February 1995 ewsNo. 375 · FEATURES 18 West Side Story An all-too-familiar saga of modernrailroading: The journeyof Southern Pacific's West Side Line from secondary main line to branch line to shortline spinoff Ted Benson

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Images: Off the Main Line Don Marson The West's short lines are incredibly varied; this two-decade tour illustrates some of the region's most-photogenic, but least-known, railroads DEPARTMENTS Vic Neves 4 Editorial 5 PRN Letters 38 8 Expediter 10 Chicago 8.North Western Railroading from the Inside 12 CP Rail System The general manager of the Louisiana & Delta Railroad shares his personal story of Southern Pacific Lines running one of Southern Pacific's earliest shortline progeny 14 18 Burlington Northern Forrest L. Becht 50 Focus California 52 Santa Fe 54 Kansas City Southern 42 58 Union Pacific Idaho, Northern & Pacific 58 Transit An in-depth look at one of Union Pacific's recent spinoffs-a railroad whose main 59 Short Lines purpose is hauling timber products between several Boise Cascade mills 80 Amtrak/Passenger Wayne Monger 82 Regionals 82 PRN Advertising Index 84 The Last Word 50 88 PRN Classifieds Focus California: Sierra Railway ABOVE:INPR Cascade Local, Banks, Idaho, Sept. 28, 1994.

Once, there were several shortline railroads meandering into the Sierra foothills; COVER: A Rarus Railway train, led by GP7 No. 102, nego­ now there are but few, including this endearing Baldwin-powered carrier tiates former Butte, Anaconda & Pacific trackage in Sil­ Vic Neves and Brian Solomon ver Bow Canyon, Mont., Oct. 19, 1990. Vic Neves photo

PACIFIC RAILNEWS (ISSN 8750-8486) is published monthly by PClltrex, Inc., 2652 E. Walnut. Pasadena, CA 91 107. Second-class postage paid at Pasadena, CA 91109 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: PACIFIC R,,"_NEWS, P.O. Box 9491 I, Pasadena, CA 91109. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $30 (U.S.) for 12 issues, S58 for 24 issues. Foreign add S6 for each 12 issues. Single copy 55 postpaid from Pasadena office (subject to change without nOtice). CHANGE OF ADDRESS: The Post Orficc 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/P.O. nOlifieations will be billed. Please allow us at least four weeks for any address change. ADVERTISING RATES: Contact PACIFIC RAILNEWS, P.O. Box 379. Waukesha. WI 53187: (414) 542-4900. MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: For all subscription problems and inquilies call: (800) 210-2211 or outside U_S. (818) 793-3400. EDITORIAL iRailNews' PACIFIC RAILNnvs and PACIFIC NEIVS Tired of merger muddle? are registered trademarks or Pentrex, Inc. PUBLISHER: Michael W. Clayton Get off the main line EDITOR: Don Gulbrandsen ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Brian Solomon ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Carl Swanson it's time to get off the main EDITORIAL CONSULTANT: Mac Sebree line and back into the CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Greg Brown, heart of railroading. Thus Elrond G. Lawrence, Wayne Monger, Dick Stephenson the purpose of this issue. In dismissing shortline ART DIRECTOR: Tom Danneman

railroading for its sup­ ADVERTISING MANAGER: Richard Gruber posed lack of heart­ pounding excitement, I think I've missed the point. Short lines actually appeal more to my person­ al values. I'm a strong be­ RAILROAD COLUMNISTS liever in the vitality of AMTRAK/PASSENGER-Dick Stephenson small business-and why 444 Piedmont Ave. #128, Glendale, CA 91206 not? Wo rking for a small AT&SF-Elson Rush 379, 53187 company provides me P.O. Box Waukesha, WI BURLINGTON NORTHERN-Karl Rasmussen with my livelihood. Small 11449 Goldenrod 51. NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448 IIIIiIlamene & Pacific's Corvallis Local switches the steam-pow­ businesses-be they short CN NORTH AMERICA-Mike Cleary ered Hull-Oakes saw mill at Dawson, Ore. Greg Brown photo line railroads or magazine 1395 W. Jessamine #206, 51. Paul, MN 55108 publishing companies-re­ C&NW-Michael W. Blaszak 've got a confession to make: When it member why they exist. Like large COl'pO­ 21 I South Leitch A ve., La Grange, I L 60525 CP RAIL SYSTEM-Karl Rasmussen comes to railroading, I'm basically a rations, their main goal is to turn a profit, 11449 Goldenrod 51. NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448 I mainline kind of guy. Give me a double­ but it's how they make those profits that ILLINOIS CENTRAL-Greg Sieren track thoroughfare and lots of trains-fast differs. Small businesses truly serve their 6117 S. 31SI. ApI. 12, Milwaukee, WI 53221 ones, powered by the newest locomotives­ customers-they ask them what they want KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN-Michael Hasbargen and I'm happy. I want a roar so loud you and then they find a way to give it to 1718 King Eider Drive, West Lafayette. IN 47906 can't hear yourself, exhaust so thick it MEXICO-Clirrord R. Prather them-and they realize that every cus­ P.O. Box 925, Santa Ana, CA 92702 chokes you and ballast flying in all direc­ tomer is important, even if they only ship REGIONALS-Dave Kroeger tions-now that's railfanning. When the one boxcar load, or buy one magazine, per I 15 Sugar Creek Lane No.7, North Liberty, IA 52317 trains pass, and silence takes ovel; you really year. Everything is so much more personal; SHORT LINES WEST-Wayne Monger relish it, and you've got a few minutes to col­ when you deal with a small business you 14091illman 51., Suisun City, CA 94585 73563,2652 lect your thoughts and talk with your friends can dial a phone number and have a good CompuServe SHORT LINES MIDWEST-Bob Thompson about what you just saw-but you know that chance of talking with the railroad's gener­ Route 6, Box 207, Paris, TX 75462 another train is going to show up and repeat al manager or with the magazine's editor. SP/SSW-joseph A. Strapac the chaos and the excitement all over again. Try that with a Class I railroad, or with P.O. Box 1539, Bellflower, CA 90707 Some people love branch lines and some big publishing company. SP (D&RGW)-Richard C. Farewell short lines. The railroading So this month, we're go- 9729 W. 761h Ave., Arvada, CO 80005 TRANSIT-Mac Sebree is thoughtful, personal, ing to pay tribute to an oft­ IIIII NW 191h Ave., Vancouver, WA 98685 even pastoral. Trains are overlooked part of railroad­ UNION PACIFIC-Wayne Monger few and far between and In dismissing ing, from several different 14091illman SI., Suisun City, CA 94585 when they do run they take perspectives. Ted Benson CompuServe 73563,2652 their time. When you rail­ shortline rail­ traces the sad slide of a sec­ SUBMISSIONS: Articles, news items and pholographs are fan off the main line, you ondary main to little-used welcome and should be sent to our \Visconsin editorial of· flee. When submitling material for consideration, include re­ travel at a different pace; branch-a story with a turn envelope and postage if you wish it returned. PACIFIC chaos is traded for relax­ roading for its happy ending as the line is RAILNEWS does nOI assume responsibility for the safe relUrn ation and excitement is re­ revived by shortline compa­ of material. Payment is made upon publication. placed by introspection. lack of excite- nies. Wayne Monger looks EDITORIAL ADDRESS: Submit all photos, arlicle submis­ Personally, I have other at how a relatively new sions and editorial correspondence to: PACIFIC RAILNEWS, P.O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187 hobbies that provide me ment, I think I've Class I spinoff is faring in (4t4) 542-4900, FAX: (414) 542-7595 with the relaxation I Idaho and Oregon. Forrest CompuServe: 76307,t175 America Online: Pentrex need-I like railroading for missed the point. Becht offers us his personal its visceral effects. Give me insight from eight years of Submissions sent via UPS. Federal Express or similar courier must go to the following Slreel address: the main line any time. running a shortline system PACIFIC RAIlNEWS, 923 Friedman Drive, Waukesha, WI 53186 Except for now. For the discarded by the SP. Vic Magazine Subscription Service: Address all correspondence re­ last three months, I've been bombarded Neves' special Images section reveals the garding subscriptions (including new orders and renewals) to: with almost-daily fax transmissions from diversity and beauty of the West's short Union Pacific, Santa Fe and Burlington lines. And our Focus section profiles one of Pacific RaiiNews Northern as the three Western titans the West's unique, independent short lines. P.O. Box 17108 North Hollywood, CA publicly engage in an epic merger struggle. For one month at least, it's time that we all 91615-7108 In the process, satisfying egos and maxi­ learned to slow down and appreciate rail­ For all subscription problems and inquiries call: mizing stockholder profits have seemingly roading off the main line. (800) 210-2211 outside the U.S. (818) 793-3400 overshadowed serving customers and mov­ ing freight. I'm tired of it all. Now, I think Don Gulbrandsen © 1995 Penlrex, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited .

4-February 1995 READERS RESPOND Letters

Readers Give Thumbs Up to New Look As the former publisher of this magazine, I Avard to Amarillo) runs four days per week in place of the AVBA. There is also a Q-BHCV Congratulations on the super new look for thought, naturally, that it was incapable of fur­ the publication. I support de-emphasizing of ther improvement. Now I pick up an advance (quality service train between Birmingham, Ala., and Clovis, N.M.) that began running in August the word "Pacific" in the title, and feel "Rail copy of the January 1995 issue and find my eyes that replaced a Q-TLCV (Tulsa to Clovis) that ews" is a good-and accurate-title for dazzled with a very great improvement indeed. what the magazine has become. I also can't The new design by Tom Danneman is mag­ carries primarily J.B. Hunt trailers. There is also wait for an entire edition on shortlines and nificent. There is more creativity in that fami­ a P-RIBH train (premium service train from regional carriers. (A great idea which might ly than any city the size of Waukesha has a Richmond, Calif., to Bilmingham) that normally become a tradition each year?) right to. The worldwide rail magazine busi­ runs, and occasionally, a P-BEBH train (premi­ ness benefits immensely. Best of all, Pentrex um train from Belen to Birmingham). Publishing (formerly Interurban Press) has in Gary mentions that the hill sees about 35-40 Bob Oliver its midst a magazine designer and layout artist trains in 24 hours. That's on a slow day. Thurs­ Horicon, Wis. [ can only regard with awe. day-Sunday usually sees about 50 trains in 24 Every month, I read them all: RAILWAY hours. Because of increases in traffic, Santa Fe The new PACIFIC RAI LNEWS looks GREAT! AGE, TRAINS, RAILFAN, the European journals, has just completed a second main track between Keep up the good work. Have you considered not to mention PASSENGER TRAIN JOURNAL and Avard and Waynoka, and will probably be a name change to AMERICAN RailNews? LOCOMOTIVE & RAILWAY PRESERVATION. Over adding a second main track to the hill by 1996. the past four years PRN has evolved into a rail Doug Cummins information powerhouse. The color photo Keel Middleton Burnaby, B.C. spreads have no equal anywhere, here or over­ Wellington, Kan. Via CompuServe seas. The proprietors of this magazine have never stinted their resources on presswork and Soo Line Crying Wolf I just got my January PRN and what a color separation quality. You see, the photos Regarding Ed Ripley's Last Word in the change. I really enjoy the new layout and the and the way they are presented and repro­ November 1994 issue, "Let 'em Fight it Out" photo quality is great. You have made a great duced are the soul of this magazine. is an editorial that he and I can almost agree magazine even better. Now it all pays off in a design that takes my on. Railroads have become efficient, leaner breath away. I can only offer envious congratu­ and meaner in the last decade. This increased John McGriff lations to Tom and all who had a part in it. productivity is a result of successful negotia­ Via CompuServe tion between labor unions and the carriers. Mac Sebree The Railway Labor Act (RLA) can be bur­ PRN [ just bought a copy of the January 1995 Vancouver, Wa sh. densome. The RLA allows unions to empower and it looks fantastic! You've done a great job secondary strikes, as they should be. The RLA improving a magazine that I already immense­ Engineer Comments on Curtis Hill also allows labor-bashing politicians to declare ly enjoyed. I especially enjoyed the article on In reference to Gary Clark's article on Curtis a "national emergency" when, in fact, this the San Diego & Arizona Eastern and Can'iso Hill in the November PRN: As a Santa Fe en­ emergency does not exist. Gorge. It lifted the shroud of misinformation gineer out of We llington, Kan., I run over this The fact that the Brotherhood of Locomo­ about the future of the line that I ran into hill on a regular basis. It is a very nice article, tive Engineers crossed a picket line set an ugly when ever I'd ask someone about it. but with a few mistakes. precedent. This BLE show of force was not First, the caption under the photo on page aimed at the Soo Line. This was nothing more Brian P. Kreimendahl 40; is described as "sweeping around a mile­ than a "skirmish" in a long battle for control of We st Los Angeles, Calif. long curve." This is actually a 2.7-mile curve. the unions. Tn the Soo Line strike, UTU main­ Via CompuServe It extends from milepost 352.8 at the west end tained solidarity. Solidarity scares the hell out of the Heman siding to milepost 355.5 just of carriers. The UTU can shut down the nation Very impressive ...espe cially the piece on east of the siding at Belva. It is the longest sus­ overnight. The BLE is a narrow, outdated the DASH 9s. It does resemble all of those tained curve on the Santa Fe's southernfreight union. For it to survive, it needs to change its comments I've been hearing, 'It looks like route from Chicago to Los Angeles. ways. The UTU started that process long ago. TRAINS ...the way TRAINS should look if it Second, the caption under the photo of the The Soo Line negotiations apparently re­ was done right.' train in the cut at Quinlan, states that this is a volved around issues settled by previous talks sandstone cut. I t is pure Oklahoma red clay soil. 10 years ago on other railroads. This time David C. Crammer Third and only minor, is that the elevation around, the UTU represents members who are Downey, Calif. rises 563 feet, not 600 feet. One thing not willing to negotiate future jobs in exchange for Via CompuServe mentioned is the fact that the grade is basical­ Soo's survival. The Soo Line, unfortunately, ly 1 percent. At Belva, there are two flat spots still thinks it's 1980 and is crying wolf. Congratulations on the new format. It's fine, that make this a compensated grade. They aid but I have two criticisms. The Image Section trains in both climbing the hill and descending Frank C. Klatt has too much blank space. The photos on the hill. Even controlling the best trains at 70 Vice-Local Chairman, UTU 1732 pages 56 and 57 would have had more power mph down this hill can be a challenge. One Oakland, Calif. if they were lai'ger. Also, more importantly, other thing that was left out was the length of isn't it time to drop the "Pacific" from "Rail the hill. It is 13 miles long. DASH 9 Correction News?" With so few major roads left, it seems There have been a few changes since Gary The DASH 9 feature in the January PRN con­ artificially restricting to ignore the eastern wrote this article. The H-AYBAlH-BAAV (prior­ tains an error. "An optional high tractive effort third of the nation. The next improvement ity manifest trains between Avard and Barstow) gear ratio ...increases starting tractive effort should extend coverage to the Atlantic. have changed to the M-AVBAlM-BEAV trains to 158,000 and continuous tractive effort to (manifest train between Avard and Barstow 180,000 lbs." should read 118,000 Ibs., as Norman F. Ford III westbound and between Belen and Avard east­ continuous tractive effort is always less than Exton, Pa. bound). Also an M-AVAM (manifest train starting tractive effort. PRN

Pacific RAILNEWS.5 BREAKING NEWS �pedite,.

schedule will be coordinated with the tri-weekly Pioneer sec­ tion of the California Zephy/; so Chicago will still have daily ser­ vice to the Pacific Northwest. The daily Salt Lake City-Los Angeles Desert Wind section of the Californ ia Zephyr will be re­ duced to three times per week. As it currently stands, the Amtrak board is likely to make all daily long-distance trains either quad­ or tri-weekly in the next wave of cuts, due by October. Downs attempted to put a pos­ itive spin on what is anything but a positive development. "While these changes are difficult for all of us at Amtrak, I am convinced that the result will be a 'New Am­ trak' that the nation and our cus­ tomers will be proud of," the Am­ trak president offered.

ON and Santa Fe Join Forces to Salvage Merger

Working together to fend off Union Pacific's unwelcome bid for Vic Neves the Santa Fe, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Pacific commenced On Dec. 14 Amtrak announced that the Capitols would be eliminated eUective April 1. But on Nov. 28, 1994, No. a joint tender offer for Santa Fe 724 was packed with Thanksgiving weekend travelers and Sacramento·bound with F59PHI 2003 in the lead. stock on Dec. 23. Together, the companies hope to acquire as many as 63 million outstanding "New Amtrak" Means currently 370,000, or a 40 per­ partia lly s tate-s u pported since shares of Santa Fe stock-enough Fewer Trains cent gain over the totals from the 1989. Annual revenues more than to gain control of SFP and allow first year of Capitols service. doubled on the corridor between the two companies to combine Of the route's $11.4 million 1989 and 1994 and ridership under their own terms at a later In mid-December, Amtrak Presi­ annual cost, $3.6 million is paid gains accounted for 31 percent of date. A premium price of $20 per dent Thomas Downs announced for by fares, the state contributes Amtrak's net system increase in share was offered; it was set to that Amtrak will cut 21 percent $5.7 million, and Amtrak covers ridership in that same period. On­ expire on Jan. 30. This is a risky of its passenger service by April the remaining $2.1 million. By de­ time performance is consistently gamble for BN and Santa Fe; even I in response to a budget short­ railing the Capitols, Amtrak better than 95 percent. if successful, it could load the re­ fall of nearly $200 million. sulting merged carrier with a Downs also announced deep re­ mountain of debt. Ed Ripley of­ ductions in staff, with the work­ fers a full analysis of this latest forse to be trimmed by 900 man­ mega-merger development in this agement (non-union) positions "I am convinced that the result will be issue's "Last Word" column. and 4,600 union positions. The actions will reduce Amtrak's an­ a 'New Amtrak' that the nation and nual expenses by $430 million. Cajon Pass Disaster Additional cuts in train service our customers will be proud of." are likely to come in October. At approximately 5:30 a.m. on Corridor trains were hit the Amtrak President Thomas Downs, aner the massive cuts Dec. 14, 1994, PBHLA-IO, a San­ hardest in this first wave of ser­ ta Fe intermodal train carrying vice reductions. Downs ordered doublestacks from Birmingham, the complete elimination , on stands to save 1 percent of its Western long-distance trains Ala., to Los Angeles, suffered a April 1, of the well-patronized $200 million deficit. were also targeted for reduc­ serious braking failure while de­ Capitols between Roseville-San The announcement that Am­ tions. Commencing Feb. I, the scending the west slope of Cali­ Jose, Calif., and the Milwaukee­ trak would discontinue Hiawatha Empire Builder will operate on a fornia's Cajon Pass. Repeated ef­ Chicago Hiawathas. trains stunned officials in Wiscon­ quad-weekly schedule between forts to bring the train under con­ The Capitols were implement­ sin and Illinois-the corridor is the Twin Cities and Seattle. Am­ trol failed. Unable to stop, the ed in 1991 in a partnership be­ one of Amtrak's best performers, trak figures it will save $15.2 Santa Fe train struck the rear-end tween Amtrak and the State of attracting 440,000 riders per year. million annually by the reduction of a standing Union Pacific coal California. Annual ridershi p is The Hiawatha Corridor has been in frequency. The train's new train. The collision occurred on

S-February 1995 • FACT FOLDER

Special Amtrak Edition Annual Savings Compared to Annual Passenger Counts" for Dec. 14 Service Cuts

Empire Builder (reduced to quad-weekly west of Twin Cities) • $15.2 million saved 453,794 riders

Desert Wind (reduced to tri-weekly) $9.7 million saved 261,613 riders

Hiawatha Service Chicago-Milwaukee (eliminated)

Bryan W. Oeyo $7.4 million saved 440,780 riders ABOVE: On Dec. 14, 1994, an AT&SF doublestack suffered a braking failure and collided with a standing UP coal train in Cajon Pass. Two Santa Fe crew members were injured; two UP and four Santa Fe locomotives were Capitols destroyed. BELOW: An eastbound Santa Fe train running on the north track passes the wreckage in Cajon Pass. San Jose-Roseville (elimina ted) the grade between milepost 62 $2.1 million saved and 63 near Cajon. As the train 362,109 riders sped out of control, a UP helper crew-whose locomotives were Mules tied to the rear of the coal Kansas City-St. Louis train-was alerted by the d i s­ : patcher of the impending disaster, • (eliminated) • $6.3 million saved and escaped without injury. Mo­ • ments before the collision, and • 160,925 riders only 1,500 feet from the point of • impact, the Santa Fe crew jumped • Crescent & Gulf Breeze • while the train was traveling at an (Crescent tri-weekly south of estimated 45 mph. Both Santa Fe • • Atlanta; G.B. eliminated) crew members sustained serious • $7 million saved injuries and were flown by heli­ • copter to local trauma centers. • 318,926 riders Following the impact, all four of • the Santa Fe locomotives derailed • Montrealer • along with a number of stack cars • (eliminated) causing a fuel spill and fire that Mike Schilinski • $4.8 million saved burned for more than a day. The • 119,017riders National Forest Service and local for an Amtrak train. The two six­ diverted trains around the wreck, • fire crews that had responded to axle EMDs helpers were demol­ which had occurred on the south • the accident decided to allow the ished, along with the four Santa track, by using the unobstructed • Palmetto • fire to burn itself out, feeling Fe locomotives in the collision. north track. These diversions con­ • (eliminated) there was little danger of the fire Santa Fe lost warbonnet-painted tinued until the wreck was • $30.2 million saved spreading. Initial reports had er­ SDFP45 96, GP60M 144, SDF45 cleared, investigations were com­ 167,135 riders roneously portrayed the accident 5976 and B40-8W 576. pleted and repairs made. : as a fatal head-on collision. The double-track CTC main Ironically, Santa Fe Chairman • • The 82-car UP unit coal train, line at this location is separated at "Sept. 1993-Aug. 1994 Robert Krebs was in Washington, • destined from Utah to Los Ange­ grade. Since the north and south D.C., the morningof Dec. 14, tes­ • Sources: David C. Warner, les harbor, was stopped waiting tracks are not parallel, Santa Fe tifying against proposed FRA reg- • Amtrak and PTJ.

Pacific RAILNEWS· 7 �pedite,.

