sundance Marketing ...... 19 64 is visible in the photo, very near the 161.90 MHz stated in the article. Sundance Publications ...... 45

"JUST LIKE BEING THERE Another new book from Benchmark Publications,Ltd. IN PERSON" Up Clear Creek on The Narrow Gauge EXCITING NEW RAILROAD VIDEO PRODUCTIONS MODELING THE COLORADO & SOUTHERN #1 - AT&SF 3751 COMES ALIVE! - Have a good look at this latest locomotive to return to steam! Features restoration ef· fort and shop tour at the ex-Kaiser Steel Mill. Fontana. CA, Up Clear Creek on the Na rrow by Harry Brunk then the great public debut there with many run·bys, mishaps, Gauge is the story of the author's and railcars tour - 85 Min. - $22.95 HOn3 model railroad. He based his Union Central and Northern layout #2 - A VISIT TO PERRIS - See the operations at the OERM on the Clear Creek District of the 3· in Perris, CA. Many trains, trollies inc!. VC #2 steam Prairie loco, P.E. Red Cars IN ACTION!, approx, 2 hours - S22.95 foot gauge Colorado & Southern Railroad that ran from Golden, Colo­ #3 - A VISIT TO KIRKWOOD - See the INCREDIBLE Museum rado, to just beyond Silver Plume. of Transporation near SI. Louis, Mo. Large and varied This book is not just a "how-to·do­ locomotive collection includes Burlington Zephyr, Frisco 1522, it" book - it is rather a book of Milwaukee Road Bi·Polar, Aerotrain - Approx. 1 hr. - S22.95 inspiration and motivation reflecting the author's infectious enthusiasm for #4 - L.A. RAILROAD MUSEUM TOUR - See the many in­ his modeling and his subject. teresting locomotives and apparatus at the Travel Town ex· Up hibit in Griffith park, L.A. and the HUGE BIG BOY & TEXAS Clear Creek is also a history book - type locomotives, etc. at the Pomona Fairplex - over 1 hour modeling the C&S as it was in the - S22.95 . 1920s and 1930s required a lot of research. The author not only describes A collection of 54 articles reprinted from the bi·monthly #5, 6 - SoCal RAILSCENE VIDEOLOG - An ongoing Series NARROW GAUGE AND SHORTLINE GAZETTE, January showing everyday rail traffic through the greater Los Angeles the railroad and its equipment, but area, inc!. SP, UP, SFe, Cajon Pass, San Timoteo, chases. also the houses, churches, mines, and 1980 · January 1989. Including an introduction, layout plan, All tapes in Series are 2 hours - 522.95 ea. Vol I & Vol. 2 businesses along the line. layout photo album and index never before published. VHS Only. $3.00 S&H ea. tape, CA Residents add 8.25% Whether you are a model railroad· Sales Tax. Send Money Order or Check To: er, railfan or just curious about the Send your order to: OM&C VIDEO intimate details of the Clear Creek Benchmark Publications. Ltd. Canyon area of Colorado, you will P. o. Box 26 $3 Postpaid P.O. BOX 4640 • El MONTE, CA 91734 7. 25 Phone (818) 579·4431 find something of interest in this book. Los Altos. CA 94023 CA residents add $2.70 Sales Tax