Greg C. SiereR

Canadian National 5935 leads an eastbound ballast train on the Wisconsin Central at Sussex, Wis., on Oct. 22, 1994. WC has been handling the rock trains, which originate on the Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific in Minnesota and are bound for the Grand Trunk Western in Michigan, since last March.

ulations that would force rail­ UP can merge the railroads at any heard oral arguments from both UP-C&NW merger is planned at roads to retrofit their equipment time without further approval. UP the applicants and opponents of this time, Roach offered, "I'm not with expensive new braking sys­ will also be given three seats on the transaction. Speaking for UP, telling you that these railroads will tems, when news of the brake­ the nine-seat C&NW Board of Di­ Covington & Burling attorney not someday merge." fa ilure-caused accident broke. rectors. This move not only gives Arvid Roach, told the commission­ Speaking for control opponent UP better operational control over ers that UP and C&NW plan to in- Southern Pacific, attorney Paul ICC Approves Union Pacific Cunningham argued for the con­ ditions SP wants placed on the Control of C&NW transaction, which include SP ac­ "I'm nervous, and that's cess to all traffic generated by In a decision posted on Dec. 13 by North Western. If UP is allowed the Interstate Commerce Commis­ why I'm here." to control C&NW, Cunningham sion, Union Pacific will be allowed said, SP would lose $400 million to convert its 29.5 percent stock CC&P Chairman Don Wood in "direct revenue," and an addi­ ownership of Chicago & North testifying against UP control of C&NW tional $1 billion in "indirect rev­ Western from non-voting to voting enue" would be at risk. Cunning­ shares. In 1989, the UP purchased ham also hammered away at what the C&NW stock for $100 million he saw as an inconsistency in with the condition that it would be the critical Chicago-Fremont, Neb. tegt'ate their operations further by UP's position. Citing UP state­ held as non-voting. This decision corridor but also of the C&NW/ merging their customer databases, ments in the 1993 application now clears the way for the UP to WPRI coal operations in the Pow­ combining their equipment fleets, that it needed to control C&NW take control of all C&NW rail op­ der River Basin. coordinating dispatching and in order to fight off vigorous erations and integrate them in with Before making its decision, the reestablishing intermodal service competition from Santa Fe, Cun­ UP railroad operations-in effect, Interstate Commerce Commission to the Tw in Cities. Although no ningham reminded the Comlllis-

8-February 1995 Santa Fe Capital Programs side engineering firms have been asked to take a preliminary look Santa Fe is gearing up for gargan­ at this project, expected to cost tuan capital expenditures during around $800 million. 1995. The capital budget includes In Southern California, Santa $663.4 million in expenditures, Fe plans to expand Hobart Yard $134.6 million of which will be off­ by extending lead tracks eastward set by asset financing and public to the site of the Autoveyor vehi­ expenditures. Highlights include 50 cle unloading facility at Com­ new locomotives (25 SD70Ms and merce. Santa Fe plans to relocate 25 Locotrol III-equipped units to the vehicle operations to the yard be ordered later), 67 rebuilt units at Pico Rivera, which once sup­ and 1,810 rebuilt freight cars. ported a Ford assembly plant. The Santa Fe will build an intermodal city of Pico Rivera, though, has tel111inal at West Memphis, Ark., in refused to issue petmits allowing 1995-96, reconfigure Corwith Yard the new facility to open. for added intermodal capacity and finish up the San Bemardino inter­ Algoma Central Purchase modal tetminal. The company will by Wisconsin Central OK'd build or improve 55 miles of sec­ ond main track and convert 42 On Dec. 23, the National Trans­ miles of line to CTC. Existing lines portation Agency of Canada ap­ will receive 139 miles of new weld­ proved the acquisition of Algoma ed rail, 1,245,000 new ties (includ­ Central Railway by WC Canada ing 40,000 concrete ties) and Holding Inc., a subsidiary of Wis­ 2,750 track-miles of surfacing. consin Central Transportation. Argentine Yard will be rebuilt With this hurdle cleared, the deal at a cost of about $80 million. was expected to close in late Jan­ One of the two humps will be re­ uary; WC will continue to operate William Ramsey moved, along with the landmark the 320-mile railroad under the Al­ Santa Fe elevator, to make room goma Central name. The trackage Santa Fe 1201, one of two MK1200Gs-MK Rail's natural gas-powered for a modernized, enlarged classi­ will be purchased for US$8.4 mil­ locomotive-the railroad is testing in switching service in Los Angeles. fication yard. During the two-year lion, with the Province of Ontario rebuilding project, much of providing funding. The railroad's Argentine's carload switching ac­ locomotives and cars will be ac­ sion that UP now plans to elimi­ cific Chairman Don Wood told tivity will move to the little-used quired by WCTC for US$1 1.3 mil­ nate Santa Fe as a competitor by the commissioners. Noting that yards at Emporia, Kan., and Fort lion in a separate transaction. acquiring it, too. He asked the control of C&NW would leave UP Madison, Iowa. Thanks to Elson Rush, Wa yne commissioners to hold off a deci­ with no incentive to share Oma­ The Engineering Department Monger, Michael W Blaszak, sion on UP's application until the ha-Chicago business with CC&P, is laying plans to dou ble-track Bryan W Deyo, William Edward bidding war over Santa Fe ends. Wood complained that the combi­ most of the remaining single­ Ramsey, Mike Schillinski, Elrond "I'm nervous; and that's why nation would likely force his nine­ track portions of the Southern Lawrence and THE SAN BERNARDI­ ['m here," Chicago Central & Pa- year-old company out of business. Route by the end of 1996. Out- NO COUNTY SUN. PRN

Railroad Stock Index

James OuBose

Toledo, Peoria & Western-former US Steel-F7 720 has been rebuilt and painted as TP&W No. 1500. Shown at EastPeoria, III., on Nov. 28, 1994.

Pacific RAILNEWS.9 RAIL NEWS Chicago & North Western

1993, with the addition of Operation Life­ saver decals. It was not known at press time whether the entire order would wear the OL lettering. C&NW's new units, which will fill numbers 8801 -8835 on the roster, arrived with Automatic Train Control equipment in­ stalled and an electronic cab, with digital dis­ plays in place of analog gauges. The units are also the first C&NW motive power to be equipped with air-conditioners. Just one look was all it took the North Western to decide to order this most recent entry in the GE catalog. Back on April 21, 1994, C&NW borrowed GE AC4400CW demonstrator 2000 for one round trip over the Wyoming coal line from the UP inter­ change at South Morrill, Neb. This was the first time an AC4400CW was used in unit coal train service. It performed well enough to bring home an order. COAL C&NW Debuts Large Tr ains

Mike Abalos During December, North Western operated its first loaded coal train exceeding the custom­ Chicago 8. North Western began receiving the lirst 01 its 35 General Electric AC4400CWs in ary 110- 115 car limit over the BN-C&NW December. Numbers 8822 and 8817, shown at Proviso Yard on Dec. 21, had just been delivered. jointly owned coal line. The consist of train BMSNC-043 , loaded at Belle Ayr Mine on Dec. 4, included 125 C&NW 880000-series NEW POWER Southern transfer LC 10. Locomotives 8802, coal cars with gross weight of 286,000 Ibs. 8804 and 8805 are among the first a.c.-pow­ A.C. Units Arrive each. Gross weight of the train excluding lo­ ered production locomotives delivered by comotives was 17,500 tons, transporting General Electric (CSX is also receiving some). about 9 percent more coal than a convention­ The first three of North Western's order for The new units are assigned numbers 8801- al unit coal train carries. 35 new AC4400CW locomotives arrived at 8835 and wear the C&NW lightning-stripe To power this very large coal train (VLCT), Proviso Yard Dec. 16, courtesy of Norfolk paint scheme introduced on the C44-9Ws in C&NW turne d to its three Locotrol 11- equipped C42-8 locomotives (engine output increased after delivery), 8550-8552, which had been pulling ore trains in Michigan's Up­ per Peninsula since mid-1993. North Western positioned the 8550 and 8552, along with leased GE Super 7 3000, at the head end of the train, with 8551 shoving the rear, con­ trolled from the head end through Locotrol. The trip over the coal line was completed Creen Mountain Railroad excursions powered by ex-Rutland RS-1 without incident. When the train arrived at 405 between Bellows falls and Ludlow, VT South Morrill on Dec. 5, the 8551 and 3000 were cut off, leaving 8552 and 8550 to pro­ Trona Railway Baldwlf7 AS 616s working the railway's MOjave Desert ceed east over Union Pacific toward the train's trackage in California destination, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. C&NW plans to continue operating VLCTs Vermont Railway's Rut/an�Hoosick tum running amidst fall foli­ in the Sergeant Bluff service for the near-term Jet future. Expansion of the VLCT concept won't age, Including the now-abandoned Hoosick Branch come soon, as 8550-8552 are North Western's Maine Coast Railroad excursions powered by ex-washington Termi­ only Locotrol-equipped power. The new AC4400CW units did not come with Locotrol. nal RS-1 46 and ex-Central Vermont RS-11367 on the scenic ex-MOine Meanwhile, Electro-Motive power filled in Central Rockland Branch Trackage for the departed C42-8s on the ore line. 1 Hour-S1922 SD40-2s, SD50s and at least one SD45 oper­ Ius 5300 S&H ated in ore service during December. C&NW Send Check or Money Order to: reverted to 108-car ore train consists with this change. The C42-8s had been handling NeverHomeBoy Video 150-car consists. North Western expects to PO Box 253 continue operating the ore line through the from the camera of Gary Knapp Hinesburg, VT 05461 winter, stockpiling ore at Escanaba until lake ("The NeverHomeBoy" ) navigation resumes in the spring.

10-February 1995 OPERAT IONS COWBOY LINE and converting bridges to footpaths. Nebraska has already obtained commitments of New Vehicle Tr ains Problems for Trail Project $600,000 in funding from rebated federal gas taxes under the Intermodal Surface Trans­ Indiana Harbor Belt has successfully market­ On Dec. 5 Rails-to-Trails Conservancy signed pot·tation Efficiency Act, $100,000 of which is ed its Gibson Yard in Hammond, Ind., as a over title to the abandoned Cowboy Line be­ earmarked for restoring the exterior of the di­ flat-switching hub for motor vehicle traffic. tween Norfolk and Chadron, Neb., to the Ne­ lapidated depot at O'Neill, the only one still Auto manufacturers have made it clear that braska Game and Parks Commission. That standing. Planners hope to open the trail be­ damage to cars and trucks in transit has was great, said Commissioner Charles Wright, tween Valentine and Merriman in July 1995 been too high and the railroads need to take but his agency has been told to reduce its and between O'Neill and Neligh in the fall. steps to eliminate it. [n response, the rail­ budget by $1.7 million and, as a result, "this Thanks to Kenneth f. Larson, Bruno roads have discontinued humping of vehicle [trail] project will not have funds unless they Berzins, Keith Kohlman, Mike Pohlman, Bob traffic and are running more solid, or nearly come from some other source." Stein, Gregory D. Westwater, Jim Seacrest, so, trains of vehicle and parts shipments About $1 million is needed to convert the Michael M. Bartels, Kent Desormey, without stopping at intermediate points for 250-mile portion of the line not operated by C/'IICAGOLAND RAILROADS and US. RAIL NEWS. switching. As a vast and mostly unused facil­ Nebkota Railway, including laying a crushed ity near the Railroad Capital, Gibson was limestone surface for easy walking and biking Michael W. Blaszak ideally suited as a hub where trains from the East could be flat-switched into solid trains for Western destinations. Conrail, CSX and Grand Trunk We stern all deliver vehicle shipments to Gibson, where IHB classifies them for its Western connections. ALL NEW VIDEO RELEA SE! North Western joined the trend of han­ dling vehicle shipments via IHB on Nov. 28, when it established three new symbol freights CANYONS, TUNNELS AND PASSES OF THE WEST from Gibson Yard to UP destinations. Operat­ Scenery at its Finest! ing daily, train IHLOV is scheduled to depart yoming-Burlington Northern's Guernsey Canyon. Union Pacific at Altamont. Gibson in the early morning hours with IHB Utah-Southern Pacific, Rio Grande and Utah Railway in the Soldier Summit power and crew. It is expected at Provo Junc­ Warea. Nevada-UP, Rainbow Canyon, Meadow Valley Wash. Arizona. N.M.-Santa Fe. tion at 9 a.m., where the Harbor's power cuts Kingman, Nelson and Abo Canyons. Approx. 80 min. NalTated. CaU for more infOtmation off and C&NW locomotives and crews take over. Departing Proviso at 10:30, the train runs through to the UP unloading facility at Mira Loma in Southern California. A half hour later, at 11 a.m., train IHNPV follows the [HLOV from Provo Junction as far as North Platte. Yet another half-hour later on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, train IHMPV G. TRA IN VIDEO PRODUCTIONS follows [HNPV's EOTD, bound for Milpitas in Northern California. Presents Th ree Recent Videos Also Shot In 1994 These trains replace former Proviso-North Platte vehicle train PRNPV and handle all auto BURLINGTON NORTHERN racks formerly carried by trains ELNPA and Sand Hills and Butte Subs (Grand Island to Crawford Nebraska) PRNPA, except cars loaded at Chrysler in Travel 300 miles through the high Mid-Plains, see trains Belvidere bound for UP points, which PRNPA snaking their way through the valleys with wide sweeping will carry. IHB, C&NW and UP have agreed CUIVes (such as the large horseshoe cUlve at Marsland), the new not to run trains of fewer than 50 cars, and SD70MACs tackling Crawford Hill, photographed from many the new symbols may be combined or an­ unique vantage points. Narrated. Approx. 80 min. nulled when there is insufficient traffic to build trains of that length. UNION PACIFIC Pocatello Subdivision (Green River, Wyoming to Pocatello, Idaho)

NEW BUSINESS Experience spectacular mountain scenery as you fo llow UP's 250 miles of mainline through the lush valleys of the Wasatch and Flour Mill Planned at Rain Aspen mountain ranges. Featured are Puru Hill, Nugget Canyon, Pescadero, Lava, a ride up the Dry Valley Branch and much more. Narrated. Approx. 90 min. Harvest States Cooperatives announced on Nov. 23 that it would open a new flour mill at CSX Corbins C.C. Subdivision (Corbin to Covington, Kentucky) Bain, Wi s., outside Kenosha, during the sum­ mer of 1995. The mill is being constructed on Twelve tunnels, U18Bs, U23Bs, BQ23-7s, B30-7s, the new a 17-acre parcel lying between the C&NW DASH 8-40CWs, a variety of paint schemes, two separate helper pockets-you'll ride three SD40s through one and a New Line Sub and CP Rail main lines. The DASH 8-40CW through the other, pushing 13,000-ton coal property was formerly part of the parking lot trains over the "roller coaster." One-hundred-fifty miles of American Motors used to store the cars it mountain railroading at its best. Narrated. Approx. 80 mins. made in nearby Kenosha while awaiting out­ All videos mastered on BETACAM SP Natural HIFI Stereo. Available in VHS only. Also available ... bound rail shipment on the North Western. All above videos shot in 1994. Harvest States expects to mill 13 million Each tape costs $39.95 plus $4.00 S&H (Canadian Funds). CSX bushels of hard and durum wheat annually at The Alleghany Subdivision u.s. VISA orders will be charged the equivalent of $43.95 Canadian (The old C&O main line, (Approx. U.S. which includes S&H.) the new plant, producing flour for bread and $33 Clifton Forge, VA.-Hinton, W.V.) pasta manufactured in Chicago, Milwaukee -ORDER 2 TAPES · SAVE 5% -ORDER 3 TAPES - SAVE 10% Scenic mountain railroading, and surrounding areas. The complex, employ­ Discount Applies To Price 01 Tapes .i!.!!.l! S&H helpers, tunnels-includes a rree Orders payable by VISA or Money Order. Ontario orders add B% PST. ing 40 people at opening, will include an guide 10 the Alleghany Subdivision. 80.500-square-foot warehouse and concrete 3811 Victoria Avenue Well-received. 90 mins. Still $36.95 plus $4.00 S&H (Canadian Funds). silos for storage of one million bushels of Vineland, Ontario, Canada LOR 2CO "Recommended viewing" -£&0His­ grain. C&NW and CP will compete for in­ (800) 667-351 0 . (905) 562-3866 torical Society, Clifton Forge, VA. bound and outbound traffic from this facility.

Pacific RAILNEWS -11 RAIL NEWS CP Rail System

COR PORATE NEWS fi ndings of Presidential Emergency Board OPERATIONS 225 be accepted to settle the long-standing Waiting for eN to Respond contract dispute with Soo. The board find­ Business Rebounds Aner Strike ings call for a 10 percent pay raise for UTU Top management at CP is anxiously awaiting a members as well as implementation of the With the threat of a renewed Soo strike in formal response by the Canadian government reduced crew consist rules currently existing February dissipated, shippers are becoming to its $1.4 billion purchase offer for CN assets on other carriers. The proposal also calls for more confident in making contractual agree­ east of Winnipeg. While CN staff has been three levels of benefits for employees hired ments with CP, resulting in higher traffic vol­ quoted in business periodicals stating that the prior to 1985, those employed between 1985 umes moving across the Upper Midwest. The cash offer grossly understates the value of the and October 1994 and those new members Twin Cities terminal has once again become a facilities to be acquired, the somber condition retained after the new contract is executed. bottleneck and CP has instituted certain by­ of the federal budget may give the Dominion Company sources report that Soo Line will pass schedules to keep as many cars out of St. little choice but to seriously consider the offer. once again stand alone during the new round Paul Yard as possible. As Vancouver-Chicago Ottawa had been given until Dec. 22 to make of industry negotiations that commenced symbol 580 was earlier cut back to St. Paul as its response to the proposition. Jan. I, 1995. its eastern terminus, a run-through symbol While operating revenues for CP Rail Sys­ Under authority granted by the National 592 has now been established to move Mil­ tem during the third quarter of 1994 in­ Transportation Agency (NTA), CP was al­ waukee- and Chicago-bound traffic originating creased by $45.3 million to $86 1.8 million lowed to abandon operations over the 237- in Canada and the Dakotas around St. Paul. from the comparable 1993 period, the nega­ mile Quebec Central Railway effective Nov. When operated, this train takes traffic from tive impact of the 47-day strike on Soo IS. The company reports that negotiations symbols 560 and 580 at Glenwood, Minn., sharply dropped the profits realized from rail continue to proceed with the Irving Group to with a fi ll of grain hoppers when available. Ex­ operations during the three-month period. transfer properties located between Brownville amples of this bypass train included a 10I- car Net income decreased from $26.5 million to Junction, Maine, and Saint John, N.B. During drag on Nov. 6, powered by SD40-2s $5.5 million for the July through September November, CP also selected a consortium 5620/5728, a 94-car consist on Nov. 25, pow­ reporting time frame. comprising Bangor & Aroostook and Iron ered by SD40-2 5717 and Soo SD60 6016, In a more favorable development, United Road Railways for the final negotiations to while the next day, 592 rolled through the Transportation Union negotiating representa­ convey rail operations between Sherbrooke, Twin Cities behind SD40-2s 5651/672 as well tives recommended to membership that the Que. and Brownville Junction. as HATX GP40 402, again handling 94 cars.

GREAT SHORTLINE VIDEOS FROM PENTREX! Shortline railroads are booming businesses running diverse op erations with some of the most interesting locomotivesfound in railroading today! Sample the world of shortline railroads with these exciting, professional videos fr om Pentrex!

ARIZONA 'S SHORTLINE RAILROADS WESTERN MA RYLAND Older Alco, Baldwin and EMD locomotives are SCENIC RAILROAD hard at work on the Copper Basin, San Manuel, Early Alco diesels pull vintage passenger cars Magma Arizona, Arizona Eastern, Arizona & through beautiful western Maryland in this gor­ California, and the Apache Railway which is fa­ geous tape. You'll love the cab ride and those mous for its Alcos. These hardy shortlines face the incredible Alco sounds. After seeing these classic challenges of Arizona's rugged terrain with re­ units in their striking Fireball paint scheme, you'll sourcefulness and power! know why fans have been raving about the Western 100 Minutes #PEN-ASHORT $39.95 Maryland Scenic. �--.-- 30 Minutes #PEN-WMSR $1 9.95 CALIFORNIA WESTERN RA ILROAD WINCHESTER & WESTERN, Pentrex invites you to explore the entire Cali­ A Big Little Shortline fornia Western Railroad, located in the Northern Alco RS-11 s and a GP-9 make daily sand-haul­ California coastal town of Ft. Bragg. Ride in the cab ing runs between Winchester, Virginia and the and on the tender of a steam locomotive, hi-rail mine at Gore. The Alcos smoke it up and pump out ahead of a Skunk railcar and an Alco diesel, and those great sounds as they pull heavy loads over see how the Skunk car serves as the main link the hills. This is an up-close and personal look at from Ft. Bragg to Willits. It's a marvelous, personal down home railroading! �--.-- tour of a popular shortline! 30 Minutes 60 Minutes #PEN-CALW $39.95 #BPEN-WW $19.95 Check or Money Order Visa/MasterCard Order Line: >r� Please add S4.00 shipping per tape, plus Sl.oo for each additional tape. Canadian customers add S5.00 � shipping per tape, plus Sl.00 for each additional tape. All other foreign customers add S10.00 per tape. 800-950-9333 P.O. Box 94911, Pasadena, CA 91109 MAG5 CA residents please add 8.25% sales tax. 24 Hours A Day FAX 81 8-793-3797 CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG

12.February 1995 Reflecting the evolution of long-haul freight from highway trailers and boxcars to various domestic and steamship containers, the volume of intermodal units transferred be­ tween CP and ships at Vancouver, B.C., dra­ matically increased during November. Recent management initiatives to increase the compa­ ny's container shipping capacity is indicative of the long-term outlook for growing transcon­ tinental intermodal business. Delivery of the 900-car order of new cov­ ered hoppers continues, with several hundred cars making their initial trip westward in November. On the 6th, train 371 handled 78 new cars in the 115 200 series, while one week later, the same train handled a large block of new equipment in the 115300 series and on the 25th No. 201 handled 25 cars in the 1 15400 series into St. Paul. While the company benefits from this new infusion of grain-handling equipment, CP has also con­ tracted with a new private concern located on Soo's main line west of Kimball, Minn., to keep its fleet of older covered hoppers in good operating condition.

MOTIVE POWER Steve Smedley

CP Eyes A.C. Technology Soo Line still operates a number of rural Midwestern branches. On Oct. 14, 1994, Soo Line SW1500 No. 1400 leads a northbound local bound for Janesville, Wis., at Davis Junction, III. CP Rail may purchase 30-40 AC4400CWs from General Electric with a tentative deliv­ ery from late 1995 into early 1996. The example), so dispatchers often have fits Units which had "died" during November in­ number series for the new units has not when properly outfitted locomotives fail en cluded M-630s 4563 and 4570 as well as M- been specified, although somewhere in the route. One source indicates that up to 40 636s 4708 and 47 12. During November, M- 9000 series is a good bet. A firm decision on percent of road units on line at present are 630 4555 was formally removed from CP's the renumbering of Soo's 63 SD60/SD60Ms not fit for operating in the lead. A high-pri­ locomotive roster. has yet to be made; this could affect the dis­ ority proj ect in 1995 will be to equip as Renumbering of the former GATX 2000- position of the new GEs. many Soo units as possible for service in the series SD40-2s continues, with the 2008/2009 As another stop-gap measure until new lead while operating in Canada. converted to CP 5430/543 1 in the past month. state-of-the-art locomotives can be acquired, Nearly 150 units were leased by CP as of KCS GP40 4747 visited St. Paul on Nov. CP has contracted with Morrison Knudsen to Dec. 1, including 20 SD40-2s from GATX, 92 25, arriving on the point of No. 430. remanufacture up to 100 SD40M-2 type units EMD units from Helm, six SD40s from Preci­ Th anks to Mike Cl eary, CP Rail System, over the next four years. A firm order has sion National Corp., nine GP20Cs from Gen­ PI. Gratz, Glenn Lee and TRAFFIC WORLD. been placed for the first 10 units, expected to eration Locomotive as well as a smattering of be delivered to CP prior to March 15, 1995. units from common carriers, including seven Karl Rasmussen Under the terms of the contract, the rebuilds F40s from VIA. More units are en route from will initially be leased from MK, with an op­ Helm, with negotiations underway with PNC tion to buy the units later. for up to 40 more SD40/SD45-type units. Mid-March is still a long way off and CP Plans called for all 4500s and 4700s to be is struggling with its fleet of "rent-a-wrecks" stored by the end of 1994, but 26 active RAILROAD GIFTS to keep high levels of traffic fluid across the units remained on Dec. 1 (one C-630M, five Commemorative Railroading Medals, system. Many of the units under lease at pre­ M-630s and 20 M-636s). The big Alcos con­ Books & Videos. Finest Quality. sent are not suitable for lead status (Many tinue to see service in the U.S., with M-630 � P.O. Box 828 are not equipped with telemetry devices for 4571 noted at Glenwood, Minn., on Nov. 13. White River Jet., VT 05001 Call toll free (800) 375-3943

Don't miss Missouri Pacific ROllte of the Eagles, Mis­ Diesel Power, a stunning SOllri Pacific ill the Stream­ new book by author Kevin lilled Era, by Greg Stout is a EuDaly. This dramatic dramatic color and black and color and black and white white book that chronicles book chronicles Missouri Pacific's diesel power, Missouri Pacific passenger and includes images chosen from over 100 trains and operations from Th e Eagle through photographer's collections. Features detailed unit Amtrak-day, 1971. Approximately 140 pages, hard by unit roster. 192 pages, hard cover with dust cover with dust jacket.

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Pacific RAILNEWS -13 RAIL NEWS Southern Pacific

Richard P. Barnes Jr.

Southern Pacific's remote Lone Pine Branch connects with the Trona Railway at Searles, Calif. On Oct. 29, 1994, a local Southern Pacific freight negotiates the desert line at Saltdale, Calif. YOU WON'T BEIlEVE YOUR EYES! COR PORATE NEWS two of SP's top executives to Denver. Moyers Professional TV lights reveal what few said that SP's decision was to move the corpo­ SP Settles into Denver have ever witnessed ...the awesome power rate office to Denver. He promptly reconsidered of the Alaska Railroad thundering the statement and noted that SP "did not want through the dark and bitterly cold sub­ SP's Ed Moyers recently gave a speech in Den­ to portray itself as abandoning California." arctic winter. You will see it all! ver to celebrate the transfer of SP's headquarters Spokesperson Jim Monaghan did comment, to the Mile High City. Moyers' speech tlied very Spectacular night shots, fully lit, unstaged however, that SP could add another 300-500 hard not to admit that SP had more or less left jobs in Denver by mid- 1995. With a stated tar­ as it happens! An unforgettable ride on a San Francisco. Moyers noted that SP had added get of reducing jobs overall, one might wonder passenger train from Fairbanks to 1,100 jobs to Denver, built a computerized what positions will be eliminated to create Anchorage! AND MUCH MORE: "nerve center" in town and transferred all but new Denver job slots. Evidently, with the re­ See a freight torpedoed and stopped cent merger mania, someone has been talking dead by a detector to SP. When recently queried about SP becom­ Witness the drama of an icy midnight ing a partner with another major railroad in a merger, Moyers refused to comment, pointedly meet in a snowstorm GREAT noting that he could not discuss that subject. Feel the grip of -30°F as a passenger GIFT IDEA He did note, however, that he felt that the sev­ extra streaks past Mt. McKinley en major railroads presently operating would

ALASKA III '60min VIIS be reduced to but three or four combined sys­ $3400 tems when the merger wave is finished. mE ALASKA . . SERIES COIVI1NUES . COLORADO WRECK cmlPLETESfORIES TOW IN A HillS", UNIQUE FOllftlAT! Taconite Runaway on Tennessee Pass ALASKAI· 60 min V HS Steel Rails,Midni ht Sun � At 2:45 a.m. on Nov. 22, 1994, 2MNGVC 17, a Summer on the Alaska. 34 Railroad $ 00 westbound loaded taconite train, derailed all but the lead locomotive and three hoppers at mile­ post 283.6 between Tennessee Pass and Pando, ALASKA 11 ·4,5min ViiS "COLD & POWERFUL" Colo. Four locomotives, D&RGW 5369, 5348, \%erc Tr ains Fly, and Ealges Soar UP Big Boy in Wasatch Mountains SP 8670 and D&RGW 5370 (two SD40T-2s, Seward & Whittier From Original by railroad artist Gil Bennett SD40M-2 and SD40T-2) were assigned to the Subdivisions $ 00 26 18 x 24" Full Color head end. The engineer was unhurt; the ALLPRICES INCLUDE only $20.00 plus S4.00 shipping conductor was seriously injured. Eastbound SHIPPING AND LARGE Send 3·stamp SSAE for HUGE LIST 1GJKCQ19 (Grand Junction-K.C. quality) was BONUS l\IAP/NEWSPAPER of over 200 other' RR prints waiting at Pando to meet the taconite train. Yo ur Check Is Welcome! After the wreck GjKCQ's power was rout­ Mind's Productions PRINTS AND HOBBIES ed up the hill to the wreck site to help stabilize I :------'- 2900 Boniface #559 • Anchorage,Alaska 99504. the situation. Derricks were called out of Grand Junction and Pueblo; Denver's side­ (Texans: Please add sales lax.) � SB 1·800·8·ALASKA 8% boom-equipped Caterpillar tractors were dis-

14-February 1995 -- - - - 't' _c ' - patched to the site, along with the Bond, Co­ .- .. �"'. -: lo., sideboom. About 1,500 gallons of diesel ��: . 1 ,;� .:_;' ,/",-.:.:" :( .: 1 • fuel leaked into nearby Mitchell Creek. Ab­ NO MORE _:. "_".,, ...... - • sorbent booms were used to contain the con­ taminants before they reached the Eagle River. Railroading is facing the opportunity of a lifetime. Intermodal traffic is The Tennessee Pass line was tied up for two growing rapidly and no videotape producer shows and explains these days; most trains using the route were tied changes as well as Big Productions. If you are interested in con­ down. Taconite trains were routed via Denver "E" and the Moffat Tunnel as were westbound temporary operations or in seeing complete trains, we have the pro­ KCOAF (Kansas City to Oakland trailers) and fessionally edited videotapes for you. Railfans interested in opera­ eastbound EUCHQ (Eugene to Chicago quali­ tions rate our videotapes as the best in their collection. All trains are ty). To handle the detoured mainline traffic shown in their entirety and are identified by symbol and destination. flowing through Denver, crews that normally worked Moffat unit coal trains cycled main NEW "The Santa Fe at Lebo, KS" speed line. 86 min. $27.95 + $4.00 for S&H. line trains between Denver and Bond. Moffat See 24 hours of incredible action in October NEW "SP's Kansas Funnel" operations were tied down during the crisis. of 1994 at Lebo, 93 miles west of Kansas Over 24 hours of action in October of 1994 City on SF main line. If you like hot trains, this on former RI east of Herington where the LOCOMOTIVES is the greatest show in this country. The red Golden State Route and Central Corridor warbonnets thunder through Lebo. No rail­ trains come together. New & leased power More Dash 9s, SD40M-2s Arrive road runs freights any faster than the Santa on trains. 65 min. $29.95 + $4.00 for S&H. Fe. 90 minutes. $29.95 + $4.00 for S&H. General Electric is now delivering the second "CN's Eastern Mountain Main Line" half of SP's 10I- unit C44-9 locomotive order. NEW "Norfolk Southern Across North­ The steepest grades, largest bridges, and Numbered 8150-8200, these six-axle d.c. units ern Indiana" This tape covers nearly 30 some of the most rugged parts of the CN's are expected to reinforce the aging fleet of tun­ hours of action near Argos, IN, on Norfolk transcontinental main line are in northern nel motors and SD50s on Rio Grande coal Southern'S line form Fort Wayne to Chicago New Brunswick and eastern Quebec. This h·ains. The first 50 units from this order (8100- in Aug. of 1994. Traffic on this line has tape follows the CN freight line to Halifax for 8149) were delivered during the spring of 1994. grown from 3 or 4 trains each way to 15 138 miles around Edmundston, NB, in Aug. Morrison Knudsen SD40M-2 deliveries trains each way per day in the last 12 of 1994. ALCO's were still in use on this (8574-8707) continue apace, with virtually all years. This is the story on one of the dy­ line. 65 minutes. $25.95 + $4.00 for S&H. units now coming from MK's shops in Homell, namic happenings in railroading that needs N.Y., and Mountain Top, Pa.; Boise is out of the to be told. 86 minutes. $27.95 + $4.00 for NEW "GTW And CSX At Wellsboro" 24 picture after rebuilding an initial 20 or so units. S&H. This tape shows over hours of continu­ 1994. MK's SP-painted 5,000 h.p. road locomotive ous action at Wellsboro, IN, in Aug. of Wellsboro is in Northern Indiana where the was featured on the cover of POPUL AR MECHAN­ NEW "Northeast Corridor At Speed" See all the trains on the Northeast Corridor former B&O line to Chicago, now CSX, ICS magazine, along with a "road test" article, at Newark, DE, from 6:00 am to 10:30 pm at crosses the main line of the Grand Trunk but the locomotives haven't lived up to the hype. speeds up to 125 mph in Aug. of 1994. Western to Chicago. Up to 45 trains pound Shortly after their unveiling, they were retumed Every Amtrak train was taped in at least one the double track diamonds in 24 hours. 115 to Boise for work. Apparently, MK intends to direction, also CR trains and even a circus minutes. $29.95 + $4.00 for S&H. push the technology forward and not build a train. 67 minutes. $25.95 + $4.00 for S&H. slow evolution of demonstrators, but will com­ NEW" Fraser River Canyon-Canadian press its future plans into two or three prototype NEW "The Immensity Of It All II" National and Canadian Pacific" sets. For instance, SP 50 1 -503 may re-emerge See 24 hours of action on the busiest line See 24 hours of action in May of 1994 on from Boise with a.c. traction motors. for freight in the world-The Union Pacific the Canadian Pacific and 16 hours of ac­ The grand plan to assign trios of new SP between North Platte and O'Falions. 100 tion on the Canadian National in one of the SD70s as point locomotives and duos of trains in 24 hours. No train missed. Video­ seven railfan wonders of the world - the D&RGW SD50s as mid-train helpers on Mof­ taped in April, 1994. Sequel to our first tape Fraser & Thompson River Canyons. 50 fat Branch's Energy mine to Ray Nixon power on the UP in Nebraska. Two tape set. 3 trains run through this canyon in 24 hours. plant unit train cycles was put into action. The Hr., 40 min. $44.95 + $4.00 for S&H. 106 minutes. $29.95 + $4.00 for S&H. plan lasted for one cycle before the supposedly dedicated motive power set was needed else­ NEW "Burlington Northern's Funnel" NEW "Union Pacific's Encina Hill" 24 1994 24 where. So much for good ideas. See hours of action in May of on one This tape shows hours of action on the UP's busy line through the Blue Mountains A few SW1500s have appeared with fresh of the busiest single track lines in the coun­ try-the BN's Funnel between Spokane, WA, on Encina Hill between Huntington and paint. Many of these switchers haven't seen new and SandpOint, 10. All of the BN & MRL Baker, Oregon. Pushers help a stream of paint in more than a decade. Included in the transcontinental traffic runs on this high trains up 2.2% grades. Videotaped in May package (at least on a few examples) is a block "SP" painted on the front radiator shutters. Other videotapes currently available (length varies with price as above) are: 24 $39.95 $4.00 RAIL BONDS "Rochelle , Illinois hotspof' , hrs on BN & CNW at Rochelle (2 tapes) - + for S&H. "Callahan, Florida, - CSX Hotspot" - 24 hrs at busy CSX spot in NorthFI.- $29.95 + $4.00 for S&H. Rail" - 24 $1 9.95 $4.00 California Voters Say No "Fraser River Canyon - BC hours of BC Rail around Lillooet ' + for S&H. "FEC ' The Maverick Railroad" , 24 hours plus on north end of FEC ' $25.95 + $4.00 for S&H SP and Morrison Knudsen were major corpo­ "The Immensity Of It All" , Our original tape on the UP in Nebraska - $31 .95 + $4.00 for S&H. 1993" ,24 $27.95 $4.00 rate sponsors for Califomia Proposition 181 on "SP Sunset Route , hours on the SP in New Mexico - + for S&H. "Santa Fe's Belen Cutoff" - 24 hours on the ATSF in NM in 1993 - $29.95 + $4.00 for S&H. November's ballot. This bond issue would have "Mainstreet of the Midwest" - 24 hours on Conrail in Indiana - $29.95 + $4.00 for S&H. provided cash for purchasing SP trackage all "The D&H in Transition" , The D&H north of Binghamton in 1993 , $25.95 + $4.00 for S&H. over Califomia, notably the Coast Line. Unfor­ "Dorval , Canada's Hotspot" , Operations on CN & CP around Dorval - $29.95 + $4.00 for S&H. tunately, the voters weren't buying any bond is­ "Conrail Along The Mohawk" , 20 hours on CR near Amsterdam, NY , $27.95 + $4.00 for S&H. sues in 1994, and Proposition 181 bit the dust. "Southern Pacific 1992 Update" , Operations on SP's Southwest Region - $29.95 + $4.00 for S&H. Ironically, the initiative concept was originally supported by the Progressive Party to counter the monopolistic Southem Pacific. BIG "E" Productions Th anks to 01'10 Elfes, H. W. Farewell, Miles Moran, fohn Shaw and the SP Informa­ P. O. Box 75 tion Center. Greenland, NH 03840

Joe Strapac and R.C. Farewell All tapes shipped by priority mail. VHS only.

Pacific RAILNEWS -15 RAIL NEWS Burlington Northern

another offet; Santa Fe Chainnan Robert Krebs' disdain for UP management and its brand of politics may result in some dramatic moves. Beyond the excellent financial report for 1994's third quartel; BN reported that its op­ erating ratio dropped from 89.4 percent in 1993, to an outstanding 81.7 percent this year. Mushrooming traffic volumes continue to be a burden for BN management, with nation­ wide intermodal loadings up a remarkable 14.3 percent for the first 45 weeks of 1994. Equipment and crew shortages, once a local­ ized phenomenon, have spread across the en­ tire system. A full slate of trains was operated over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in an effort to catch up on backlogged business. During November, some lower priority mani­ fest trains sat at intermediate terminals for up to one week waiting for rested crews and mo­ tive power. Particularly hard hit was the Pacif­ ic Northwest, with the 600-series regional trains operating way behind schedule. On peak traffic days (Thursday through Satur­ day), many trains were being held at their ini­ tial terminal awaiting power and/or crew.

NEW BUSINESS Container Carrier Eyes Seattle

In the midst of a cornucopia of traffic opportu­ nities, BN will be watching the proposal of Ta i­ wan's flag carrier, Yang Ming Marine Trans­ pOl·tation Corp. (YMT), to extend service to the wayne Oepperman Port of Seattle. YMT cUITently operates to Los Angeles and Oakland, and did provide service to Burlington Northern's Nelson Sub-once on the verge of extinction---bas seen traUic levels re­ Seattle in the late 1970s and early 1980s. As bound thanks to an iron/zincore reload. A train is seen on the line at waneta,B.C., on Sept. 28, 1994. Taiwan's other major carrier is Evergreen (which recently moved to Tacoma), expect Seat­ tle to actively solicit this business. BN's empha­ COR PORATE NEWS Santa Fe has been an agonizing experience. sis on providing reliable intermodal service While financial experts appeared ready to de­ across its northern corridor could be an ath'ac­ Merger Picture Still Unclear clare UP the winnel; the latest joint BN/AT& SF tive piece of Seattle's sales pitch. stock buy-back offer may have put the BNSF The ICC will be managing a National Grain The waiting period prior to the scheduled proposal at the forefront again. At a minimum, Car Council whose primary objective will be to shareholders' voting on competing Burlington expect the fight over Santa Fe to become a long better manage the nation's fleet of grain hop­ Northern and Union Pacific bids to acquire drawn-out affair. Even if UP counters with yet pers. Its membership will include representa-

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1 S-February 1995 tives from rail carriers, grain shippers and re­ either Galesburg or Northtown for further orga­ were the 9542-45, in service by late Novem­ ceivers as well as equipment manufacturers. nization. In a somewhat related development, ber. Because of problems with defective mate­ BN has recently been criticized for its Certifi­ symbol 203 has been upgraded to its old 103 rials on their pinion gears, SD70MACs from cate of Transportation program, although it has designation, although power and crew shortages the first order are being cycled through the taken long strides to increase its pool of cov­ have not improved operating times. Clyde diesel shop in Chicago for replacements. ered hoppers. Having invested in 4,500 high­ Train 34 is handling more than auto racks In an effort to improve its coal power fleet, capacity cars in the past few years, BN now these days, with mechanical reefers and hot BN obtained ten C30-7s from Santa Fe in late boasts a fleet of more than 31,000 covered manifest traffic often noted. Such was the case October, all of which were shipped to LRC in hoppers to handle this season's record crop. on Nov. 25, as 34 was noted in St. Paul with Livingston for a quick tune up. Units included SD40-2s 7082/8003 moving 46 racks, eight in the transaction were 8099-8101, 8103, ENGINEERING reefers and four assorted manifest. 8105, 8110, 81 14, 8118, 8120 and 8122. In an attempt to relieve congestion at Conrail has become a major player in BN's BN Moves to Ease Bottlenecks Chicago, BN added two turnaround crews at attempt to rectify its locomotive shortfall, as Cicero to move CN trains as well as Sea-Land blue SD40s and SD40-2s have hit the proper­ BN has announced a number of proposals that stack trains 7 and 8 over the BRC to and ty in a variety of ways. Units in the 6400-64 14 would not only ease bottlenecks, but signifi­ from Clearing Yard. series were reclaimed by EMD when their cantly alter operations in Illinois. First, BN A Nov. 5 derailment on the coal line at leases expired and, after a quick touch up with needs to make capacity improvements at its Newcastle, Wyo., resulted in the detour of blue paint, are leased out to BN. A number of Cicero Yard in Chicago. The first phase will four manifest trains via Aberdeen, S.D. Train retired SD40s in the 6200/6300 series have involve construction of a second connection 120 was noted in Aberdeen on the 6th, with been purchased by BN, sent to LRC for an track to reach the Belt Railway of Chicago at 56 cars powered by LMX B39-8 8594, GP50s overhaul and are emerging in the 6851 series. the east end the yard, improving operations of 310113159, B30-7AB 4038 and GE (Metro­ As part of Conrail's new lease fleet, SD40 806 Canadian National and Southern Pacific over­ North) B23-7 804. worked No. 19 at Northtown on Nov. 18, head traffic. To increase intermodal storage while sister 814 was spotted in Minneapolis and loading capacity, BN will first move its MOTIVE POWER on Dec. 3. Finally, several CR-owned SD40s three-track main line to the north side of the were operating on the BN in late November, yard and then remove the in-place hump and SD70MACs Continue to Arrive including the pair of 6334/6348 on a G32GN classification tracks. Similar plans are in the grain train in Minneapolis on Nov. 25, while works for Eola, where the mainline relocation Delivery of the second order of SD70MACs sisters 6279/6306 worked a No. 8 stack train will provide for more efficient pick-ups and continues at a good pace, with many units in into Spokane on Nov. 28. set-outs by the many manifest trains that per­ the 9500 series in service by Dec. 1. Some­ Th anks to Mike Cleary, Pf. Gratz, leff form work at this satellite facility. An immedi­ what surprisingly, the quartet of SD60MACs Hendricks, Te rry LaFrance, Glenn Lee, Mike ate improvement was completed in November, (9500-03) will retain their original numbers, Murray, NORTHWEST RAILFAN, Mike Robert­ as a 9,000-foot siding was opened at Mored, as the current order went directly from 9499 son, Ti-IEMIXED TIl.AIN and TRAFFIC WORLD. 57 miles west of Chicago. to 9504. Inexplicably, after the 95 10 was re­ Further west, single-track bottlenecks in ceived on Nov. 11, the next units to show up Karl Rasmussen central North Dakota will be aided with the installation of welded rail on critical portions of the "Surrey Sub" located between Minot and Grand Forks. Intermodal trains 14 and 18 currently use this route to relieve stress on the 1995 1995 New Rockford Cutoff, but many miles of joint­ ed rail impede efficient operations. Many of the 100- and 200-series trains operating be­ tween Minot and Fargo will use this bypass 4 when the trackwork is completed. Santa Fe Color Calendar Great Union Pacific � OPERATIONS

Crew Change Phased Out Color 1995 The former SP&S crew change point at Calendars Wishram, Wash., was partially phased out in early November and was expected to be totally out of service by early January. Crews will op­ fo r 1995 erate from Vancouver to Pasco, which may be McMjllQo PubljC t a problem due to the congestion presently be­ Burlington Northern1:::; "" Conrail Color Calendar ing experienced. To better manage the flow of traffic, BN plans to build a seven-track grain train staging yard at Pasco. At present, four to $10.95 single copy price nine loaded grain trains are moving across this Customers per order corridor each day. Shipping and Handling: U.S. $3.00 (Canadian and foreign add $3.00 for first calendar. $1.00 for each additional) As reported in last month's column, BN has taken action to reduce congestion at its North­ Special Offer: order additional calendars and save money town Yard in Minneapolis by operating through Buy two for $19.95; three for $28.95; four or more: $9.60 each service between Grand Forks, N.D., and Gales­ NOTE: Offer valid for any mix of calendars if ordered burg, Ill. Trains 145 and 146 expedite the north at one time and shipped to a single address and southward movement of traffic for BN, of­ ten using sets of nOlmally aspirated power to ac­ Each calendar opens to 14 x 22 inches and fe atures 14 color photos complish the task. Symbols 241, 242, 883 and Order 884 were eliminated with this change, while U.S. and Canadian • MasterCard now from: train 142 now telminates in Galesburg (rather Credit Card Holders • Visa McMILLAN PUBLICATIONS, INC. than Chicago). It appears that BN is setting up Order Toll Free • Discover 2921 Tw o Paths Drive Galesburg as its principal classification point for 1-800-344-1106 • American Express Woodridge, Illinois 60517-4512 Chicago run-through trains, while westbound Dlinois residents add 6-3/4% tax 24-Hour FAX 1-708-910-6791 traffic will be operated on a "mine run" basis to

Pacific RAILNEWS.17 • 1

A �ailroad's journey from secondary lllain to

lS-February 1995 A Photo Essay by Ted Benson branch to spinoff aliforniaand the Southern Pacific: Twenty-five years ago, mere mention of C the two filled the mind with images of railroading on a staggering scale. A simple glance at the state railroad map provided proof. SP was everywhere: spinning a steel web across 400 miles of inland valley; catching the spray for 1 13 surfside miles on the Coast Line; skirting volca­ noes on the Shasta Route; scaling Donner's 7,000-foot Sierra batholith and diving 200 feet below sea level in the Colorado Desert. From Beaumont to Black Butte, Narlon to Norden, Crockett to Cabazon, "SP" connoted big trains, high horsepower and an incredible infra­ structure connecting the Golden Empire with Eastern markets. The drama had been unfolding for one hundred years. And main lines were only half of the story. There was a quiet side to the Southern Pacific in California, a railroad of branches and sec­ ondary mains where an SD9 was big power and 40 mph was stretching the envelope. J t was here, where the tap roots fed the trunk routes, that you found the Southern Pacific of yesterday. Ten years ago, the West Side Hauler's arrival at Mendota recalled a more vibrant time, before an interstate paralleled the SP. First-generation diesels, jointed rail, automatic block signals, an open agency and cantaloupes by the carload-this was the SP that turned the San Joaquin Valley in­ to an international economic force. Replace those mechanical reefers with top-icers and the calendar on the depot wall could have read 1956. Not any more. As the railroad leans down in the merger-mad 1990s, feeder lines are the first to go. Regional spinoffs, track sales and outright abandonments have impacted most of SP's California backroads. By and large, the transition has been positive, pumping life into a slowly decaying resource. But new growth from old stock requires prun­ ing. New operators succeed because they have no ties to the old ways. Customers came back in spite of the past. For California's new generation of service-oriented railroaders, nostalgia rarely extends beyond pictures on the office wall. Still, there comes a time to remember-a time to look back while moving on. No one knows what tomorrow will bring for California railroads. Rest assured we'll never see another Southern Pacific. Extra 3828 West approaching Mendota on Sept. 25, 1986.

Pacific RAllNEWS -19 We st Side Story

Railroading west of the San Joaquin in the late 1980s: pas­ senger GP9s 3195/3196 with an eastbound Haulel'at the West­ ley water tank, Sept. 28, 1987.

he great central valley of California is impossi­ SP? It mattered little to the Big Four. Californiawas ble to ignore. A land mass visible to the naked the railroad's oyster. The valley was their pearl. T eyes of astronauts, 400 miles long and up to West of the San Joaquin River, the land was a 100 miles wide, the valley held unlimited windswept wilderness ill the late 1880s. Wheat promise for pioneers fo llowing transconti­ growers prayed for rain, Henry Miller owned the nental rails west in 1869. Central Pacific cattle on a thousand hills and agricultural products lines spread through the region in the headed for market by riverboat and mule team. A 1870s, becoming Southern railroad would have been a welcome addition. Pacific in the process. CP? Central Pacific obliged on Feb. 7, 1887. with incorporation of the San Pablo & Tulare Exten­ sion Railroad, projected for 260 miles along the Coast Range foothills between Tracy and K.ern County. Graded by CP in 1888 with rails laid by SP the following year, the first 58 miles of the West Side line opened to Los Banos on Nov. I . 1889. Portions of the remaining 69 miles to Fres­ no were opened to Kerman and Mendota in 1891 with the entire line completed on July I. 1892. Branches to Armona, Biola and Riverdale wou lel connect to the south end. along with a few short spurs and a 23-mile narrow-gauge mine road west Southern Pacific's We st Side Line

- SOUTHERN PACIFIC'S WEST SIDE LINE California Northern Railroad Tracy to Los Banos elf. 9/26/93 Port Railroad, Inc. San Joaquin Valley Railroad Oxalis to Fresno elf. 3/6/94

- WEST SIDE PENDING ABANDONMENT

-- OTHER SOUTHERN PACIFIC TRACKAGE FIREBAUGH 0 - UNION PACIFIC Benito Cromir = INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS Arbios -- OTHER ROADS (not all shown) N MENDOTAIi'Or� ;;;;;;;:;;:��:�;�;:e���� @ STATE HIGHWAYS MAP BY TED BENSON, BRIAN SOLOMON AND TOM OANNEMAN To Bakersfield

20-February 1995 of Patterson. Economics eliminated most of the ---- feeders in time, but not the resilient main stem. One hundred years after the last spike was driven, the West Side line remained intact. The 20th Century brought dramatic change to the land. Irrigation guaranteed water resources for "sky farmers," who supplanted their wheat crops with cantaloupes, cotton and sugar beets. The treeless plain that spawned Patterson in 1909 sprouted a forest of orchards, rich in fruit and nuts. River towns like Hills Ferry and Grayson moved trackside, becoming the communities of Newman and Westley. Dairy herds surpassed the spreads of Miller and Lux. And there was oil. Black gold from Coalinga be­ gan flowing through Associated Pipe Line's pioneer installation in 1910. Construction of the hot oil pipeline parallel to the railroad created pumping stations every 10 miles or so between Mendota and Bay Area refineries. Pipeline residuum provided lo­ comotive fuel until the end of steam. Civilization and commerce followed the head­ lights of SP trains across the Los Banos Subdivi­ Dos Palos-bound empty beet racks (top) behind loco­ sion. Local markets became national; metropolitan motives 3399/4342/4374/3767 in the marsh at Agatha culture was just hours away. The wild, windy West on May 12, 1986; and westbound beet loads (above) Side was wildernessno more. departing Vernalis on April 17, 1987.