54 • MARCH 1992 PRN CLASSIFIED ADS AWARD -WINNING

RATES: 45¢ a word/40¢ a word for ads running and more. Includes passenger schedule supple­ PRODUCTIONS three or more months/$10 per issue minimum. Pay­ ment. California 513.50, Pacific Northwest 513.00, FROM ment in advance. We reserve the right to edit all both 523.50! Altamont Press, P.O. Box 754-P, copy and refuse any listings. Ads cannot be ac­ Modesto, CA 95353-0754 340 knowledged, nor can proof copies be sent. Closing date: two months before issue date. Count all num­ CABOOSES, LOCOMOTIVES, PASSENGER CARS, ROC'S bers, name and address. Home/office street address AND MORE. The real stuff! It's all for sale through the and telephone number must accompany order. railroad industry's foremost nationwide classified pub­ I� lication called "The Railway Marketplace." Receive GANDY-DANCER 12 months of timely information for only 530.00. 1507 VIDEOS SATURDAY MAY 2 or Sunday May 3. 1992. Norwester Woodland Ave .. Folcroft, PA 19032- 1120, Phone/FAX Tours is proud to announce an opportunity to travel (2 15)583-8679 337-340 over former Northern Pacific and Milwaukee Road * trackage on a rare-mileage excursion. Travel over NP's former Connell Northern (40 miles) and Milwau­ FliMSIES MAGAZINE prints the news of Western rail­ CONVERSION OF 3985 kee Road's former mainline (40 miles) on a one day roads fast and often-twice a month. Find out what's 1991 Northern Colorado Media going on before it happens, instead of seeing some­ roundtrip (160 miles) that includes motorcoach from Prafessionals First Place Award Pasco, Wash .. to board train at Connell. Trip in­ body else's photos afterward. Sample 5 l.00. Sub­ fo r "Best Videography.» cludes continental breakfast, box lunch and photo scription 530.00 for 24 issues. Flimsies, P.O. Box 6776-P, runbys. 597.50 per person inclusive. Send check to Orange, CA 92613 338-340 Step by step conversion of UP 3985 Norwester Tours, 310 s.w. 4th Avenue-Suite 1010, to oil, and test run,pulling APL train. Portland, OR 97204. (503) 223-9197 for brochure or FAX SERVICE Get the hottest Western rail news every 90 mins., $49.95 further information. 340 Friday morning-weeks or months before you see it in * print. Send a fax to (714) 693--0247 for sample. 513.00 STEAM SPECIALS FREE BROCHURE listing retired SP engineer Dick Mur­ for 13 weeks. FLiMSIES EXPRESS, P.O. BOX 6776-P, OR­ dock's popular railroad books now on sale. P.O. Box ANGE, CA 92613 338-340 RAILFAIR '91 1346P, Ross , CA 94957 335-346 Complete roundtrip coverage of LONDON UNDERGROUND: SURFACE STOCK PLAN­ UP 844 & 3985 to Sacramento WA NTED: Railroad books, paper collections, cyclope­ BOOK 11x8. 48 pp. drawings, specs, photos of Lon­ Railfair '9 1. 60 mins. , $39.95 dias, equipment registers, operating manuals, timeta­ don's "Subsurface" cars, locos. S18.50. LONDON UN­ * bles, lanterns, china and railroadiana. Steve Botan, DERGROUND: Tube Stock 11x8, 80 pp. Covers small­ 3-TRUCK SHAYS ON THE 19822A Lexington, Huntington Beach, CA 92646. profile "tube" cars. S18.5O. Both 535.00. The Map Fac­ (714) 962- 1126 338-349 tory, P.O. Box 12629, Seattle WA , 98 1 1 1-4629 340 GEORGETOWN LOOP Fonner Westside Lumber shays at RAILFAN TIMETABLES Like employee timetables, RAILROADIANA CATALOG 52.00 plus LSASE refunded home high in the Colorado Rockies. packed with railfan information on all Class 1 roads. with purchase. China, silverware, menus, telegraph 30 mins" $24.95 Shows all main lines and branches with maps, fre­ instruments. P. Goodman, 636 Grant, Charleston IL * quencies, freight symbols, talking detectors, signals 61920 340 STEAM SPECIALS '90, PART I UP 844 to St. Louis NRHS convention and Ida-Wyo CentennialTrain. 120 mins., $49.95, * * * * * DO NOT MISS * * * * * * A Gathering of Extraordinary STEAM SPECIALS '90, PART II UP 3985 to OmahaRiver City Days * * Consequence * * and 844 to Abilene, KansasEisenhower Celebration. 120 mins" $49.95 TIlELAm' * SANTA FE STEAM ROTARY OY ROBBERY 1991 Rotary snowplow action on the Sn ow-8towint). in Kansas 1892 - 1992 Cumbres and Toltec. 75 mins. , $39.95 Come along with CRV Productions as we * take you on a two day journey through ROTARY SNO�LOWS ON western Kansas with Santa Fe 's last rotary THE CUMBRES & TOLTEC snowplow, See the action as the rotary Calif. Vm tage 1976 and 1978 steam rotary snowplow action. 45 mins.,$39.95 makes a rare appearance clearing drifts on * Santa Fe's Great Bend Subdivision DOUBLEHEADED FREIGHT between Ness City and Scott City Kansas ON THE CUMBRES & TOLTEC in November of 1991 , Exclusive on-board Vintage 1972 "Great Freight" footage shows the operations of this one­ Centennial Celebration of the Evans-Sontag steam action. 20 mins., $24.95 of-a-kind piece of railroad machinery, This Gangs' Holdup of the Southern Pacific at footage is a must see for all rail fans Kerman, California. 15 miles West of Fresno, nd 100 years ago! • 6 Days of Family Fun! interested in unique rail operations, • Available in VHS, BETA or Send Check or Money $29,50 + $2.50 • Nightly Concerts with Top Name Entertainment add $10 fo r PAL Order to: Postage & Handling • The Last Great Train Robbery Re-enactment - Daily • VISA, MC, Check, Money Order CRV Productions KS Residents Add • The Masters Rodeo ' Carnival ' Exhibits · Antiques • $4 Shipping & Handling P,O, Box 771101 5,25% tax • Steam Locomotives ' Pullman Dining & Sleeping Cars • Colorado Residents 3% tax