Pacific RAILNEWS.21 he sounds of a railroad at work rolled across rows of seedling tomatoes near Westley We st T(above) on a spring afternoon in 1987. A Nathan M-3 horn called for a farm crossing, followed by Side the familiar grumble of EMD 567 prime movers and the solid cadence of steel wheels turning in 5 Y2 - by- l O-inch journal brass. Museum-quality rail­ Story roading anyplace else in the United States, the Dos Palos Turn merited little local attention. It was just the westbound sugar beet train. There'd be another tomorrow. The great days lingered long on the West Side. sugar beet loaders at Dos Palos and Los Banos had been fi lling composite wood/steel "racks" since the 1940s. Westley's water tank topped off engine tenders well into the 1950s and the EMD "9" series diesels in its shadow were the same units that put steam out to pasture three decades before. Engineers like Joe Fagundes (left) had known the Geeps and Cadillacs long enough to own original operator's manuals. Tradition wove deep threads through the ranks of West Side railroaders. Fagundes learned his craft at

22-February 1995 the hands of men like Ed Tyner and Bert Corgiat, re­ spected steam runners who'd grown up with "Fresno Mallets" and grew old at the throttle of the Owl. The Ow/! Few trains in SP's passenger fleet compared to this nocturnal flyer. The premier overnight schedule between Los Angeles and San Francisco upon inauguration in 1898, trains 25 and 26 used the flat tangents of the West Side to maximum advantage. Eastbound o. 26 behind 3000-series 4-4-2s covered the Tracy-Fresno dis­ trict at 44 mph in 1920. Renumbered 57 and 58 in 1946, the OwL only flew faster. By 1962, west­ bound No. 57 was averaging 58 mph over the line behind 3,000 h.p. pairs of F-units. With a ruling grade of 0.30 percent and maximum curvature at 1 degree, We st Side freights were allowed 60 mph.

The Owl was good for 70 . . . "or more, when we were late!" Ed Tyner would recall with a wink. But the Owl had been gone for 20 years as an eastbound hauler approached Mendota one warm September evening in 1986 (right). Freight traffic had suffe red considerably since No. 57's final flight on April 12, 1965. Completion of Interstate 5 in the mid- 1970s spelled curtains for 100-car perish­ able drags out of Firebaugh and Mendota. A decade later, everyone connected to agribusiness was feeling the financial squeeze. Now the West Side Hauler worked east from Tracy three days a week, spending the night at Fres­ no before going home the following day. Shippers like Farmers Rice at Dos Palos (above) struggled to provide more than a few cars a week. Dispatchers issued meet orders just one month a year, when the local shared blocks with beet trains. The light in Mendota's train order semaphore had gone out for good. guess I'm what you'd call a public relations man." "I EB. "Fido" Pietz (above), SP's Mendota agent We st paused for a tip of his coffee mug. "Public relations ...that' s when you sit around drinking coffee and telling lies!" Side There was no disputing the coffee. The pot was always on at Mendota. Lies were something else. Story Few agents on the West Side had Fido's gift for story-telling and no one appreciated SP's valley history like Mr. Pietz (pronounced "Peets"). For that matter, no other station agents remained to argue his claims. In 1986, Mendota was the last open agency on the railroad. Mendota had been a West Side fixture since the beginning. In the 1890s it was a division point, the dividing line between Western and San Joaquin ju­ risdictions and a hard 24-hour rawhide run out of Oakland. Advent of the 16-hour day in 1907 moved the terminal to Fresno and turned Oakland men back at Tracy. By 1986, only Fido Pietz knew where Mendota's roundhouse once stood. But perishables insured the town's importance for decades to come. "This place was hoppin' when I came here in '74," Fido recalled. "We'd ship 50 cars of melons a night. Firebaugh and Dos Palos chipped in another 30 to 40. Switch engines worked the packing sheds 24 hours a day and we had two regu­ lar haulers plus the Mendota Rocket that came down from Tracy every night just to get the late perishable

24-February 1995 traffic. And that was nothing compared to the '50s when Mendota alone was good for 100 cars a night. "You wouldn't believe it now." lndeed not. By 1986, a busy day at Firebaugh and Mendota turned out perhaps 20 cars. Where did the business go? "Rubber-tired boxcars," Pietz growled, decrying the impact of trucking and deregulation. "First thing they adjusted was perishable rates-look at what happened." A steady stream of refrigerated trailers rolled out of the Mendota sheds each evening. Rows of derelict SPFE mechanical "freez­ ers" sat in the yard, every one bad-ordered and most bound for scrap. Now trainmen like conductor Ken Heard (oppo­ site page, bottom) had more time to linger over cof­ fee before gathering up switch lists and discussing the day's work with Fido. As the departing exhausts of engineer Jimmy White's Geeps faded in the west, silence filled the high-ceilinged station. Musty smells of carbon and oil lingered in the cornersof a wood floor scarred by hundreds of hard-working feet. There was time to reflect on such treasures as an 1890s-vintage station agent's badge (above)-and dwell on a troubled future. Pietz had dodged two agency closure bullets in 1986. Mendota would make it to next year, but bare­ ly. On Jan. 9, 1987, Fido posted his last daily work re­ port (above right) and locked the door for good. "How does it feel to close a place like this?" Pietz paused, gazing down the empty rails, gath­ ering his thoughts for the drive home to Fresno. ''1'11 tell you ..every time they take a part of the railroad away, a little piece of you goes with it."

Pacilic RAILNEWS-25 uly 24, 1986, was a momentous day on the West Stripped of its lucrative land and resource Side. The SP-Santa Fe merger proposal of 1983 holdings by Santa Fe Pacific's marriage of non­ thatJ seemed so inevitable had gone out the window, rail assets, Espee looked for ways to survive as a rejected by the ICC on grounds of noncompetitive­ railroad and nothing more. A hand painted card­ ness. Arguments by the regulators seemed more ap­ board number plate on a block signal at Rolinda plicable to the Octopus of 1886, but no amount of (left) underscored operating economies to come. appeal could change their minds. "SPSF" would nev­ Con idering local traffic levels, there was no need er officially grace Espee and Santa Fe diesels. to maintain an ABS system. The signals came out in the winter of 1988-89. In September 1986, a westbound hauler pass­ ing the forlorn black cemetery at Firebaugh (oppo­ site page, top) became a grim augury of the West Side's fa te. SP's 1988 merger with Rio Grande brought no relief. Traffic continued to slide as pro­ tracted drought and horrific drainage problems turned the miracle of Westlands irrigation into a nightmare. Water restrictions and disease had dried up the sugar beet business, ending the annu­ al runs of the Dos Palos Turn. By 1992, the 18 miles between Los Banos and Oxalis had been tak­ en out of service, papers filed for abandonment. Centralized customer services turned the rail­ road into a human wasteland as well. Transactions We st over coffee with Fido Pietz were replaced by ca\ls to an 800 number in suburban Los Angeles. Derelict since its closing, the Mendota depot Side burned down in April 1993, fire finally removing the earthly remains of an institution whose aul Story had departed six years earlier. The sun was setting on more than Extra 3771 East at Oxalis in April 1986 (below). SP made no pretense about its desire to exit the shorthaul busi­ ness-business a new generation of regional opera­ tors were eager to embrace. As the [990s unfolded, one carrier's twilight was another's first light. September 26, [993, found the 58. 1 miles be­ tween Tracy and Los Banos leased to the California Northern Railroad Company, rail entrepreneur

2S-February 1995 David Parkinson's second such enterprise and the most ambitious. March 6, 1994, saw Port Railroads Incorporated, a noncarrier subsidiary of Kyle Rail­ ways, leasing 47.6 miles of track between Oxalis and Fresno, along with the remaining 26.7 miles of the Riverdale Branch. Operation of the "Port" came under the aegis of Kyle's San Joaquin Valley Rail­ road, whose blue-and-white Geeps had been plying ex-SP branches south of Fresno since January 1992 To day, headlights illuminating West Side rails continue to herald commerce and civilization. EMD 567s echo their chant off packing sheds in Firebaugh and Mendota while Tracy-bound ton­ nage rattles past the Westley tank at a 25 mph gait (right). The sounds of railroading still roll through the orchards and across the fields, dissi­ pating in the wind. The players have changed. The magic remains. Material in "West Side Story " will be included in SOUTHERN PA CIFIC BACKIWADS, THE QUIET SIDE OF CA LIFORNIA, a fu ll-length book project currently being assembled by the author. Readers desiring more information on the West Side's glory years are referred to "On-Time Ty ner and Th e Va lley Boys " in the September and Octo­ ber 1983 issues of TRAINS magazine. PRN

Pacific RAILNEWS. 27 All Photos, Vic Neves

he colorful realm of Western short changes in Western short lines for more lines is continually changing. Short than 15 years. The last loaded log train T lines are abandoned as their traffic on the now defunct Oregon, California base dries up, while new lines are & Eastern rolls westward at Olene, formed from the trackage spun off by Ore., on April 29, 1990 (above). The larger carriers. Vic Neves, a native of final operations of the line occurred California, has been documenting the more than a year later and consisted of

2S.February 1995 salvage runs to reclaim scrap rail. One low the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific of several Weyerhaeuser logging rail­ bridge in Silver Bow Canyon, Mont. roads, the OC&E was purchased from (above). The wreckage of an ill-fated Southern Pacific and Burlington North­ container move a month earlier can be ern in 1975. On Oct. 19, 1990, using seen along the right-of-way. The aban­ rails once owned by the Northern Pacif­ doned Milwaukee Road is also visible ic, a Montana Western train passes be- to the left of the train.

Pacific RAILNEWS-29 !\1Ulllber of Western short lines su bsist on traffic from a single commodity, often from a single customet� leaving the carrier in a tenu­ ous position when the economy changes or the commodity dries up. Consequent­ ly, many short lines have vanished in the past two decades. ITT-owned Rayonier Railroad was an isolated line on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.

30-February 1995 Dieselizing in the early 1960s with ex-SP Seneca, Ore.-where No. 3 is seen on Baldwin AS-6 16s, the Rayonier trans­ Aug. 7, 1978-to a connection with the ported timber until July 1983 when the UP at Hines, Ore. (left). Kennecott Cop­ line was closed in favor of trucks. A per's Nevada Northern is seen at McGill southbound log train crosses the Hump­ Junction, Nev., on June 4, 1979 (above). tulips River on Aug. 4, 1978 (opposite NN's freight operation shut down in the page, top). Sunset on Oregon & North­ early 1980s, but most of the railroad re­ western, anotherlogging line that uti­ mains intact, and may someday be re­ lized former SP Baldwins, occurred in vived. The southern end of the line near March 1984. The railroad ran from Ely hosts steam-powered excursions.

Pacific RAILNEWS-31 alifornia has a long-standing tradi­ ers; jointly owned by AT&SF and UP, it tion of shortline railroads, and in was organized in 1943. OT's only Bald­ C the past few years-with Southern win, No. 101, switches in Oakland on Pacific, Union Pacific and Santa Fe May 19, 1980 (below). In the mid- trimming back branch lines-the list of 1980s SP sold the northern end of its new short lines has grown. Oakland Northwestern Pacific line to the Eure­ Terminal is not one of these newcom- ka Southern. By the early 1990s ES

32.February 1995 had folded and the North Coast Rail­ ways shortline empire, the SJVR as­ road Authority was formed by Mendo­ suming the operation of former S P and cino and Humboldt counties to main­ Santa Fe branches in the Central Valley tain service between Eureka and on Jan. 1, 1992. On Jan. 23, 1993, Willits, Calif. Using two former SP SJVR GP18 No. 104 crosses the GP9s-still equipped with the fu ll SP Kaweah River, just north of Exeter, en lighting package-a Willits-bound train route to ivanhoe in the Central Va lley negotiates former NWP trackage be­ (top). On March 14, 1977, Camino, tween Dos Rios and Longvale on June Placerville & Lake Ta hoe Railroad No. 1, 1994 (left). San Joaquin Valley Rail­ 102 crawls out of Placerville (above). road is a newcomer to the California The last run of the CP< took place shortline scene. Part of the Kyle Rail- on June 19, 1986.

Pacific RAILNEWS·33 ocated in the California desert Route. The pellets were destined for north of the Salton Sea, roughly the Kaiser mill at Fontana, Calif. The L 165 miles east of Los Angeles, was Fontana mill shut down in 1983, a re­ Kaiser Steel's Eagle Mountain Railroad. sult of changing economies in the pro­ Constructed in 1947 and 1948, the rail­ duction of steel. These photographs road hauled trainloads of hematite pel­ were made of the last loaded pellet lets 52 miles from the Kaiser Steel's Ea­ trains, which operated on Feb. 28 and gle Mountain mine to an interchange at March 1, 1983; the Kaiser mine had al­ Ferrum with Southern Pacific's Sunset ready shut down, but the trains contin-

34-february 1995 ued to operate until the supply of pel­ lets was exhausted. Eagle Mountain's five General Electric U30Cs were pur­ chased new in 1968 and built to South­ ern Pacific specifications. A loaded pel­ let train at Eagle Mountain, just outside the mine (above). Eagle Mountain Rail­ road U30C leads a train over a trestle at Salt Creek (above right). PRN

Pacific RAILNEWS.35 Railroading from the Inside

The Louisiana I Delta

ABOVE: On Nov. 22, 1993, CF7 1501 departs with train PS1 from Patout Sugar mill bound for Supreme Sugar Refinery. RIGHT: LiD job Nil, eastbound on the Midland Branch, crosses the Delcambre Canal bridge.

Text and photography by Forrest L. Becht General Manager, Louisiana & Delta

id you ever wonder what it would be like to be the general man­ ation, the Louisiana & Delta Railroad (reporting marks LDRR). By ager of a railroad-any railroad, of any size? 1 sure did. 1 grew March 15, 1987, I had hired my staff, recruited and hired employees, D up loving two things: trains and baseball. It was almost preor­ and gotten enough equipment together to start up the L&D. Thus be­ dained that if I didn't play baseball, I was going to wind up railroad­ gan the journey of which I write. ing. 1 didn't make it to the big leagues, but guess where I am! After 27-plus years in the rail industry, I got my chance to be a Launching the Louisiana & Delta railroad GM in December 1986 when Mort Fuller, president and CEO of Genesee & Wyoming Industries, Inc. (GWI) asked me if I Louisiana & Delta was one of Southern Pacific's first shortline was interested in starting up and managing GWI's first satellite oper- spinoffs, involving all but two of the branch lines operated by SP

3S-February 1995 in Louisiana. Six lines were involved, totaling more than 100 with Amtrak's Sunset Limited six days per week. Of our six regular miles; trackage rights on SP's main between Lafayette and jobs, four of them routinely operate 15 miles or more over the SP. Schriever, La., were also included. After abandoning eight miles We started-up L&D on March 15, 1987, at New Iberia, La., on the Midland Branch and almost 20 miles on the Houma when we met with SP operating officials at the interchange where Branch, today's L&D totals 98 miles of branches and 92 miles of three GPge and two SW 1200 locomotives had been left by the local trackage rights over the SP. SP freight. These units were acquired from SP as part of the line SP dispatchers are located in Denver and the territory LDRR oper­ sale and made up L&D's first locomotive fleet. The day was spent ates in is under a Direct Train Control track warrant system, with Au­ distributing the units across the system. Operation and service to tomatic Block Signaling. The SP line sees 14-18 freights per day along the customers began the next day.

Pacific RAILNEWS-37 LSD 1752 reveals its heritage-by displaying the classic SP lighting pack· All train crew members, most of the staff, and some of our age-as it works Degussa Carbon Black at United, La., on Oct. 1, 1987. maintenance personnel must be trained and certified, but more im­ portantly "qualified," as engineers to operate any train that runs over the entire Southern Pacific trackage rights territory, as well as Before we started up, Jack Jenkins-then SP superintendent at on the L&D itself. This means a commitment to time and materials Lafayette, La.-and 1 spent several days developing a joint plan for training and close coordination with SP operations. for making operations seamless. Within that plan were commit· Another factor contributing to L&D's complex operations are the ments we made to each other for safety and efficiency of the oper­ varied duties that crews undertake, and the strict schedules under ation, service to our customers and support of each other with which they operate. A single crew may have to meet a customer's training and other functions. We then went out and did what we switching schedule, make a connection with our own trains, and then both said we were going to do. In fulfilling our commit- make a connection with an SP train. Consider our BYl, BLl ments we have gained the reputation of being a good and NIl jobs. All work out of New Iberia and must be on shortline partner for SP. the road in time to meet switching times at specific plants. The crews must then retulll to New Ibelia in Complex, for a Short Line time to weigh and block their outbound traffic for SP pick-up. The crew has only three to four hours LDRR is not a mini-regional, but the operation to assemble trains; if we miss connections, the is fairly complex for a short line. Look at the shipments will be delayed for almost 24 hours. Ob- map-we are actually three sets of short lines, op­ viously, the heat is on to perf01111. erating over a Class I for nearly 100 miles. The logis­ Although we can, and have, blocked for both tics required are more difficult than working within the eastbound and westbound pick-ups, SP is currently only confines of a single-line railroad. picking up outbound business in one direction-west­ Take crew training and certification for example. A typical short bound. SP then transfers eastbound traffic to hot eastbound trains line simply has to certify its crew(s) on its own railroad and within in Lake Charles, La. We are currently evaluating this system with a siding or interchange of its Class I connection. Louisiana & Delta SP, hoping to improve the service, and may change this part of the operates four to six trains per day, each running three to 60 miles operation in the near future. on a Class I railroad-that adds a new dimension to training and Sometimes we have special blocks for hot moves and we also certification. One L&D train actually covers most of its route on SP have pipe moves which consist of entire trains. We have even han­ rails. During the sugarcane harvest, we operate PS 1 (Patout­ dled agricultural lime ("ag lime") in Georgetown Railroad's dump Supreme 1, the "sweetest train around") from the 2.5-mile Patout trains going to sugarcane farmers along the L&D. Sput� for more than 50 miles on the SP and then 20 miles up the Traffic is blocked so that cars are in order from first to last train Napoleonville Branch to ADM's Supreme Sugar Refinery. on the lineup. Even though it is a routine we go through seven days

3S-February 1995 per week, accomplishing it requires coordination with SP trainmasters, dispatchers and crews. Ev­ eryone benefits from this effort, so SP and our customers chip in to help make it all work. Unfortunately for train watchers, many SP set­ outs and pick-ups are at night. Westbound set-outs and all pick-ups are usually made by the AV HOQ (Avondale-Houston), due at 6-9 p.m.; eastbound set-outs are made by the HOSOM (Houston­ Southern/NS), usually in the mid-morning. The Pride Team

Louisiana & Delta Railroad is owned by Genesee & Wyoming Industries, [nc., based in Greenwich, Conn. We are the second of three regional opera­ tions established by GWT over the last eight years. The three operations are the responsibility of a pres­ ident/general manager and his managers. As presi­ dent of GWT Operations-South, L&D Railroad and GWT Switching Services, [ have bottom line respon­ sibility for all operations in my region, and any busi­ ness opportunities that we develop in the area. Currently, L&D employs 45 full-time (and one A Louisiana & Delta employee equips an 89-foot flat car for pipe loading at New Iberia, La. temporary) workers-what we call the Pride Te am. Although our personnel tend to work with­ in specific departments, many Pride Team mem­ -- Southern Pacific Main Une LDRR Statistics -- NIl T·S 9 a.m. al New Iberia. Tw o-man crew. Riviana, Bayou Pipe and Iberia Sugar. bers are trained to do a variety of tasks. The L&D -98 Miles Main Une -- Nll-S Su-Th a.m. al New Iberia. Local switching, makes up lI'ains. Two-man crew. "extra board," usually staffed by one to three peo­ 6:30 -92 Miles Southern -- PSI M-F 6:30 a.m. (seasonal) at New Iberia. Hauls 27,000 tons raw sugar. PacHic TrackageRights ple, is somewhat of a hybrid group. They are certi­ -45 PI'ideTeam Members fied for train/engine service and perform train ser­ -- BL1 M-S 10:30 a.m. at New Iberia, two-man crew. Degussa, Morton and Cargill. -16 locomotives vice as their first priority, but they work in all de­ -- BYI M-F 10:30 a.m. at New Iberia. Three·man crew. Cabot and Columbian. (6 at Dayton, TX) partments. The extra board has paid real divi­ -- SCI M·F 8 a.m. at Schriever. Tw o-man crew. Supreme, Raceland Sugars. Radio Frequencies A swing job covers Nil and NIl-S on 011 days. dends when we need vacation relief, when some­ LORR: 161.445 o Tr ain Crew Stations SP: 161.550 one is ill, or we have a special project requiring extra help. Team members who work the "board" gain from a broadened work experience. The goal of the Pride Team is to be just that, a team that takes pride in its company and its pro­ fession. We work to maintain good communica­ To Houston tions between all team members and we focus on ort rp Port " / 01 01 ,· obtaining input from as many sources as possible. Iberia West St. J�c;" ·"", 0./ Mary : :VJ t.:: With only a few levels of bureaucracy, and with � ��q,S'� e v both authority and responsibility driven far down � �]! rain s r into the organization, decisions are made quickly LID T � and at the appropriate level. Perhaps the most : MAP BY TOM DAHNEMAH COURTESY LSD RA1U10AD

important thing we have accomplished is estab­ Opelousas

lish a feeling of ownership among our employ­ 12 ees-this attitude has allowed us to accomplish things that some thought impossible.

10

Team Keeps L&D on Right Track lafayette � Yard �() 90 ),>'" In 1987 L&D averaged 6,500 carloads annually, .,0,. including a major move of 225,000 tons of bulk salt that we soon realized was only borderline profitable. After considerable soul-searching, the salt contract was canceled. As an operating rail­ roader, this was a gut-wrenching experience, but it had to be done to keep the company viable. It took us a while to recover from the lost carloads and cash flow, but we have steadily increased our business, reaching 13,847 carloads in 1994. Every Pride Team member has had a hand in - L&D TRACKAGE RIGHTS OVER SP reaching our goals. Our Team has helped find pro­ -- SOUTHERN PACIFIC Scale jects that assist our customers in becoming more - UNION PACIFIC 20 30 competitive, thus increasing our business. A few of - ILLINOIS CENTRAL - NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC BELT the important concepts we have developed are: = INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS Louisiana -- OTHER HIGHWAYS (not all shown) -Identified 225 89-foot former TTXautoracks that ® U.S. HIGHWAY could be equipped with decking for pipe loading & Delta

Pacific RAILNEWS-39 Louisiana 8& Delta seasonal unit train PSl departs the Patout Sugar Where do we go from here? GWI Switching Services, an arm of Mill in Patoutville, La., for the Supreme Sugar Refinery on Nov. 19, 1993. our parent company, has been awarded a contract to construct and operate a yard to store and stage 3,000 plastic pellet cars. The yard is located along SP's Baytown Branch in Dayton, Texas. Louisiana & for a pipe-coating customer. SP leased the cars, and we equipped Delta, on a regional basis, is responsible for oversight management and store/stage them. Business has increased from an average of 350 of the operation. Accomplishing this important project with SP and carloads per year to 900- 1,000 carloads per year. our working partner, CMC Rail of Dayton, offers us a unique oppor­ tunity to grow while, at the same time, assisting the SP in marketing -Worked to find covered hoppers for rice loading from SP. The cars and handling an important segment of their business. are always in short supply and SP agencies had a habit of "borrow­ ing" them for their own use. We convinced SP car distribution per­ Railfanning the L&D sonnel that we would "roll the wheels off" the cars if they would give us a pool for rice loading. The initial allotment of 28 cars has Railfanning the Louisiana & Delta is fairly easy and most of the now grown to 40 and, yes, we are rolling the wheels off of them. railroad is accessible by road. With the operation based out of two locations (New Iberia and Schriever) fans can take their pick of lo­ -Entered the contract car repair business for several of our cus­ comotives, type of customers and scenery. The L&D Train Service tomers to help keep their cars flowing in revenue service rather diagram shows where and when trains run. Except for SW1 200 No. than moving back and forth to shops. 1200, leased to Conoco in Lake Charles, L&D's locomotive fleet is all CF7s, adorned in a variety of paint schemes. Eventually they will -Offered SP and its plastic pellet customers track space on the all be painted in the GWI orange-black-yellow-and-gray livery. L&D for storing hoppers loaded with pellets. Pellets are sold out LDRR 304 (former Allegheny Railroad 304) is perhaps the of the car, which is essentially a warehouse on wheels. This busi­ strangest-looking unit on the roster. It has the original low, round­ ness helped us get a contract to operate a facility in Dayton, Texas. ed roof. LDRR crews do not like the unit because of the limited headroom afforded by the small cab. We try to keep the unit in -Leased L&D locomotives to customers in the Lake Charles area. New Tberia as an operating spare or use it in trailing position in our two-unit consists. -"Sold" the idea of an all-L&D train to haul raw sugar from a mill Starting in New Iberia, train Nil serves the Midland Branch on to a refinery. The customer was so pleased that a contract has been Tuesdays and Thursdays and the MOP Drill, Pes son Spur and Salt agreed upon to handle all raw sugar produced by the mill (100,000- Mine Branch on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This job usually plus tons annually). Besides the 27,000 tons that we continue to goes on duty at 8 a.m. and gets back into town 4-6 p.m. Sometimes move from one branch to the other, L&D will deliver about 90,000 Ni l works the New Iberia area and then runs to Abbeville with emp­ tons of raw sugar to the SP for movement to the Houston area. ties. The crew spots the train at the loading site, then leaves it there

40-February 1995 (including the locomotive) overnight. The crew switches Riviana and Liberty Rice the next day before returning to New Iberia. At times NI 1 is an extra board job and uses the BLl or BYl crew on Saturdays. Spots along NIl's route that offer photo opportunities are the SP/LDRR interchange, the LDRR shop area, sugarcane fields on the Pes son Spur, Avery Island, the bridge over Delcambre Canal and the Riviana rice mill and Liberty Rice transload at Abbeville. NII-S (New Tberia Switcher) goes on duty at 6:30 a.m. at New Iberia. The crew's first job is to build BY 1 's train from inbound cars; once complete, the BLl and NI l trains are assembled. The workday is finished performing local work around New Iberia, including switching the rip track, running down the SP to Patout siding to pick up or drop off cars for M.A. Patout sugar mill, or switching customers at the Port of Iberia and the ARA Industrial Park. Baldwin Trains Now Work Out of New Iberia

BL 1 (Baldwin I) and BYl (Bayou Sale 1) used to work out of Bald­ win, La., 20 miles east of New Iberia. In September 1994 we moved this operation to New Iberia. These jobs serve customers on our Cypremort and Bayou Sale branches. U.S. Highway 90 (com­ monly called the "four-lane") and State Highway 182 parallel SP's main between New Iberia and Bayou Sale. Highway 182 is closer to the tracks, but is much slower if you're trying to chase trains. BL 1 goes on duty at 10:30 a.m. and usually runs eastbound on the L&Duses the SP main to access its branch network. On June 4, 1991, an SP by 11 or 11:30. Most of this train's business is carbon black (used Operation Ulesaver special meets a westbound stack train at Patoutville. in the manufacture of automobile tires) out of the Degussa plant at Ivanhoe and salt from Morton's mine on Weeks Island. Morton's bulk salt is shipped in covered hoppers and package salt is moved in CSX Napoleonville Branch or at Raceland. A highlight of the branch is box cars-some of which were once used in Seaboard passenger ser­ the street running through Thibodaux. vice. The Cypremort Branch is surrounded by sugarcane fields, and In the fall, when PS 1 is running sugar to Schriever, SCI will photo locations reflect the agricultural nature of the area. meet PS I at the interchange Monday-Wednesday-Friday. SC I deliv­ BY l's crew goes on duty at Baldwin at 10:30 a.m. They pick up ers the empty cars to PS I and takes the loads to Supreme Sugar, at their train at MOP Yard (reflecting the facility's MoPac heritage) in the end of the Napoleonville Branch. On Tuesdays and Thursdays New Iberia and get DTC authority from SP's HD24 dispatcher. The PS 1 makes the run all tbe way to Supreme. train is usually on its way by 11:30 or noon, running east to Bayou Sale siding which provides access to the 4.5-mile Bayou Sale branch. Railfans Welcome on the L&D At Bayou Sale you see part of the reason we moved our Baldwin operation to New Iberia. At both ends of the siding are tracks once Late spring to early fall is the best time of year for photos. The used to store empty carbon black cars for Cabot and Columbian. summer sun stays up late enough that all of the jobs can be pho­ The tracks were accessible only via the main line, and required 30 tographed in good light-though in the summer the sun is hot, the to 60 minutes to switch. By moving BLl and BYI to New Iberia, humidity is high, thunderstorms are frequent, and mosquitoes, we reduced congestion on the SP main and allowed SP to remove snakes (especially water moccasins), alligators and other creatures the maintenance-intensive switches serving both tracks. are abundant. We have even seen Louisiana black bears along BYl is scheduled to switch Cabot at 3 p.m.; the crew the tracks on Weeks Island. works Columbian's plant before or after Cabot. The crew Permission is required to go on L&D property. If usually finishes its work and returns to Bayou Sale sid- you intend to visit our shops or be on the right-of- ing by 5:30 or 6 p.m. As they approach the siding, way, you need to sign a release. Remember that the they ask HD24 for permission to use the siding, release only gives you permission to be on L&D and for block authOlity to lUn back to Baldwin. property, and that photography is not allowed at The best photo opportunities for BY 1 are at many of our customer's plants, in particular Degus- the SP bridge over Bayou Teche east of Baldwin sa Carbon Black, Morton Salt, Cabot and and from the Highway 90 overpass at Garden City. Columbian. Stop by our office in New Iberia for a cup SP's bridge is photogenic from either side, but the east of coffee and a donut from Meche's. After you've signed side is accessible only by an SP service road marked with the release, check on the train schedules. We're constantly "No Trespassing" signs. The west end is somewhat accessible reevaluating our service times and make adjustments on the fly. by a service road. The Bayou Sale Branch is accessible by state There is good lodging available in New Iberia, Franklin and Thi­ highway. Scenery consists mainly of sugarcane fields. bodaux. Fast food abounds at just about every town, but you Both BL 1 and BYl retUl11 to New Iberia in early evening, and then MUST eat Louisiana seafood at least once during your stay. There the crews weigh and block their train. Generally, BLl is the first one are excellent Cajun and seafood restaurants throughout the area. back and sometimes gives BYl a hand finishing up the day's work. What do T like about my job? Besides the outstanding Cajun SCI operates out of Schriever on the Napoleonville Branch to food and the opportunity to work with some great people, it's the Supreme Sugar refinery on at least Monday-Wednesday-Friday. On variety of each day that makes the job challenging. From calling Tu esdays and Thursdays the job operates east on the SP to Race­ on customers, to operating trains and switching cars, to working land Junction and then down the Lockport Branch to serve Race­ with SP to develop new ideas for increasing business, to designing land Sugars, Valite, and Nicolaus Paper. During Supreme's heavy and implementing a new start-up such Dayton or our sister rail­ sugar season we utilize an extra crew to allow switching the plant road in Oregon, to participating on the Board of Directors of the four to six days per week. American Short Line Railroad Association, to the difficult deci­ The SC l crew usually goes on duty at 8 a.m. and makes up the sions that must be made-it is work, but most of it is fun. train at the east end of Schriever siding. This area is inaccessible; Come see us! You are more than welcome as long as you railfan the best way to see this operation is to meet up with it on the safely and responsibly. PRN

Pacific RAILNEWS·41 ort ern Boise Cascade's Timber

James A. Speaker

42 · February 1995 • • aCl lc Conveyor

Wayne Monger

LHT: INPR's Cascade Local in the Payette River Canyon at Gardena, Idaho, on July 11, 1994. ABOVE: A short line battles for survival-the Emmett-Nampa

turn passes by a WWII-vintage tank at Middleton, Idaho, on Feb. 1 r 1994.

By Wayne Monger

he branchline spinoff was the great railroad experiment of the 1980s; by the mid- 1 990s, selling off feeder lines has become T standard procedure for Class Is. Union Pacific has openly stated its desire to focus on long-haul business, but sometimes getting rid of branches hasn't been as simple as UP expected. In western Idaho and eastern Oregon it took several years for UP to spawn one of its more­ unique shortline offspring-Idaho Northern & Pacific-despite the fact that INPR operates several fairly prosperous ex-UP branches. Idaho Northern & Pacific is a fascinating specie of spinoff-it ex­ ists primarily to serve one giant customer (wood products conglom­ erate Boise Cascade), it accomplishes a lot with low overhead, and it runs trains through some of the most spectacular scenery in the U.S. A Century in the Making

At the turn of the century, the region around Boise, Idaho, was ready for new railroads. The economy was on the rebound from the panic of 1893 and the lumbering and irrigated farming industries cried out for rail service. UP set up several paper railroads to build into the area. Nampa, Idaho, was selected for the first Oregon Short Line­ backed branch lines in southwestern Idaho. This farming and rail center was the junction point for two previous shortlines: the 17-mile Idaho Central Railway to the state capital at Boise, and the 17-mile Boise, Nampa & Owyhee Railway built in 1897 south to Stoddard. In 1899, the Idaho Northern Railway Company was formed to tap the growing agricultural and lumber center at Emmett, 27 miles north in the Payette River Valley. Rails reached Emmett in 1902. In 1906, the Payette Valley Railroad Co. was formed to build a branch from Payette east through Fruitland to ew Plymouth. Under the banner of the Payette Valley Extension Railroad, this line was ex­ tended east to a junction with the Idaho Northernat Emmett.

Pacific RAILNEWS.43 On Oct. 8, 1984, UP 'chicken wire' F3 507 leads train No. 488 (as in­ dicated by the numberboards) past the depot at Horseshoe Bend, Idaho.

In 191 1, Idaho Northern and Oregon Short Line combined to fi­ nance extension of the Idaho Northern to Horseshoe Bend, Cascade and McCall. The line reached Smiths Ferry in 1912, then in 1913 the OSL acquired the Idaho Northernand completed the line. Roughly paralleling the history and route of the Idaho Northern is what is now known as the New Meadows Branch. Formed in 1899 by the OSL, the Pacific & Idaho Northern Railway Co. started building from Weiser, Idaho, following the west bank of the Weiser River. That yeat� 40 miles of railroad were completed to Cambridge. Two years later, 19 miles of track were built to the tiny cattle center of Mesa. Fi­ nally, in 1911, the line was pushed over the summit at Rubicon and into New Meadows, ending up only 30 miles west of the Idaho North­ ern terminal at McCall. Pacific & Idaho Northern was absorbed by the OSL on Aug. 22, 1936. The line stayed intact until 1971, when UP abandoned the 10 miles from Rubicon to New Meadows. As the Idaho-spawned Boise Cascade Corporation grew into the . tImber products giant it now is, traffic carried on these three branch lines evolved to the point that more than 80 percent of the freight was moving to and from Boise Cascade's mills. Consequent­ ly, the company has become dependent on specialized rail service to interconnect its mills in southwestern Idaho. Dissolving The Empire

In the late 1980s, UP saw its web of branches in southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon as ideal spinoff candidates. The preponderance of single carload switching and the customized handling required by Boise Cascade was the type of service UP wanted to get away from. In 1987, UP offered the 476-mile "Boise Group" for sale or lease. This package included the three Idaho branches now operated by Idaho, Northern & Pacific-the 99-mile Idaho Northern Branch, the 29-mile Payette Branch and the 84-mile New Meadows Branch-along with the 44-mile Boise Cutoff, the 33-mile Homedale Branch south of Nyssa, Ore., the 17-mile Stoddard Branch, the 11- mile Wilder Branch, plus the 157-mile Oregon Eastern Branch run­ ning west from Ontario, Ore. A new company with local ties, Inter­ mountain Western Railroad, was selected to take over the trackage. The company was fo rmed by Intermountain Gas of Boise and Western Railroad Builders of Odgen, Utah (parent company to Wyoming-Colorado Railroad). By January 1988, Intermountain West­ ern was ready to take over operations, and even acquired nearly a dozen Geeps and had them painted and lettered for the new rail­ road-then the deal collapsed. UP was unable to find another interest­ ed party and the proposal was withdrawn. The Oregon Eastern Branch was later leased to Wyoming-Colorado Railroad, and the State of Oregon and the Army Corps of Engineers poured millions of dol­ lars into rebuilding flood-damaged trackage to Burns, Ore. This line reopened in FebnJary 1990, but was embargoed just three years later and scrapped from Burns to Celatom in late 1993 and early 1994. In late 1992 Union Pacific revived the idea of selling off the Boise Gordon Glanenberg Group, but this time created a package that was economically viable and responsive to the needs of the primary customer-Boise Cascade. the Idaho Northern between Emmett and ampa was included in Only three of the original Boise Group lines were offered for sale: the the package as a lease, and the Joseph Branch from La Grande to Idaho Northern, Payette and New Meadows branches. The Wilder Elgin was changed from sale to lease. On Nov. 13, 1993, the last Branch and Boise Cutoff are still being operated by UP and the Stod­ UP Cascade Local traveled down the Idaho Northern Branch from dard and Homedale branches were earmarked for abandonment. Cascade to Payette, and the next day the new Idaho Northern & Pa­ A fourth branch was included in the new package-the scenic 83- cific Railroad (AAR reporting marks INPR) took over operations. mile Joseph Branch running out of La Grande, Ore. This branch was included by virtue of the three Boise Cascade mills located on the line. Emmett-INPR Base of Operations In mid-1993, UP announced that Texas-based Rio Grande Pacif­ ic Corporation was the successful bidder for the branch package. Situated amid the broad expanse of the Payette River Valley, the Owned jointly by businessmen Richard Bertel and Gil Gilette, the bustling town of Emmett is an appropriate setting for Idaho Northern company already had experience in the shortline industry, including & Pacific headquarters. Downtown exudes charm, with turn-of-the­ running the ex-UP Nebraska Central Railroad. The announcement century brick buildings wearing faded advertisements for long-forgot­ drew criticism from the La Grande area as the Rio Grande Pacific ten products, intermingled with modern structures housing businesses opposed tourist train operations on the Joseph Branch-long a pet selling electronic goods and ski equipment and bars catering to the lo­ project of local businessmen. Before finalizing the sale agreement, cal cowboys. This area is far enough away from the sprawl of Boi e to

44-February 1995 retain a truly Western character-a perfect center for ranching, farm­ routine is broken at least once per day with a trip to the UNIMI ing and lumbering, and now the home to a new shortline railroad. Corp. industrial sand plant, two miles out on the Payette Branch. One block off Main Street, the abandoned and decaying hulk of Around 10:30 a.m., the last crew of the day departs the offices and the ex-UP depot rests, next to the two office trailers that serve as takes charge of the important Emmett-Nampa turn. nerve center for the INPR. Every morning except Sunday, this area rumbles with idling EMD 567s and 645s. It's background music for To Jenness and Beyond the train crews moving in and out of the trailers, the clerks and secre­ taries who answer a steady stream of phone calls, and for mainte­ Under UP, the 26-mile Idaho orthern branch between Nampa nance-of-way personnel filling tlUcks with supplies before setting off. and Emmett was used primarily by a daily local for moving emp­ Weekday mornings bring the most activity to Emmett with as ties from Nampa to Emmett. The line was occasionally used as a many as four trains departing from the depot. The first crew on du­ detour route for mainline trains; the last time this occured was in ty, just after 8 a.m., takes the Cascade Local up the Idaho Northern 1985, when a handful of intermodal trains led by UPs legendary Branch. Around 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a crew departs DDA40Xs detoured by way of Emmett. westward with the Payette Local. Around 10 a.m., a crew boards Union Pacific originally wanted INPR to use the yard at Payette as the power for the daily Emmett switcher and spends the rest of the its primary interchange site, but the yard's small size, inconvenient lo­ day working the local Boise Cascade lumber facility. The switcher's cation and interference from UP mainline freights made the facility,in-

Pacific RAILNEWS· 45 adequate. Also, most outbound loads were heading east, and move­ Cascade-finished lumber and wood chips from mills at Cascade and ment in that direction could be expedited by interchanging cars at Horseshoe Bend, and some of the last rail-hauled raw logs in the U.S. Nampa. Eventually, the southern 23 miles of the Idaho Northern Unfortunately, raw log movements have become irregulat� and a series branch was leased to INPR along with three miles of trackage rights of major forest fires in the region have made it difficult for Boise Cas­ into amp a Yard. (UP denied INPR access to the Amalgamated Sugar cade to find enough timber to keep its mills fully operational. at Fischer, a big UP customer during the autumn sugar beet rush.) When logs are moved by rail, raw timber is loaded onto ex-UP The daily-except-Sunday Emmett-Nampa turndeparts around gondolas modified for the service in the 1960s. Most logs are loaded noon. The first four miles are easy, but at Bramwell the line begins to at Cascade and shipped to Horseshoe Bend. A smaller volume of logs climb. Past Sand, trains struggle through multiple S-curves, cross are loaded at Council on the New Meadows Branch and shipped to Black Canyon Canal and enter Freezeout Canyon. One mile from the Horseshoe Bend. Even fewer logs are destined for Emmett. The ma­ summit at jenness, the track makes a fu ll horseshoe. If a train crew is jority of traffi c handled by the tri-weekly Cascade Local is rough-cut able to get the train to the summit without stalling, or doubling (or lumber from the mills at Cascade and Horseshoe Bend destined for tripling) the hill, the sound of screaming prime movers will quickly the huge finishing and plywood complex at Emmett, plus cars of be replaced by the whine of dynamic brakes as the train starts the de­ wood chips outbound to the UP and Boise Cascade particle board scent toward Middleton. A half-hour later, it crosses the Boise River and paper products plants elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest. and climbs to Maddens, site of a J.R. Simplot liquid fertilizer distrib­ The Cascade Local leaves Emmett on Mondays, Wednesdays and utor-the only on-line customer between Emmett and Nampa. After Fridays around 8 a.m., normally powered by two INPR GP40s. With completing switching at Maddens, the INPR crew calls the UP Nam­ speed limits on the Idaho Northern branch ranging from 20 to 40 pa yardmaster for permission to enter Nampa Ya rd. mph, the local usually covers the 23 miles to Horseshoe Bend in just On normal days, the turnusuall y heads out of Nampa within an over one hour. En route to Horseshoe Bend the railroad passes hour of arriving. With no problems, the Emmett-Nampa turn is through two tunnels while following Black Canyon Reservoir. This back into Emmett, cars switched and power put away by 5:30 p.m. very scenic and remote portion of railroad has no road access. A gravel county road offers access from Montour to Horseshoe Bend. Upstream to Cascade Horseshoe Bend and its Boise Cascade mill lie in the center of a circular valley. The northbound local stops to switch the mill, leav­ The scenic highlight of the INPR is the 72-mile run up the Payette ing empties to load before pick-up the next day. All work is usually River Canyon to Cascade. Most traffic on this line belongs to Boise done in an hour and the train is northbound again before 11 a.m.

r------, SCALE (LARGE MAP ONLY) MILES

-- Current Limit of Operations � INPR N Joseph Branch NOT TOSCALE

- INPR TRACKAGE - INPR PENDING ABANDONMENT IDAHO Smiths -- UNION PACIFIC TRACKAGE Ferry - UP ABANDONMENT PENDING IDAHO OR COMPLETE NORTHERN - OREGON EASTERN BRANCH

= INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS -- OTHER ROADS (not all shown) ® U.S. HIGHWAYS @ STATE HIGHWAYS

o INTERSTATE EXITS

MAP BY DON GULBRANDSEN AND TOM DANNEMAN

HOMEDALE Notus BRANCH Wilder . ·o---�h���2�6�2�O� Hom dale Caldwell JI Marsing NAMPA I WILDERI STODDARD Jim Davis Idaho BRANCH BRANCH l , e September 24, 1994, finds INPR's Council Local � o t ard working the New Meadows Branch winding �:: along Weiser River, northeast of Weiser, Idaho. Northern . Pacific

46-February 1995 Jay lentzner are hard to find, as the railroad clings to the side of the canyon high above the highway. There are a handful of Forest Service camp­ grounds here and trout fishing in the river is reportedly very good. The highway and railroad come back together just downstream from Big Eddy. After a short stretch of level track the railroad be­ gins climbing again to reach the top of the canyon at Cabarton. The steepest part of this climb is the four-mile, 2 percent grade be­ tween Big Eddy and Smiths Ferry, which passes through 22 1 -fool tunnel No. 4. From Smiths Ferry to Cabarton the grade does not exceed 0.7 percent and the railroad negotiates the 37-foot tunnel No. 5, while adjacent Highway 55 diverges through a side canyon. Arriving at Cascade, the entire train is parked on the main line. For returntrips on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the local is back at work by 9 a.m.; switching the Boise Cascade mill is the first priority. Because of the volume of work, the southbound often does not leave until after noon. Within an hour of departing, the train stops at Smiths Ferry so the brakeman can set retainers before heading down the steep grade to Banks. Between 3 p.m. and 4 wayne Monger p.m., the train arrives in Horseshoe Bend to switch that mill and TOP: Nearly a century of Union Pacific service ends with the final Cascade add to the Boise Cascade loads heading for Emmett and beyond. If Local leaving Horseshoe Bend on Nov. 13, 1993. ABOVE: On Feb. 1, 1994, the crew does not pause for lunch at Horseshoe Bend, the Cascade Local is normally back in Emmett by 5:30 p.m. the Emmett-Nampa turn passes the Spur-Line Ranch near Amsco, Idaho. The Payette Local Departing Horseshoe Bend, the northbound Cascade Local aver­ ages \5-40 cars, mostly empties. For the next 14 miles to Banks the Until recently, INPR operated an Emmett-based Council Local that railroad keeps to the west side of the river with grades under 1 per­ covered the largest territory of any train on the railroad and re­ cent. At Banks, the story changes. After dropping off or picking up quired two crews to complete its job. Now the train has been split empties, the train follows the North Fork of the Payette River, climb­ into two separate jobs. The southern part of the old Council Local ing a steady 2.5 percent grade for 11 miles to Big Eddy. The grades, is now the Emmett-based Payette Local, which goes to work on the curves and the rugged slide-prone canyon force a 15 mph speed Tuesday and Thursday mornings. This train takes all westbound limit for 17 miles north of Banks. South of Big Eddy, photo locations traffic to the UP interchange at Payette, switches on-line industries

Pacific RAILNEWS-47 The Payette Local meets the southbound Council Local at either Payette or We iser. At Payette, it is not unusual for the fNPR train to wait for UP traffic to clear before being allowed to run to UP's yard. The crew spends about a half hour shuffling its consist, then either returns to Emmett or, if continuing to Weiser, waits for a clear signal to proceed on its 14-mile, 60 mph sprint north. The Council Local