Wichita, KS • Gandy Dancers · Railroad Memorabilia · Model Trains • Write fa r fr ee catalog • 67277-1101 VHS Only. 1 hr. • Prizes - Games - Food - Fireworks - Fun & More OrderToll Free: 1-800-736-0757

Also available: Santa Fe the Kansas Way, • Your Group or Club Can Help Us Celebrate . Gandy Dancer Productions Hrs Vol. 1-2 in VHS only 1430 41st Avenue $42.50 + $2.50 postage and handling, KS Greeley, CO 80634-2732 residents add 5.25% tax. - - RING: 1 800 THE LAST (303) 351-0758

PAC IFIC RAllNews • 55 �x has captured the excitement of big steam power in action as the 3751 TAFE returned to the Santa Fe mainline. Pentrex wasthere in 1986 as the 3751 was moved from its resting place in a park in San Ber­ nardino and moved to Fontana. Years and count­ less man-hours later, Pen­ trex was there to cover the successful break-in runs and show what the dedi­ cation of many talented in­ dividuals can achieve. Pentrex crews also covered the entire four-day maiden voyage of the engine in ex­ cursion service. The engine powered a rec­ reation of the California Lim­ ited passenger train, cel­ ebrating the 99th anniversary of the train's debut. Running from Los Angeles to Bakers­ field, California, and returning via Cajon and Tehachapi Passes, the engine performed flawlessly as it tackled the stiff grades over the mountains. Two FP-45 diesel locomotives painted in the dazzling warbonnet paint scheme were coupled behind the steam engine as helpers. This is sure to become the best­ selling tape of 1992! PEN-3751 60 Min. $29.95 Check or Money Order Visa/MasterCard VHS or BETA

Please add $4.00 shipping per order, plus $1.00 for each additional tape. Canadian customers add $5.00 ship­ ping per order, plus $1.00 for each additional tape. Calif. residents please add 8.25% sales tax. MN residents please add 6.5% sales tax. All other foreign customers add $10.00 per tape.

Order Line: 800-950-9333 24 Hours A Day FAX 818-793-3797 >i'� # P.O. Box 9491 1, Pasadena, CA 91 109

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