The Council Local is now based at Council rather than Emmett, de­ parting southward around 9 a.m. to meet with the Payette Local at either Weiser or Payette. Once it exchanges loads with the other INPR train it is time to return north to its home base. At Weiser, the local enters the New Meadows Branch, winds through town along the Weiser River, then heads eastward. Though there are a handful of active rail shippers in Weiser, INPR is not al­ lowed to serve them. For the first 12 miles out of Weiser, the branch cuts through ranchlands, paralleled by a paved county road. Wayne Monger Just past the siding at Presley, the railroad curves northward into the Weiser River Canyon. Beyond this point, there are only short stretches where the speed limits exceed 20 or 25 mph, though the entire line was relaid with 131-lb. rail about 25 years ago. Grades in this area are 0.7 percent or less. Unfortunately, the county road follows the railroad and only a mile into the canyon, leaving no public access to the branch for 17 miles. From Midvale to the end of the line, U.S. Highway 95 closely parallels the tracks in many places. Past Midvale the line runs through a canyon, and past Cambridge the highway leaves the railroad while the branch and a gravel road climb along the Middle Fork of the Weiser River. A short 1.25 percent grade up a side canyon takes the railroad past the old cattle shipping point of Mesa and then the tracks drop down in­ to the wide valley where Council is located. Council is a sleepy county seat with an econo­ my dependent on its Boise Cascade mill. On Mon­ days and Wednesdays, an INPR crew switches the mill and also operates to the end of the New Meadows Branch to serve the Evergreen Timber Products mill at Tamarack. The 24 miles of railroad north of Council are different from the rest of the New Meadows Branch, and this segment may be the most en­ dangered of INPR's Idaho operations. After leav­ ing Council, the local plunges in and out of lush pine forests and starts climbing grades up to 1.5 percent toward the summit at Rubicon. Gravel roads follow the branch to Starkey and Glendale Don Marson until it meets up again with the highway. At TOP: The eastbound Council Local, on INPR's Payene Branch at Buckingham, Idaho, on Feb. 3, Glendale, the grade increases to 2 percent and 1994, features locomotives leased from UP and MRL. ABOVE: The Cascade Local, one of the last the walls of the Weiser River Canyon begin to close in. The railroad winds back and forth U.S. trains to regularly haul raw timber, is seen near Black Canyon Dam on Sept. 28, 1994. across the now-tiny river, crossing 16 times in an eight-mile stretch south of Tamarack. along the Payette Branch, and returnsto Emmett with lumber and, Evergreen Timber produces 10-15 carloads per week, a mix of occasionally, logs transfered from the Council Local. wood chips and finished dimensional lumber. Across the river from Two miles west of Emmett, the Payette Local passes UNlMlN the mill is a spur for fi lling wood chip cars, supplied by a conveyor Corp., I PR's second-largest customer. UNIMIN produces a high­ system strung above the river. A mile past Tamarack is a wye dating quality white silica sand shipped in bulk in covered hoppers and in from the days of steam, and one mile to the north of the wye is the bags in boxcars. Due to the weight of these cars and the plant's lo­ rather abrupt end of the branch at the old summit of Rubicon, cation, most shipments are routed to UP via Payette. Usually, the 4, 157 feet above sea level. Rubicon is marked with a short run­ plant ships a dozen cars per week, though in November 1993 around track and a one-car LPG tankcar unloading facility next to UNIMIN dispatched a 25-car unit train westward that filled the Highway 95 that gets around a dozen carloads per year. sand traps for the Hawaiian Open golf tournament. Other rail customers along the Payette Branch are a small veg­ Oregon Operations etable packing facility two miles west of New Plymouth and the Challenge Creamery diary plant at Fruitland. Challenge ships its Idaho orthern & Pacific operations on Oregon's Joseph Branch are products in boxcars during the winter and in reefers in the summer. based two miles outside of La Grande at Island City. The Joseph

48-February 1995 James A. Speaker

INPR's Cascade Local, heading up the Payette River Valley towards its at La Grande and Del Monte, which seasonally ships pea seed to a namesake town, passes through Smiths Ferry, Idaho, on July 11, 1994. cleaning plant on the Eastern Idaho Railroad at Idaho Falls. The El­ gin Turn fo llows on weekday mornings at about 9 a.m. This train heads north toward Elgin paralleling State Highway 82. There are a Branch has a greater diversity of potential customers than the Em­ half dozen possible agricultural shippers across this stretch plus the mett-based lines, but once again the main purpose has been to serve occasionally operating (depending on the log supply) Peacock Lum­ Boise Cascade. Recent developments have seemingly doomed much ber Company at Alicel that ships up to six cars per week. The main of the line. Within a five-month period last year, Boise Cascade and shipper at Elgin is the large Boise Cascade mill, which sends out R-Y Timber, the two major shippers in Joseph, both closed their more than a half dozen cars of finished lumber and chips per day. mills. With scant remaining traffic beyond Elgin, I PR filed an abandonment petition on Nov. 22, 1994, for the 60.6 miles of track Timber Supply and the Future to Joseph. The La Grande-Elgin trackage, still owned by UP but op­ erated by INPR, will stay in business. The Oregon Public Utilities I t has been 100 years since the panic of 1893 sowed the seeds that Commission reports that it generated more than 2,000 carloads last led to an expansion of the Union Pacific; a different economic reality year, compared with 900 carloads generated beyond Elgin. tears at thi area now served by the Idaho Northern & Pacific. For After the announcement, the Oregon PUC joined with local gov­ years, Boise Cascade has been able to draw almost exclusively upon ernment enciesag to fight the abandonment and to try to bring its own timber reserves, as well as nearby National Forest timber. more traffic back to the railroad. A letter from the Wallowa County Now, an era of mandated timber harvest reduction in the West has Commissioners to the ICC stated "the county suggests a postpone­ many companies competing with Boise Cascade for Idaho timber. ment of abandonment until local initiatives to generate freight traf­ Since its inception, the INPR has dedicated itself to making Boise fic for the line are given a chance to succeed." Cascade happy. However, changes in the timber industry have already Meanwhile. INPR operations on the Joseph Branch look like forced one INPR-served Boise Cascade mill to shut down and others this: Tw o INPR-owned units, GP35s 45 10 and 4508, have joined are threatened. It may be time for the railroad to expand its customer leased Montana Rail Link GP9s 111 and 114 on the Joseph Branch. base, particularly by serving the agricultural interests in the region. As of late ovember, the 45 10 was based at Elgin for a tri-weekly Rio Grande Pacific has a strong record of customer service on its oth­ run into Wa llowa County, serving grain shippers at Enterprise or er properties-yet more than one on-line firm interested in rail ser­ the Rogge Wood mill at Wa llowa. The 4508 has been on the Mon­ vice have commented on the lack of solicitation from the INPR. day-Friday Elgin Turn between La Grande and Elgin. MRL 114 was Without fu rther diversity in traffic, INPR's fi rst-class operation will working the La Grande Switcher. always have to rely on the fi ckle timber industry for prosperity. The daily La Grande Switcher goes on duty at around 8 a.m. and Thanks to Bryan Loftin, Curt Howell, Leslie Wo od and espe­ works the three miles to Baum, servicing the Boise Cascade particle cially Marsha at the Emmett Public Library. Special thanks to en­ board plant, the Borden Chemical glue plant, the Boise Cascade mill gineer To dd Jorgensen and the rest of the INPR employees. PRN

Pacific RAILNEWS-49 Focus CALIFORNIA

Baldwin HOldout:

BySierr Vic Neves and Brian Solomona Railroad

Vic Neves

AHer easing 011 the foothill grades, all three Sierra Railroad Baldwin S-12 switchers lead a west­ Beginning in 1919, the railroad found po­ bound move between Cooperstown and Warnerville, Calit, on a pleasant August aHernoon in 1982. tential in the movie industry, and a working re­ lationship with Hollywood has allowed the Sierra Railroad's shops and steam locomotives ne of Califol11ia's most colorful short lines Sierra Railway-predecessor to the Sierra to survive as a unique preserved railroad. The is the 50-mile Sierra Railroad. While better Railroad-was incorporated on Feb. 27, 1897. operation called Railtown was operated as part O known for the steam trains that traverse its The railroad's founders had their eyes on the of the railroad until 1981, when the freight rail­ northern end, Sierra also hosts a tri-weekly gold being mined in the region and construction road was spun off and purcha ed by Silverfoot, freight featuring Baldwin switchers. Running began in April 1897. By Novembel; the railroad an investment group. California State Railroad from its Santa Fe/Southern Pacific connection at had reached Jamestown, a foothills town sur­ Museul1l is the current operator of Railtown. Oakdale to the Fiberboard mill at Fassler near rounded by more than a dozen lucrative gold As a tenant, Railtown excursion trains use the Standard, the Sierra is characteristic of the mines. Sierra traffic successfully evolved from tracks of the Sierra Railroad, operating week­ many small railroads that once ventured east­ gold to lumbel; but the Great Depression of the ends on a seasonal basis. The excursions usually ward into the mountains from the fertile Central 1930s forced the railway into receivership; it run on the north end of the railroad between Valley, but today it is one of the last of its breed. was reorganized in 1937 as the Sierra Railroad. Hetch Hetchy Junction and Standard. The

50-february 1995 tracks continue seven and one half miles past Standard to Tu olumne, though this portion of the line has been severed and is no longer owned by the Sierra Railroad. (The complete history of the SielTa Railroad and Railtown can found in the MarchiApril 1994 issue of Loco­ MOTIVE & RAILWAY PRESERVATION magazine.) Sierra's locomotive fleet consists of three Baldwin S-12 diesels, Nos. 40, 42 and 44. Units 40 and 42 were purchased new in 1954, while the 44 was purchased from Sharon Steel in 1966. With the advent of the Baldwins, Sierra relocated its base of activity for freight operations from Jamestown to Oakdale. In re­ cent years only two of the venerable Baldwins have been serviceable. Presently, No. 40 is stored out-of-service and used as a parts sup­ ply to keep the other two locomotives running. Several times each week, Sierra runs freight out of Oakdale, Calif., where it interchanges with Santa Fe and Southern Pacific. SP uses trackage rights over the Santa Fe to reach Sier­ ra, as SP's own branch to Oakdale was aban­ doned in the mid-1 9S0s. (PRN profiled SP's Oakdale local in the March 1992 issue.) The two-man Sierra crew, an engineer and a brake­ man, normally go on duty at 6 a.m. three days per week. During a normal day, a round trip VicNeves takes II hours. The days of Sierra operation vary from week to week, with Friday being the Running parallel to Cooperstown Road, Nos. 42 and 40 lead a Sierra train eastbound over the Rock best bet for finding a train on the road. After River bridge near warnerville. Speeds less than 30 mph allow lor an easy chase through the 100thHls. firing up the locomotive, the engineman cou­ ples onto the train, and heads eastward into the foothills. Most of the year both members of progress as it winds into the foothills. A num­ the crew ride in the locomotive, but during the ber of scenic views are available from public fire season the brakeman follows the train in a highways as the railroad makes its winding The Sierra Railroad hi-rail to watch for brush fires. eastward progress. While state highways Sierra's primary customer is Fiberboard, 10S/120 roughly follow the railroad, using lo­ which has mills at Chinese Station and cal roads provides more photo opportunities. Fassler, near Standard. The mill at Chinese If you are planning a trip to central Califor­ Station only ships wood chips outbound, nia, consider adding the Sierra Railroad to the while the Fassler mill occasionally receives in­ top of your list of things to do. The California bound loads of logs in addition to shipping foothills are best experienced in late winter and wood chips outbound. Another plant located early spring. Seasonal rain allows the normally at Keystone has a siding, but is presently ship­ dry, golden hills to flourish into a lush green, ping via truck rather than rail. dotted by an array of colorful wild flowers. Foil ing the Sierra is easy if you've stud­ Though Sierra's Baldwins have faithfully ied the 1etwork of local roads that serve the served the railroad for many years, they should area. Tl e top track speed on the Sierra varies not be taken for granted. A day on the Sierra from 25 to 30 mph and a heavy train may be Railroad will introduce you to a brand of rail­ slowed once it reaches the grades east of roading that is becoming all too rare. Coopers own. The relatively low speeds allow Thanks to Te d Benson and IDe Nemmer. PRN you to s ay ahead of the train and capture its Railroad Sierra Railroad.

Where Th Sierra Railroad Runs from California's Central Valley at - SIER�A RAILROAD TRACKAGE Oakdale into the Sierra Nevada foothills. - SIER A TRACKAGE OUT OF SERVICE Oakdale is located about 10 miles east of - SOU* ERN PACIFIC TRACKAGE Modesto on State Highway lOS. - SAN FE TRACKAGE ...... ABA DONEO TRACKAGE � Operations - ROA ,S (NOT AU SHOWN) @l STATE OR COUNTY HIGHWAYS Usually runs three days per week, with MAP BY BRIAN SOLOMON Friday the most frequently worked day. To Sto klan AND TOM DANNEMAN Crews are called at Oakdale for 6 a.m.; HETCH round trip takes approximately 11 hours. '" HETCHY JCT. MP'6

• t •• ••:.1". Radio Frequency Abandoned Hetch Hetchy RR to 160.590 MHz O'Shaughnessy Dam N Highlights � Pastoral Californiafoothills and Baldwin locomotives represent a dying breed of To Merced� short line railroading.

Pacific RAILNEWS-51 RAIL NEWS Santa Fe

these classes to UPS symbols, the Q-NYLAlQ­ LANY mail trains, and the Q-WSLA/Q-LAWS "unless absolutely necessary. " This older pow­ er is supposed to run on lower-priority P, T, V and S symbols instead. (But what showed up on the point of the Q-LAWS arriving Willow Springs on Dec. II? SD45 5333!) Time is running out for Santa Fe's fleet of late 1960s-vintage 20-cylinder motive power. Of the 125 SD45s Santa Fe purchased, only 44 remained active in November, while 31 of the original 40 F45s were still generating ton-miles. The remaining active units are as follows: SD45: 5325-5326, 5330, 5333, 5335, 5338, 5347-5349, 5353, 5355-5359, 5361, 5364-5376, 5378, 5380-5381, 5385-5387, 5389, 5398, 5401, 5403-5404, 5434-5437 (this last group was repowered with 16-cylin­ del' prime movers). F45: 5951, 5953-5957, 596 1, 5964-5968, 5970-5971, 5973-5989. SCHEDULES Trains Shifted for UPS Peak Chris Haught Santa Fe adjusted its hot intermodal train Warbonnet Santa Fe GPGOM 144may have been cursed. On Nov. 4 it led a Democratic Party schedule on Nov. 7 in anticipation of the campaign train at San Marcial, N.M.; the next monthit was destroyed in the fiery Cajon Pass wreck. UPS peak season. Trains Q-WSLA and Q­ LAWS were routed off the Northern Route through Colorado to the Southern Route VINTAGE POWER five SF30Cs with Locotro!' GE will assume through Amarillo. Simultaneously, train 995 control of these units on May 15, 1995. The Ta ps for Old GEs was established as a Richmond-Alliance extended maintenance agreement calls for 28 shooter, departing at 3 a.m. for third-morn­ more SF30Cs to be turned back to GE in May ing delivery of parcels to North Texas. The As Santa Fe prepares to receive its 25 SD70Ms 1996 and the final 28 in May 1997. Look for 995 replaced the Q-CVAL connection to the from GM, it is planning to remove relatively Santa Fe to lay up these units as soon as it 991. Initially this train departed on Tuesdays unreliable and expensive-to-operate General can, after the not-yet-ordered new class of Lo­ and Wednesdays only, but later operation Electric locomotives from the roster. Though cotrol-equipped units arrives. was expanded to Thursday-Saturday depar­ the "power-by-the-mile" agreement under Santa Fe's aging GP40X, GP50, GP60 and tures as weI!. Both of these changes were ef­ which GE maintains the remaining C30-7s and B40-8 locomotives, delivered in the traditional fective through Jan. I, 1995. the 9500-class SF30C fleet has been extended blue-and-yellow freight colors during the Many other UPS-related changes took effect to April I, 1997, Santa Fe began laying up the 1980s, have commonly been assigned to expe­ on Nov. 28 as the peak season began in earnest. 28 worst performers from these classes after dited intermodal trains. However, a string of Santa Fe expected to move more than 18,000 the Christmas peak season ended. failures suffered by these units in October and UPS trailers during the month preceding Headed into storage were the 14 C30-7s November caused the System Operations Cen­ Christmas. Two sections of the 199 train were acquired in 1982 (81 53-8166), nine SF30Cs ter to change that practice. As of early Novem­ operated most days during the period, along without Locotrol equipment and the worst bel� the SOC barred assignment of units from with extra sections of many other UPS symbols. Peak period service suffered a setback on Nov. 27, when B40-8W 519, leading Hobart­ Alliance train Q-LAAL9-26, derailed on the crossover at East Defiance, N.M., blocking both main tracks. By the time the south track WISCONSIN RAILS II was cleared 12 hours later, more than 50 A Passage of Time trains had been delayed! With traffic plugging Stockton's Mormon by Bob Baker Yard, Santa Fe moved some switching to 240 photos (41 in full color) and a generous text capture the flavor of rail­ Riverbank Yard near Modesto Nov. 9. Barstow-Stockton manifest M-BASTl sets out roading in the Badger State and Michigan's during the 60's and 70's. UP its SP, Central California Traction and Stock­ ton cars at Riverbank and heads west as a sol­ Hard Cover - $44.95 Soft Cover - $29.95 id UP train. Roadswitcher R-VA201, on duty Add $3.50 for postage/handling at Mormon at 10 a.m. daily except Sunday, Order From: comes down later in the day to retrieve this business and deliver cars for the M-STBA Wisconsin Chapter NRHS • P.O. Box 1314 • Racine, WI 53401 -1314 I, which runs light engines from Mormon to Wisconsin Residents please add sales tax 5% Riverbank. Switcher R-VA081 is on duty at Riverbank at 7 a.m. daily except Saturdays.

52-February 1995 LOCOMOT I VES Te x shut down the Centralized Traffic Con­ Effective Dec. I, dispatcher and hot box de­ trol on the line that day; it operates the line tector communications on the Panhandle Sub L C Starts GPGOM Overhauls under Track Warrant Control. Cen-Tex sends between Curtis, Okla., and Canadian, Texas, warrants and bulletins to Santa· Fe crews shifted from 161.190 MHz to 160.935 MHz. Startincr in December, EMD began sending planning to operate trains over the line at Al­ Th anks to Jayhawk, L.S. Wa ters, O. R. 100-cia s GP60Ms for "class overhaul" at the liance or Brownwood. Bixler and Starpacer. Livingston Rebuild Center in Livingston, Mont. Kansas City Terminal cut over its new EMD is required to have these 1 990-built units North Kansas City dispatching center at II Elson Rush overhau ed at about the million-mile mark un­ p.m. on Nov. 20. Concurrent with this change, der the 989 "power-by-the-mile" contract. Liv­ KCT dispatchers began communicating with ingston rill overhaul 24 of the 61 units in the Santa Fe trains on Santa Fe radio channel 1 . 100 clas , at the rate of roughly two per month, (160.650 MHz) rather than KCT channel 1 RAILFANS CHOICE_ ___ - through November 1995. The 102 was the first ( 161.0 1 0 MHz) Santa Fe mainline trains oper­ GLACIER to make the trip, starting from EMD's Corwith ate over KCT for 6.67 miles between Sheffield NATIONAL contrac maintenance shop on Dec. 10. Units and Santa Fe junction, Mo., while transfers PARK are sup osed to be del ivered to Burlington and the St. joseph local use other parts of the Izaak Wallon Inn orthel at Kansas City in lUnning condition. Kansas City Terminal. Essex MT 59916 BN wor s them to its Laurel, Mont., yard be­ (406) 888-5700 fore tur ing them over to Montana Rail Link ��=���'t��< for deli ry to Livingston. Sim Itaneously, EMD is completing the warran repaint program on the GP60Ms. During ovember the 104 and 142 traveled to VMV a Paducah for repainting, while the Call us about any book 1 16, 12 and 151 returned in fresh paint. Also in November, a new problem cropped in thismagazine ! up on t e 600-class C44-9Ws. Units 609, 618, Colorado 632 an 633 experienced problems with the cam rol er on the engine. GE opined that the proble could be solved by adjusting the fuel Railroad pump t ppet rod, and Santa Fe responded by / orderin the 600s into Argentine and Barstow to recei e this modification. Museum Anot er noteworthy November event was Best Selection the deli ery of the two natural-gas powered of Books & Videos Morris Knudsen MK 1200G locomotives, 1200 an 1201. The pair showed up at the Los Over 1,000 in stock Angeles unction yard in around Thanksgiving. While t e units are supposed to switch Hobart C�ll toll free Yard, t ey will be fueled at LA), where con­ g.S p.m. tractor moco installed the LNG fueling facili­ i.l� ty. Each unit can hold 1,400 gallons of liquid Mounta,in Time (rof�nd.c:4blo with first gas, goo for four or five days of operation. p�rcha.se) The OC is trying to achieve 80 percent 10- for persona,l service. comotiv utilization, measured by hours "on eo pa.&oS, over 500 duty" di ided by total hours. This would rep­ resent a substantial improvement over past best sellers perform nce. To reach this goal, power plan­ Over 100 vid.eos. ners ha e turned the spotlight on out-of-the­ H�ndreds of gifts. way tel' inals like Phoenix, where units often /} ::' sit for day or more awaiting infrequent ' trains. anta Fe's most efficient location? Mem�ershi1?s Support \' Barstow where locomotives sat idle an aver­ age of ju t 29 minutes per turn during a recent AvaIlable. !: Historic survey eriod. Also under renewed attack is �I ' the ovel owering of trains, particularly out of Cha.rge it to your Preservation by !':: Kansas

Pacific RAILNEWS-53 , .1 I RAIL NEWS I • . 1 Kansas City Southern PRESENTS

UP's COUNCIL BLUFFS SUB ...... 3 hrs, 8 min. (Council Bluffs. IA to N. Platte, NE) Visit 284 INTER MODAL feed and strong pulp, papel; finished wood, and miles of N. America's busiest, fastest and flat­ chemical traffic in excess of 800 cars daily are est double track main line. See the awesome New Corridor Open For Business straining capacity, not to mention interchange to 120 platform Big APL train moving at 70 IC at Jackson of more than 100 cars daily. mph over the Nebraska Prairie...... $39.00* In the early morning hours of Oct. 25, less than 'Two tape set, $4.00 S/H. Counts as 1 tape for "More trains to roll through Rankin Coun­ multi tape discount. 24 hours after the announcement terminating ty," proclaims the Nov. 9, article. Why would the agreement proposing the sale of KCS to IC, TRAINS OF KANSAS CITY VOL 2 ...... 2 hrs an increase expected in rail activity be receiv­ Visit 33 popular railfan locations in the Kansas a test "sprint" train departed Zacha Junction ing ink in a local newspaper? The article is a City area. KC is the nation's 2nd largest rail outside of Dallas, Texas. Its goal was to deter­ warning to local motorists to stop, look, and center. The tape represents all of the roads mine running time for a proposed new inter­ listen for more, and faster, trains. In just a serving KC. Map included ...... $29.00 modal train via the former MidSouth route to few short months, KCS has transformed a Meridian, Miss., and a connection with NS and SANTA FE'S MARCELINE SUB ...... 2 hrs historically low-density freight route across See high speed double track action on SF's points east. KCS GP40-2 4756 and all three northern Louisiana and Mississippi into a vir­ KC to Ft. Madison, IA (216.8 miles) racetrack, KCS business cars left Zacha at 2 a.m. and ar­ tual speedway. The entire route between Hot shot intermodals, manifest freights and rived 18 hours later at Meridian. On Nov. 4, Shreveport and Meridian is now capable of unit coal ...... $29.00 the JOURNAL OF COMMERCE officially confirmed handling freight traffic at the 49 mph maxi­ SANTA FE'S EMPORIA SUB ...... 2 hrs a Nov. 15 inauguration of Dallas-Atlanta mum speed allowed on unsignaled trackage, See Santa Fe's high speed action from Union through service via the new KCS-NS route, but all trains, except the new intermodal Station in K.C. to Wellington, KS. 224 miles of aimed primarily at capturing a share of the Cal­ blistering, high speed action ...... $29.00 trains, will be restricted to 45 mph. ifornia-Southeast intermodal market. As previously noted in this column, the for­ BN ST. JOE LlNE ...... 2 hrs New symbols: No. 7 eastbound and No. 8 mer MidSouth (ex-IC) train symbols were KC to Lincoln, Neb. Part of BN's Coal Conveyor westbound will connect with new NS trains changed to KCS symbols in early 1994. Unless south. See freight moving from N.W. to S.E. No. 220 and No. 219, respectively, at Meridian. on this line...... $28.00 noted, eastbound symbols are odd and west­ While on the Eastern Division, these new bounds are even. Between Shreveport and UP COFFEYVILLE/CHEROKEE SUBS ... . hrs .. 2 trains will employ unique turnaround crews. Meridian, No. 27 replaced symbol SMA, and These are former MP & MKT lines south out of Two-man crews based at Shreveport and K.C. to AR, OK and TX. Experience large volume No. 29, SM-6. Number 28 replaced MS-5, tonnage moving down this line to deep south Meridian will ride their trains to meet the op­ with No. 30 for MS-3. Multiple sections of markets. See the action at Paola, KS where posing movement, planned to be near Vicks­ some trains are common. KCS dispatches the these two subs split and are crossed by the BN's burg, Miss., then after swapping trains, each Shreveport-Meridian route from Console 4, Fort Scott Sub. Map included ...... $28.00 will return to their home terminal. Originating road channel l, frequency 160.545 MHz. The

SP'S HERINGTON (KS) SUB ...... 2 hrs power will remain on the trains over the entire yard channel is 160.215 MHz. This sub is part of RI's former Tucumcari line route, providing an every-other-day arrival of and is SP's connection from midwestern mar­ NS power in Dallas and KCS power in Atlanta. NORTHERN DIVISION kets to the Golden State Route. Ta pe covers joint UP/SP section between KC and To peka, NEW FACILITIES Traffic Up, Power Short KS. Map included ...... $28.00 Yard Planned lor Jackson, Miss. UP MARYSVILLE SUB ...... 2 hrs Traffic on the northern end of the system is also Fast paced action from Kan sas City to the testing the endurance of both man and machine. Nebraska state line...... $28.00 The Nov. 9, 1994, issue of the RANKIN COUNTY The current power shortage is evident at Kansas NEWS announced that KCS has offered to pur­ City, especially toward the weekend. Manifest UP ACROSS MISSOURI ...... 2 hrs Sedalia/River Subs. See UP and SSW action; coal, chase a 1 �O-acre parcel of land just southeast of trains from the south with more than 100 cars mixed, intermodals and Amtrak. Covers action Jackson, Miss. A new $30 million 1 ,ODD-car usually arrive with a pair of SD60s that are from KC to St. Louis. Map included ...... $28.00 classification yard and intermodal ramp is quickly serviced, then sent south on a waiting

MAINLINES INTO KANSAS CITY ...... 2 hrs planned for construction during the next 18 train. Surplus units from northbounds are usual­ All the mainlines that make Kansas City the months. KCS will vacate the cramped former ly stashed at Pittsburg, Kan., to be added to United State's 2nd largest rail center. Map MidSouth yard at We st Fortification Street in southbound trains for the extra effort required included ...... $28.00 Jackson. According to Eastern Division Superin­ over the Ozark and Ouachita mountains. Even

SANTA FE IN KANSAS CITY...... 1 hr tendent Ray Luman, increased inbound poultry the expedited schedule of Nos. 91 10 have erod- See Atchison To peka & Santa Fe trains move in and out of Kansas City ...... $20.00

TRAINS OF KANSAS CITY VOL 1...... 2 hrs Visit 17 railfan hotspots ...... $28.00 �[UJ[NJ���[Q) U���� ���lF CAB RIDE ON KCT IN CNW 50-18 ... . 55 min. Ride the former UP SD24 #407 on a never COLORADO's ONLY FU LL SERVICE DISCOUNT TRAIN STORE before seen view of KC's Kansas City Te rminal HO, N DISCOUNT MA RKLIN HO DISCOUNT Railroad. Witness meets with some of Santa & Z: 20% Z, & 1: 20% Fe's hottest trains. See UP coal trains crossing BOOKS & VIDEOS: 20% DISCO UNT LIONEL TINPLATE NEW & USED at Sheffield. Map included ...... $15.00

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54-February 1995 ed somewhat with a mid-afternoon arrival of The list of remaining white road units now northbound No. 10, and a departure of south­ looks like this, after recent confirmation: All G REAT bound No. 9 after 9 or 10 p.m. Intemlodal h'af­ seven SD40s (4607, 46 1 I, 4618, 462 1, and fic on these trains also appears to be heavy. 4631-4633), 647-65 1, 654, 657-658, 678-686, Grain trains from the UP via Omaha are al­ 688, 69 1, 692, 700, 706, 709, 712, 4000, so more frequent, typical of the fall and winter 4002-4005 and 4009. months. Kansas City-Shreveport manifest train KCS SD60 74 1 has returned to service af­ No. 5 often runs in extra sections, including a ter repairs at YMY following the Feb. 9, 1994, frequent all-grain "chicken feed No. 5" setting head-on collision near Anderson, Mo. out its entire consist at various feed mill sidings before arrival at Shreveport. The four to six NEWS SHOR TS daily unit coal trains from BN and UP bound Speed Limit Increased for on-line power plants leave Kansas City with the run-through pool power received on the train, typically two units. Pure KCS power sets The systemwide speed limit has recently been are rare on these trains. The Kansas City Power increased from 40 to 45 mph, obviously to en­ Pacific Rai/News & Light La Cygne plant west of Amsterdam re­ hance expeditious handling of traffic, thereby Bigger, bolder ceives at least two trains daily. Most BN trains increasing power and crew availability ... for KCP&L are now operating trainsets of new KCS is now operating a We st Dallas job using and better-your aluminum rotary gondolas with KCLX report­ Santa Fe industrial trackage isolated by a best source for ing marks. A new UP train to KCP&L is run­ burned bridge and recent service retrench­ great photos ments in Dallas. KCS gains access to this ning with new Johnstown America aluminum and in-depth trackage in the Eagle FordlWest Dallas district gondolas with AECX reporting marks. Other news from via UP's Browder Yard. It is now possible to regular coal movements have been operating today's with atypical trainsets. The Gulf States trains find KCS movements crossing the former T&P Western to Mossville, La., have recently included an bridge over the Trinity River in Dallas ...The SFIX trainset. The Southwestern Electric connection between the ex-Cotton Belt and the railroads. Power trains to Welsh, Texas, have included Santa Fe at Renner, just west of Plano, Texas, $30 for 12 former OGEX (Oklahoma Gas & Electric) should now be finished, completing the short issues. cut to Santa Fe's new Alliance Yard ... SP is cars now lettered DLRX, and OPSX (Public (One year) Service of Oklahoma) cars. closing its Shreveport yard and turning over local switching to KCS, similar to the arrange­ #IPRNI2 BRANCH UPDATE ment with KCS assuming SP switching at Plano, Texas. KCS has reopened Harriet Street GNU TraHic Booms Yard in Shreveport, including a new yard of­ fice, to assist in relieving congestion at Dera­ The busy Graysonia, Nashville & Ashdown mus Yard. There is also discussion regarding Exciting news and branch line connecting with the main at Ash­ the addition of a second track between the down, Ark., continues to experience tremen­ north end of Deramus Ya rd and Texas Junc­ features on dous traffic growth. Anyone visiting Ashdown tion, and building a loop track around Dera­ everything from can attest to the small yard frequently being mus to expedite the new east-west intermodal yesterday's choked with loads and empties moved to and traffic ... KCS has also accepted 70 new classic passenger from Nashville. Often, the Nashville-based open-top coil steel gondolas numbered in the trains to today's 710000 series for new coil steel business from crew must make two trips dragging empties to Amtrak Ashdown and collecting loads. a mill near Tu scaloosa. streamliners An interesting GN&A tidbit: The line rides Th anks to Lowell McManus, Charles about three miles of a levee on Millwood Pitcher, Mike and Chris Palmieri, Art Richard­ and commuter Lake, also shared with parallel Arkansas son, Wayne Kiser, Danny lohnson, David trains. $30 for Highway 32, with the eastbound traffic lane !-lurt, Nick !-luth, Dale Gathright, Ir., Don 12 issues. (One year) #IPTJI2 about 10 feet away from the rails. Once dur­ Bailey, Philip Mosely, Dennis !-logan, lerry ing this past summer, a nocturnal movement Sample, Robert !-larmen, lim Christenberry, occurred. Imagine the surprise of motorists Warren and Ti llie Caileff , TIlAFFlC WOIIW, locomotive& Railway meeting regular GP40-2 4756, equipped with IOUIlNAL OF COMMEIICE, RANKIN COUNTY NEWS, Pl'esel'vation the typical headlight, nose-mounted Mars the KCS!-lS, and the KCS Railway. lights, and ditch lights, while traversing the The award-winning narrow levee. Enlightening? Michael Hasbargen magazine of America's LOCOMOTIVE NEWS railroading KCS Locates More Used Power history and the MOBILE GAIN artifacts, people, With traffic levels continuing to increase, loco­ and places motive shortages continue to impede the effi­ ANTENNA keeping this cient movement of tonnage on all KCS routes, Tuned to Railroad Band history alive and, once again, the power squad has been Th e one you've heard about! today. turning every stone searching for additional re­ • Increased range $21.50 for 6 issues. (One year) #ILRP06 inforcements. They found it in the form of 20 • 5/8 wave, 3db gain • Tuned for optimum Sensitivity, SD40s that are coming from National Railway 160-161 Mhz. Equipment. Plans are for rebuilding the units • MagnetiC mount To Order, call Toll-Free: to Dash 2 specs in the near future. Traffic levels have also prompted an in­ ���:P�:G 1-800-210-2211 crease in helper units based at Neosho, Mo., $62 Specify scanner type FAX 818-793-3797 or write: and Heavener, Okla. The typical two helper sets are again in service at both locations; Pentrex Circulation Department however, at Neosho in late October, GP40-2 @ R;fi��a;I;�;:;;���;�� p.o. Box 94911, Pasadena, CA 91109 4757 was spotted as the third unit in one set. Box 38881 , Germantown, TN 38183 Subscribe To day!

MAGS RAIL NEWS Union Pacific

TECHNOLOGY Remote Locomotive Controls Successful

The operational bottleneck known as the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon will be seeing a return to a past practice to increase capacity. Extensive testing by Union Pacific on a new version of Locotrol's remote loco­ motive controls concluded successfully in November. Initially utilizing GE C41 -8Ws 9400-9403 as the test beds in the Blues, Lo­ cotrol allows control of unmanned mid-train helpers from the head end. Since the initial testing, UP has tried the remote mid-trains in nearly all types of heavy service and territo­ ries across the system. Satisfied with the im­ proved reliability of this new system-as compared to a similar system that UP stopped using when the RCS-equipped fleet of SD45s were retired in the early I 980s-the railroad will reportedly equip more C41-8Ws with the LocotroJ. After testing, all four units were returned VicNeves to daily service in eastern Oregon and west­ ern Idaho by early November. As of mid-De­ Union Pacific has abandoned the westbound track on Srd Street in Oakland, Calif. Soon UP cember, UP had these units in captive service trains will use SP tracks at Jack London Square. OANP is eastbound on Srd Street on Nov. 28, 1994. between Nampa, Idaho, and ' Hinkle, Ore.,

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58-February 1995 working strictly on westbound loaded unit OPERAT IONS originating at Wallula Junction, Wash., inter­ trains. Instead of the normal practice of split­ changed from the Washington Central. The ting these trains into 50-car sets with two big Lathrop Terminal Opens beets out of Wallula were scheduled to end in units on the lead and two other units work­ mid-December and beet loading was to start at ing as rear-end helpers, these trains are now The huge new intermodal terminal at Lath­ Hinkle Yard, Ore., with beet harvesti ng/move­ sent westward from Nampa intact. For rop, Cali f.-south of Stockton-opened in ment to last until mid-March. Running almost 12,000-ton trains, the railroad requires two early December. The cut-over from the Stock­ daily, these 50-car trains are symboled units on the point, three in the mid-train po­ ton facility was not immediate and the old ter­ HKNAB eastbound and NAHKB westbound. sition and two on the rear. For the heavier minal remained in use at least through the Th anks to Dick Stephenson, David Cram­ 14,000-ton trains, a forth mid-train helper is end of the year. Switching at the new facility mer, Ed Spalding, Roy Lopez, Mike Murray, added to maintain 14 mph over the steepest is performed by Rail Switching Services, uti­ Steve Kalthoff, Kevin Gulau, Jim Schiro, Ben grades. Locomotives rated less than SD50s lizing ex-SP GP9E 3817. Kerr, Curt Howell, Vic Neves, Glen /canberry, are banned from use in consists with the The pursuit of Santa Fe may be a contribut­ FLiMSIES, NORTHWEST RAILFAN, THE MIXED RCS-equipped C4 1 -8Ws. Once one of these ing factor in a recent slow-down of Union Pacif­ TRAIN, GPC-NRHS DIAMOND, CompuServe trains arrives at the UP yard at Hinkle, the ic's various track capacity expansion projects. and Union Pacific. entire set is cut out of the train, gathered up Since mid-summer, the $100 million Blue and run light back to Nampa. Mountain double-tracking project in Oregon Wayne Monger has been idle. The planned redesign of the­ MOTIVE POWER Marysville Sub/Council Bluffs Sub junction at Gibbon, Neb., has also been removed from the A.C., LNGand E-Units pending projects list for three to five years. The double track on Oakland's Third Te sting of the three GE AC4400CWs, 9997- Street was reduced to a single track in Overland 9999, continues with the units working in the November. This is the first step in the Blue Mountains in November. Trailed by a planned consolidation of all UP, SP and Am­ UP test car carrying both GE and UP person­ trak trains onto the parallel SP main line Chapter, nel, the AC4400CWs were placed on a load­ through Jack London Square-once the State ed 50-car westbound grain train headed out of California and SP complete the third main­ of Nampa, Idaho. As noted already, such a line track on this street. This project-part of N.R.H.S. train requires a minimum of four units- two the railroad reconfiguration plan forced by Cordially on the head end and two as rear-end the Cypress Freeway rebuilding-has contin­ invites you helpers-to get over the mountains. Two of ually seen its deadlines extended. Estimates the a.c. units were on the head end with the indicate that the new UP-SP interchange to participate third working as a single rear helper. Various trackage at Melrose will not be bui lt until in their reports indicate that while this train was late 1995 or 1996. UP is paying most of the 1995 travel climbing toward the summit at Nordeen cost of this new interchange. (Kamela) one unit suffered a traction motor The ICC has approved the abandonment of program failure, stalling the train. The units were sent the Scoville-Arco, Idaho, segment of the Arco east for modifications and were soon back in (Scoville) Branch. Portugese Rails service testing in Texas. Sugar beet unit trains began operations on February 28-March 11 The two LNG-fueled Morrison Knudsen the UP in mid-October. In previous years, beet Porto trolley operation in the last days with MK1200G switchers in Los Angeles have re­ trains were only operated from eastern Idaho many single and double truck Brill cars. Ride endangered narrow gauge branches. steam spe­ ceived favorable comments from crews. Used to the Amalgamated Sugar refinery at Nampa cial with full service diner. Sintra and Lisbon strictly at UP's East L.A. yard, a cost compar­ (Fischer), Idaho. This year, beets are also mov­ narrow gauge trolley lines. ison is being made against a pair of freshly ing over the Blue Mountains from fields along Winter Swiss Rails shopped EMD MP ISs also working at East the Columbia River. Initially, beet trains were March 14-28 L.A. The Mechanical Department is closely An in-depth study of the Rhatische Bahn with a fo ur tracking data gathered by on-board micropro­ night stay in SL Moritz covering all major lines. Nine nights in 4-star Bristol Hotel Bern to cover many cessor systems and downloaded to Omaha narrow gauge electric and inlerurban operations daily. For testing LNG fuel on specially con­ Professionally Produced Videos including Glacier Express. MOB. Centivalli and figured GE and GM units, fueling facilities in many more in spectacular winter scenery. Los Angeles and elsewhere across the system + New Release + Nonvay Rails and were being installed in December. Mean­ Nebraska Panhandle Rails Coastal Steamer while, in the L.A. Basin, most other local and VHS 60 minutes May 2- 18 $29.95, plus $4.00 shipping switching assignments are given to aging Oslo north over Arctic Circle by rail. Ofat en Line at SWI0s that are being retired as major me­ Fe atures the Chicago & North Western, Narvik. Five cruise. Kirkenes to Bergen aboard Burlington Northern, and The Union Pacific coastal ship serving local villages and towns. chanical problems occur. Bergen Railway. Flam line. Oslo trolley and subur­ Railroads on six main lin es. You see the Union Pacific leased more locomotives in ban systems. action on Cra wford Hill, The Trans­ November and December to bridge the gap Continental Main Line and more. Swiss Summer Steam until the arrival of new motive power. In the + Still Available + July 18-August 2 spring General Motors SD90MACs and GE OUf annual summer trip will concentrate on AC4400CWs will begin arriving. As of Dec. The Cowboy Lines remaining steam operations and special steam 1, UP obtained 35 GE DASH 8-40CWs from VHS 85 minutes events including lake steamers. Entire stay at $39.95, plus $4.00 shipping Bristol Hotel Bern within a block of railway station the joint ConraillGE Locomotive Manage­ in center of town . ment Services (LM S). The lease on these Chicago & North Western, Western Division: Features North Western's Lines units is to run only to the end of March Rockies Fall Fo liage from Norfolk to Crawford, Nebraska; September 13-28 1995. The UP has also obtained the service Chadron Nebraska to Colony, Wy oming; Contemporary-historic Union Pacific coverage of of seven SD45s owned by Wisconsin Central and the Wyoming Powder River Basin Omaha Museum. North Platte. Laramie. three days for the same length of time. Coal Line. behind UP No. 3985 in deluxe cars to Rock Springs. Pocatello. Boise. Continue to Promontory. Durango Fans received a special Christmas treat VISA I MasterCard accepted & Silverton. Cumbres & Toltec. Georgetown Loop. from Union Pacific in December when the Mail Orders: Send check or money order A-B-A set of E9s was placed into freight ser­ For complete details. contact: vice for two weeks. Normally restricted to WES T RIVER Overland Chapter, N.R.H.S. special passenger trains, the Es were used on 1-800-272- 1591 1412 Twelfth Street expedited intermodal "Z" trains between 1222 Oregon Street IDEO Chicago and Texas. Rapid City, SO 57701 PRODUCTION Mo line, nlinois 61265

Pacific RAILNEWS-57 RAIL NEWS Transit

SEATTLIE every type of LRT infrastructure: railroad machines will point northward under the Holly­ rights-or-way, subway, aerial, on-street, highway wood Hills to the San Fernando Valley. Decision-Time Nears on LRT margin and even power line right-of-way. The $1 billion statewide bond issue for ex­ Quickest to implement would be the com­ pansion of urban transit, commuter rail and After watching decades of squabbling, years muter trains. Existing BN tracks would be Amtrak intercity trains failed miserably in the of political fencing and months of study, used between Everett and King Street Station November election, as everyone thought it Seattle voters will go to the polls on March in downtown Seattle, and either BN or UP would. Californians remain negative, and even 14 to decide on a 16-year, $6.7 billion plan trackage to Tacoma and beyond to Lakewood refused to fund highway earthquake repairs. to build nearly 70 miles of light rail and es­ in that city's southern suburbs. The $574 mil­ There will be further reductions in rail project tablish commuter trains l inking Everett, lion project could see trains running to Taco­ funding. It may be necessary, for instance, to Seattle and Tacoma. ma by 1998 and to Everett by 1999. stretch out further the completion of the Pasade­ On the ballot will be a sales tax increase of Area voters years ago defeated two previ­ na LRT, now under construction. Also rejected 0.4 percent and a vehicle license plate hike of ous "rapid transit" schemes but RTA officials, was an initiative that would have raised the sales 0.3 percent that would trigger $800 million in pointing to favorable polls, are cautiously opti­ tax for the benefit of public transit. bonds to cover initial construction costs. mistic this time. State and federal funding of $125 million SAN DIEGO would be needed, too. This would translate in­ LOS ANGELES to the creation of light rail lines from down­ Tr olley Extension Rescued town Seattle north to 164th Southwest in the Red Une Tu nneling Resumes Lynwood area, east across Lake Washington to The San Diego Association of Govemments has Bellevue and Overlake, and south to Sea-Tac The Red Line subway project has been suffer­ pledged $81.2 million to cover funding short­ Airport and on to downtown Tacoma. ing from shoddy construction and poor over­ ages for extension of the San Diego Trolley from The north line would serve the Capitol Hill, sight, collapsing tunnels in Hollywood, and Old Town to Jack Murphy Stadium. There are a University District and Mountlake Terrace ar­ very bad press. In response, the Federal Transit few strings attached, and the Califol1lia Trans­ eas and be routed through tunnels in the neigh­ Administration froze $1.3 billion in future portation Commission must agree to the bailout. borhoods immediately east of downtown. All funding and demanded drastic remedial action. MTDB wants the line finished in time for segments would utilize the 1.3-mile downtown The FTA got it. A new management plan the 1998 Super Bowl that will be played at the bus tunnel which already has tracks installed. gives the Metropolitan Transit Authority a stadium. Presently, an extension from County The east line would serve Mercer Island and more hands-on oversight role, taking back Center is under construction to get trolley ser­ cross the lake next to Interstate 90 before turn­ much control from the contractor, Shea­ vice open to Old Town by 1996-97. ing north to the bustling suburb of Bellevue. Kiewit-Kenny and merging the Rail Construc­ The 6. I-mile Murphy Stadium extension is The south line would have major stops at or tion Corp. with the parent MTA. In the pro­ a part of the Mission Valley West project which near Boeing Field, Sea-Tac, Des Moines, Feder­ cess, the RCC's president was fired. was supposed to cost $150 million. However, al Way and the Tacoma Dome. It would termi­ Pleased, the FTA lifted the freeze and tun­ the price tag has risen to $245.7 million. nate in downtown Tacoma at Ninth and Pacific. neling in Hollywood was set to resume in De­ Defeat of the $1 billion statewide transit Regional Transit Authority head Tom Matoff cember. Boring of both tunnels is now complete ballot measure likely will kill the proposed is a strong proponent of no-frills light rail and between Wi lshire and Vermont and a point trolley extension north along the \-5 corridor, the proposed system would utilize just about west of Hollywood and Vine. Soon, the boring but Coaster commuter train service is sched­ uled to begin this February in the same area. Meanwhile, MTDB got some good news. The improving economy has helped the trolley farebox recovery ratio, which in the third quar­ "BURLINGTON THUNDER" ter increased nearly 10 percent to 64.8 percent. POR TLAND To Dig or Not to Dig?

With passage of the $475 million bond issue to help fund the proposed South/North LRT line, Pot·tlanders focused on such bread-and­ butter issues as where the line will go down­ town, where it will cross the Willamette and Columbia rivers, and whether the new Repub­ lican Congress will be as eager to funnel feder­ JELSMAGRAPIDCS is pleased to announce the immediate release of its latest breathtaking, four-color al dollars into the project. print, BURLINGTON THUNDER, by noted railroad illustrator Robert West. This beautiful print depicts Perhaps the funding concern will settle the Burlington's· new SD70MAC pulling a utility unit coal train through a thunderstorm in central Nebras­ hotly debated issue of the proposed downtown ka, June 1994. This will soon become a collector's item like most of Roben West's prints. The run will be limited to just 800 signed and numbered prints, including 80 artist proofs . "Burlington Thunder" is subway. It would add considerably to the over­ printed on 80 lb. Saxony, Loe Embossed paper, and mailed in round shipping tubes. Prim size is 14" x 23" all $2.85 billion cost and elected officials are lukewarm to the idea anyway. They want to Artist proofs (1-80) ...... 51 20.00 superimpose the tracks on the Fifth and Sixth

Signed and numbered ...... $40.00 avenue bus mall, but others demand a tunnel. Shipping and handling . . ...S4.95 Th anks to Steve Morgan, Julian Wo linsky, JELSMAGRAPIDCS Seattle RTA, Charles Ve rcelli, Jim Wa lker, VISA and MasterCard accepted Dept. PN Fred Matthews and Robert Willoughby Jones. provide expiration date 2238 Winding Creek Lane (904) 221-3513 Jacksonville, FL 32246-4136 Mac Sebree

58-February 1995 RAIL NEWS Short Lines

NORTH COAST RAILROAD son, Mo., may not be built. The Interstate In September, ).0. Heiskell Grain Co. of Tu ­ Commerce Commission recently voted 4-0 to lare, Calif. , replaced its ex-Southern Pacific Arcata & Mad River to Reopen revoke OMR's exemption as an interstate car­ Alco S-6 with a unique locomotive. Home­ rier. The revocation of the exemption granted built by Laughlin Steel of Dallas, Texas, the North Coast Railroad Authority, the govern­ OMR in February 1993 was tied to the ICC's new switcher, No. 1886, utilizes the frame ment body that owns and operates the North refusal to overturn its order requiring OMR and trucks of another S-6. It is powered by Coast Railroad-the former Northwestern Pa­ to identify its source of a reported $1 billion 1,600 h.p. Cummins V- 12 diesel enclosed in cific north of Willits, Calif.-announced in dollars in financing to build the railroad and an EMD-like boxy hood. It was acquired for October that it will reopen the long-closed an adjoining theme park. In its original filing, $40,000 ...Grainbelt Corporation has filed Arcata & Mad River Railroad. This line runs OMR proposed to build a railroad on the for abandonment of its ex-Frisco line between 12 miles from the junction with the former abandoned right-oF-way of the Missouri & Frederick and Davidson, Okla., 7.7 miles ... NWP at Korblex to the Simpson Timber mill North Arkansas between Eureka Springs and Arkansas Midland has filed for abandonment at Korbel (Blue Lakes). The mill has indicated Harrison, Ark., to Branson. L.D. Stordahl, of its embargoed line between Galloway and that as many as 1,200 carloads would be OMR's president, is reported to be consider­ Carlisle, 21.52 miles ...Oregon Pacific & shipped if the line was reopened. The line was ing his options, including a lawsuit against Eastern has applied to abandon its 3.35-mile last used in the late 1970s. the ICC. Local property owners, organized as line between Cottage Grove and Mosby In August, 505 outbound carloads passed the Ozark Property Association, are against Creek, Ore ....South Kansas & Oklahoma through the Willits interchange, a new high the OMR proposal, and see the plans as a and Union Pacific have entered into an agree­ for the NCRR, resulting in train operations in­ scheme to get land cheaply by having OMR ment for SK&O to handle UP traffic between creasing from three to five days per week. Af­ invoke eminent domain. Stordahl, who Winfield and Coffeyville, Kan ....A correc­ ter the August high, traffic levels began to fought to keep the project's backers a secret, tion to our story in issue 372 on the new Cas­ plummet. From September to November, the has said that those same backers are still cade Pacific Railway in Glendale, Ore.: PRN combination of a strong market for finished committed to funding construction. founder Karl Koenig wrote to say that we lumber coupled with increasing problems with misidentified the locomotive that is the last Southern Pacific supplying empty freight cars SHORTLINE NOTES remnant of the former Robert Dollar Compa­ and poor travel times forced a significant ny lumber railroad. It is a GE 45-ton unit, amount of traffic back to trucks. By mid-Octo­ Cal Western Baldwin Scrapped built in December 1942 as U.S. Air Force ber, Sierra Pacific Industries-one of the rail­ 7488. The locomotive arrived in Glendale in road's primary shippers-had become so frus­ California Western sold Baldwin RS- 12 No. September 1959. trated by lumber shipments taking as long as 55 to a scrap dealer in November. The unit Th anks to Herb To llison, Mike Murray, 31 days to reach the L.A. Basin that it diverted was moved from Fort Bragg to Willits for Ron Williams, Curt Howell, Glen !canberry, up to 95 carloads per month to trucks. After scrapping ...Wa shington Central leased Ben Ken; Kurtis Boyd, D.f. Shelburne, Curt NCRA officials met with the SP in November Montana Rail Link GP9 105 in October and Fortenberry, Ed Spalding, Leslie Wo od, PI. there were some improvements. November. This unit was assigned to the Gratz, JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, NWP Histori­ NCRA announced that it will adopt a new Moses Lake, Wash., area to help move out­ cal Society, and NORTHWEST RAILFAN. paint scheme, using a variation of the SP bound sugar beets. Previously, the unit had "Black Widow" scheme. Because the estimated been leased to Idaho Northern & Pacific ... Wayne Monger and Bob Thompson costs of painting one of the leased SP GP9Es is $15,000, it may be well into 1995 before any paint is applied. NOBLES & ROCK RAILR OAD Minnesota Line Begins Operations

Running over a hogback line in southwestern Minnesota, the Nobles & Rock Railroad has been in operation since Oct. 1, 1994. The No­ bles & Rock, so named for the two counties through which it runs, operates 41.6 miles of fotmer Chicago & North Western line between CB&Q Color Guide GN Color Guide Manley and Agate and has 3.4 miles of trackage to Freightand Passenger Equipment to Freight andPa ssenger Equipment tights on the C&NW to Worthington. The line Each book contains approximately 300 vintage color photographs of passenger and freight was built in the late 1870s as a predecessor of cars, non-revenue cars, and miscellaneous equipment. Captioned fo r both technical infonnation C&NW. After its 1988 abandonment by C&NW, the Buffalo Ridge Rail Authority-the and enjoyable reading the two books make ideal additions to the book shelves of both GNI current owners-and the Minnesota Valley Rail­ CB&Q rail fans and modelers alike. Great fo r the railfan seeking to go beyond the headend for road acquired the line, running it as the Buffalo more infonnation on his fav orite road and just perfect for the model railroader seeking authentic Ridge from 1989 to 1992. In 1992 the line was paint schemes, numbering, weathering and car usage. embargoed and did not see service again until Available March 1, 1995. Order both 12B-page hardcover books 1994, following substantial track rehabilitation. today direct at the pre-publication special price of OZARK MOUNTAIN $40 + $3.50 P&H (each) or $83.50 total for both

Proposed Railroad Derailed Price after 3/1/95 is @ $49.95 apiece. Morning Sun Books, Inc. '10 0." o� Give street address for UPS delivery. 11 Sussex Court Ozark Mountain Railroad, a proposed 75- NJ residents add $2.40 sales tax. +BOOKS� INC. .. mile line from Eureka Springs, Ark., to Bran- Edison, NJ 08820

Pacific RAILNEWS-59 RAIL NEWS WINTERAIL '95 RAILROAD PHOTOGRAPHY EXPOSITION AND RAILROADIANA SHOW & SALE Amtrak/Passenger SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1995

BUDGET CR ISIS A major administrative reorganization has seen Amtrak form three separate business Fiscal Woes Force Big Cuts units. These can be likened to a company with­ in a company, each charged with operating a In its 23 years of existence Amtrak has seen segment or profit center of the company. The many ups and downs. From old equipment to three "little Amtraks" are the Northeast Con'i­ serious funding crises to an invasion of ro­ dor (which includes all trains that run entirely dents, the path has seldom been smooth for within the Northeastern States); the West very long. Now in Fiscal 1995, the prospects Coast, covering California, Oregon and Wash­ are very grim indeed, and Amtrak's Board of ington, with headquarters in Sacramento; and SCOTIISH RITE TEMPLE . 33 WEST ALPINE AV E. Directors has been forced to make some un­ the Long Distance business unit, based in STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA popular decisions and drastically reduce the Chicago, which covers all other services. 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. services that will be offered in 1995 (see Expe­ QUALITY RAILROAD PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH diter for the complete story on which trains NEW SERVICE MULTI-VISUAL SLIDE PRESENTATIONS will be affected). The shortfall: up to $193 John West (D&RGW Narrow Gouge In The 60·s). and million. The problem: after expecting Congres­ Mount Adams Debuts in Oregon John Show (Thirty-fiveYears of SP Commutes) head­ sional action to increase operating subsidies, line WINTERAIL '95s list of photographers. including: Jim Boyd. Doug Koontz. Wayne Monger. no action was taken, and now with a change in Despite the serious financial problems Am­ Don Bucholz and Greg McDonnell. the majority in both houses, prospects for trak is facing, new service started operating

PHOTO PRINT COMPEnTlON more subsidies have vanished. Oct. 30 between Portland and Eugene, Ore. LARGE RAILROAD lANA SHOW & SALE Amtrak staff has compiled a variety of cost­ Trains 750 and 751, the Mount Adams, gives (TIMETABLES, VIDEO TA PES, BOOKS, CHINA, APPAREL, cutting measures, in addition to dropping trains riders a daytime connection to Portland and SCALE MODELS AND PHOTOGRAPHS) or reducing service frequency. There have been Seattle, leaving Eugene early in the morning, FULL EVENT TICKET: $18 by advance mail only. both voluntary and involuntary staff reductions, and returning there late at night. Initially, Make checks/MO payable to: especially in non-represented positions. Some ridership was very good on the new trains. VIC NEVES - WINTERAIL '95 retirements and resignations will open some top The State of Oregon also supports bus con­ P.O. BOX 23721 • OAKLAND, CA 94623-0721 positions, while other openings will come from nections to the Empire Builder and from the Include SASE 'Presentations subject to change without plior nolice. realigning the way Amtrak does business. Pioneer at Portland.

EXPERIENCE THE RAILROADS OF CANADA! Pentrex brings you 4 exciting books on the railroads of Canada, written by noted author and Canadian rail historian AdolfHu ngry Wo lf

ROUTE OF THE CARIBOO NARROW GAUGE RAIL WAY The PGElBC Rail System SCENES BC Rail today is a favorite among rail enthusi­ Take a photo journey across North America asts and tourists alike, yet the present day system and into Central America in search of the narrow barely resembles its predecessor, the Pacific Great gauge railway lines that existed during the past Eastern Railway. In this tirst fully-illustrated his­ 50 years and those which carry on the tradition tory of the PGElBC Rail system, you'll enjoy over today! This memorable pictorial album includes 400 photographs (with more than 100 in color), over 450 photos from the cameras of W.C. Whittaker, Otto Perry, Richard complete motive power rosters, and fascinating text. If you love the rugged images of Steinheimer, Ward Kimball, and a host of others. This book beloQgs in every narrow Western Canada and the trains, stations, people, and tracks that make up its railroads, gauge railroad fan's collection. you'll want to add this handsome book to your library! 224 pages. Black & white. 11 x 8'1," Softbound #B919 $24.95 256 pages. B&W and color. 11 x 8'1," Hardbound #B917 $59.95 RAILROAD CAMP RAILS IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES In the early part of this century, on Revised Pictorial Edition Washington's Olympic Peninsula, the Polson This fantastic collection of historic photographs traces Brothers Logging Company established a railroad the tracks ofthe Canadian Pacific Railway to such famous camp that grew to become a small, self-sufficient locations as Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise, the Spiral Tun­ town on wheels. See what it was like to live and nels, Field, Kicking Horse Pass, Lethbridge, Crowsnest work in a logging company railroad camp, and Pass, and the Columbia-Kootenay Valley. Noted photogra­ read the memoirs of an engineer who grew up in phers Nicholas Morant, W. S. Whittaker, R.V. Nixon, and the camp in the days of steam power. Over 110amazing vintage photos will show you others illustrate a century of rugged and magnificent moun­ the cookhouse, camp cars, yards, shops and servicing areas, and the people of this tain railroading. historic, fascinating railroad camp. 176 pages. B&W and color. 8'1,x 11" Softbound #B918 $29.95 80 pages. Black & white. 11 x 8'1,"Softbound #B920 $14.95 Check or Money Order Visa/MasterCard Order Line:

Please add S4.00 shipping per book, plus S1.00 for each additional item. Canadian customers add S5.00 shipping per book, plus S1.00 for each additional item. All other foreign customers add S1 0.00 per book. 800-950-9333 CA residents please add 8.25% sales tax. A 11/94·59 24 Hours A Day FAX 818·793-3797 CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG

GO-February 1995 Burlington Northern has shown a willing­ ness to operate service between Ft. Worth, Te xas, Oklahoma City and St. Louis and operat­ ed a couple of test trains to demonstrate the fea­ sibility of the route. This is different than previ­ ous recommendations to restore the all-Santa Fe route between Ft. Worth and Newton, Kan., to replace the Lone Star, discontinued in 1980. CAL TRANS UPDATE New Locomotives Enter Service #261 Runs Th e Caltrans' new F59PHI locomotives were some­ what slow to enter revenue service. After inspec­ Fa mous tion, and correction of FRA defects, the new units entered service in late November and early Ne w December on the Capitols and San /oaquins. They \vill be based in Northern California in the River short-term to avoid spreading out the spare parts supply. Eventually, they will also appear on the Gorge San Diegans. Meh'olink's F59 units, which were TAK E ONE historic excursion route along the New tagged onto the Cal trans order, were delivered in River, mix in the blazing Fall colors of theApp alachian December. Cal trans first California car, 8301, Mountains, add the high speeds thatthis old C&O was unveiled on Oct. 26 at Morrison Knudsen's Pittsburg, Calif., plant. All is not well, howevel; Line offers, and cap it all off with the incredible as Calh'ans noted a large number of defects/ex­ Milwaukee Road 261! ceptions to the car. Further deliveries have been FOLKS, you are in for a rare treatof powerful delayed until the problems have been resolved, railroadbeauty with this 99-minute steam train somewhat to Morrison Knudsen's surprise. video captured by nine videocrews over six Construction of the maintenance facility at operating dayson the C&O. Lick, Calif., near San Jose has been pushed for broad coverage, extensive back to 1998. Lawsuits, and other concerns LOOK have delayed this long-awaited project that will selection and lots of New River provide CalTrain and Amtrak a new home in Valley experience. You're the Bay Area. Until the new yard is ready, going to love the Old trains will have to be serviced at We st Oak­ Milwaukee's 261 land, and will not be extended to San Jose. on the New River! L.A. METROL INK 12 all new super System Ridership Increases railroad segments

With the Oct. 31 timetable change, service on the Riverside and Santa Clarita lines was ad­ QUICK justed. As a consequence, ridership during in the last two months of the year showed a steady increase. The opening of new stations on • 611: Birth to Wreck, the San Bernardino line at Cal-State LA and Retirementto Retirement SHOTS Rancho Cucamonga helped ridership as well. • Hi-SpeedUp date: ICE, X Another boost to overall ridership came & Double Shinkansen with the operation of special weekend trains on Nov. 26-27 from Burbank to Lancaster, and • Steam: 3985at Dante, 2765 a spate of holiday shopping trains on Dec. 10 & 'Isn't thisthe pits?' and 17. This extra service added new riders, • GE's New Ale's:

and offered a low-cost introduction to the ser­ This loco __ *\. vice, with a flat fare of $5. Some incentives IILI -'f/' is reallyCSX #Q were also offered on the day after Thanksgiv­ • weeks of ing-otherwise a low ridership day-that Colorado: 3 Narrow Gauge Ecstasy helped boost patronage. A full-fare-paying pas­ senger could bring along three friends at no • TheAA Game: all-new contest additional cost. The Thanksgiving weekend is ready to GO! trains were chartered by a new factory outlet mall in Lancaster, offering four round trips per OUR MOST REQUESTED VIDEO OF THE YEAR IS FINALLY HEREI day. Ridership was near 2,000 per day. A five­ Following in the footsteps of the supersuccessful Quick Shots-2, car trainset operated with one unit on Satur­ AmericanAltaVista brings you 12 all-new, original railroad experiences. day, while two units and eight cars more-readi­ Yes, Quick Shots 3 is ready foryour best shot! ly handled the crowds on Sunday. At Lancast­ er, shoppers boarded charter buses linking the train station and the mall. Th anks to Bernard Levine, Steve Cartne!; 800-767-6067 Ed Vo n Nordeck, Lowell Majors, Elmer Hall, Mike Murray, fohn Borden, Eddie Sands, Fred Field, Hampton Hubbell and Metrolink. AlDerican AltaVista 1520 Martin Sl #Q02 • Winston-Salem, NC 27103 . 910-767-6067 Dick Stephenson VISA, MasterCard, COD, Checks . $3 shippingper item . In NC, add6% sales tax

Pacific RAILNEWS-Sl RAIL NEWS

CALIFORNIA NORTHER N to the junction of the Hamilton City Branch at Wyo (Orland). At Wyo, a second CFNR crew Beet Harvest in Full Swing using three CFNR GP15-1s cuts off the cars destined for Holly Sugar, then allows the rest The sugar beet harvest season in northern of the train, powered by the SP units, to head California, southern Oregon and central south for Spreckles. The empty beet cars from Washington began at the end of October and Spreckles and the SP power is returned to the was expected to continue well into January. As SP at Davis while the empty beet cars from in 1993, the expanded planting of sugar beets Holly are turned back to the SP at Corning. in these areas is keeping traffic on California The West Valley line, is seeing an increas­ Northern's ex-SP West Valley main line flow­ ing mix of traffic. An improved export market ing. A change for 1994 was that instead of op­ is resulting in a large volume of rice being erating separate sugar beet unit trains for shipped from the several on-line elevators. In both the Holly Sugar plant at Hamilton City, November, Morningstar Packing Company Calif., and the Spreckles Sugar plant at Wood­ started building a $45 million tomato products land south from the Klamath Basin in Ore­ plant near Williams, which the CFNR will gon, SP has combined them into a single serve with a new 1,400-foot spur. Most of train. To expedite the moves, CFNR crews at these tomato products, such as pizza sauce Corning get both train and SP power off of and tomato paste, are destined for the eastern the SP interchange at Tehama and head south U.S. As 1994 came to a close, it was not un­ usual to see CFNR's daily West Valley line trains running with as many as 60 cars. Ad Index California Northern is still projecting a March 1995 start date for the 40 to 45-car A doublestack trains originating at Napa Junc­ American AltaVista ...... 61 tion that will carry municipal waste to a land­ B fill at Roosevelt, Wash. California Northern Big "E" Productions ...... 15 Chairman David Parkinson has also proposed C operating a very limited and very specialized Colorado Railroad Museum ...... 53 passenger service on part of the CFNR. As G the ex-NWP line from Schellville to Petaluma G. Train Video Productions ...... 11 passes by the Sears Point Motor Speedway, I Parkinson has suggested that the CFNR could Izaak Wa lton Inn ...... 53 operate a rail shuttle between outer parking J lots alongside the railroad to the main en­ Jelsma Graphics ...... 58 trance to the speedway. Of course, this would A Silver L need the prior approval of the SP, which still Carl Loucks ...... 63 owns the rail line. Anniversary M McMillan Publications, Inc ...... 17 DM&E Michael Leson Designs ...... 2 Operations Update Tribute to Mind's I Productions ...... 14 MO-KAN Video ...... 54 MorningSun Books ...... 59 One of the Midwest's least-remarked region­ Burlington N als is the Brookings, S.D.-based Dakota Min­ NeverHomeBoy Video ...... 10 nesota & Eastern. DM&E began operations Northern o on Sept. 5, 1986, and currently operates 965 Overland Chapter NRHS ...... 57 miles of mainli.ne and branchline trackage. -From the Pacific to p Most of the route was previously owned by PACIFIC RAILNEWS ...... 62 Chicago & North Western, though one Frisco country, 25 Pentrex ...... 12, 60, 65, 68 branch is a Burlington Northern spinoff. The Pentrex Publishing ...... 55, 67 main line, which runs from Winona, Minn., unique views of BN on Plets Express ...... 56 to Rapid City, S.D., is comprised of five sub­ R divisions, each representing a crew district. its 25th Birthday Railcom ...... 55 The limits of each Sub are as follows: the THE RAI LFAN PHOTOGRAPHER ...... 16 Waseca Sub runs from Winona to Wa seca, S Minn.; the Tracy Sub from Waseca to Tracy, Greg Scholl Video Productions ...... 63 Minn.; the Huron Sub from Tracy to Huron, Smith-Thompson ...... 13 S.D.; the Pierre Sub from Huron to Pierre, Southwest Electronics ...... 16 S.D.; and the PRC Sub from Pierre to Rapid Sunbird Train Mart...... 54 Sundance Marketing, Inc ...... 56 City, S.D. DM&E's car and locomotive shops T are located at Huron, S.D. Trackside Prints ...... 14 The railroad runs a daily freight between W Rapid City and Winona. There is not a set To subscribe call West River Video Productions ...... 57 schedule for this train and it runs at various White River Productions ...... 13 times. Winter is a slow time on the DM&E as Winterail Photography Exposition ...... 60 grain shipments destined for Winona decrease. (800) 210-2211 Wisconsin Chapter NRHS ...... 52 Much of the grain DM&E handles is

82-February 1995 Steve Smedley

Santa Fe F45 5959 leads Wisconsin Central train 20 eastbound at Van Dyne, Wis., on Nov. 1 S, 1994. Wisconsin Central has a lease-purchase agreement with Santa Fe involving 33 locomotives.

This series contains some of the trans loaded at Winona for shipment via the poor transit times. Rail-Tex hopes to reopen most beautiful Rocky Mountain Mississippi River to points south. When the the line early in 1995. scenery in North America. It's no river freezes in the winter months, operations Thanks to Wa yne Monger, Daniel f. wonder customers love this great set of tapes. are subsequently curtailed. Sheets, Brian Jennison and Wi lliam Spitzer. CP's Kicking Horse Pass CO&P PRN StaH Great action on the CP from Golden to Lake Louise, along the Kicking New Regional Set to Debut Horse River Canyon and through the famous SpIral tunnels of Rail-Tex's latest property and the newest re­ Kicking Horse Pass. gional railroad, Central Oregon & Pacific, 45 minutes $29.95 was slated to begin operations of the former Carl Loucks Cab Ride Southern Pacific Siskiyou, White City and ...SELLI NG RAILROAD TIMETABLES Over Kicking Horse Pass P,O. Box 484, N h CT 06473 Coos Bay branches on Dec. 31, 1994. As re­ ort Haven, Enjoy a ride aboard an SD40-2F ported in last month's Expediter, Rail-Tex fr om Field to Lake Louise and go PUBLIC TIMETABLE SPECIAL: reached an agreement with SP on Nov. 23, through the Spiral tunnels. See the 1994, to buy and lease the three branches, The history of your favorite road told in timetables. engineer at work plus the track and totaling 336 miles. CO&P has an option to Three system timetables, one from the 1940's, scenery ahead. buy 24 miles of line from Cordes to Co­ one from the 1950's and one from the 1960's. 77 Minutes $29.95 quille, Ore., and 80 miles of track from Choose from ATSF, ACL, B&M, B&O, CB&O, Belleview, Ore. (near Ashland), to Black C&EI, C&NW, C&O, CV, D&RGW, D&H, DL&W, CN's Yellowhead Pass Head west fr om Jasper, Alberta as Butte, Calif. The latter segment has consider­ IC, L&N, LV, MILW, MP, NH, NYC, N&W, PRR, the CN mainline crosses the able history as it is SP's crossing of Siskiyou SLSF, SOU, UP, WAB, WP. Rockies. The counterpart to the CP summit. This rugged mountain trackage fea­ Each set, three timetables ...... $20 Kicking Horse Pass. Also see VIA tures several sections of 3 percent grades-at Any six sets 01 three IT'seach, Rail passenger trains, the one time representing one of the longest 18 Timetables ...... $80 "Canadian", and "Skeena." stretches of sustained 3 percent main line in 45 Minutes $29.95 the country-and some of the sharpest EMPLOYEE TIMETABLE - STARTER KIT For the new collector, ten Employee Timetables, curves on the SP system. Of historical note, Canada's Canyon Route hours of interesting reading. One each from one of the last classic Western train rob­ CP and CN share the Fraser and ATSF, SP, UP, ICG, Seaboard, Southern, CSX, beries occurred at Siskiyou Summit on Oct., Thompson River Canyon routes in NS, BN, C&NW ...... AII ten lor$50 B.C. Lots of rocksheds, bridges, and 11, 1923. The De Autremont brothers tunnels. boarded the First No. 13, the San Francisco EMPLOYEE TIMETABLES .. . 60 Minutes $29.95 Express, at Siskiyou station. After stopping ATSF · System 1991 ...... $20 the train near the west portal of the summit BN • Dakota Region 1990 ...... $12

tunnel, they killed four members of the train BN • Lakes Region 1991 ...... $12 Available in VHS orPAL. Shipping U.S. crew in a failed attempt to rob the train. All BN - Galesburg Region 1990 ...... $12 $4.00, To Canada $4.00 plus $1.00 each three brothers were later caught and given CR . Harrisburg Region 1990 ...... $12 additional. Europe $6.50 each, Pacific life terms for their crime. CR • Philadelphia 1990 ...... $15 $8.50 ea. Visa & Mastercard accepted The SP closed the line over Siskiyou sum­ CNJ - System 1971 ...... $1 5 mit in August 1992, following a sharp de­ DRGW · "Rio Grande" System 1980 ...... $15 Greg Scholl Video Productions cline in traffic. Remaining traffic was rerout­ UP System 1991 ...... $20 Dept. CNCP ed northward (railroad east) via Roseburg, Any Five Above Just...... $50 Eugene and then southward (railroad west) P. O. Box 123, Batavia, Oh. 45103 New Catalogue Issued Monthly over Cascade summit. Since then, customers Sent with each order or SSAE Phone 513-732-0660 on the line have been complaining about Fax 513-732-0666

Pacific RAILNEWS.S3 COMMENTARY

The Last Word • • • With Ed Ripley

credit at risk for such a dubious proposition, Krebs confidently made plans for stockholder approval of the BN-Santa Fe deal at a Nov. 18 meeting. He was wrong. How Does "King On Election Day, Nov. 9, UP called Krebs' bluff. UP announced it would buy control of Santa Fe through the purchase of 57 percent of its stock on the open market, for cash, and then would swap UP stock for the remaining shares as Santa Fe was Rob" Sound? merged out of existence. Meeting another of Krebs' demands, UP said it would place Santa Fe in an ICC-approved voting trust, in theory assuring inde­ pendent management of that company while the ICC considered the regulatory merits of the UP­ Santa Fe consolidation. Now UP had put its money and credibility on the line. Institutional investors saw that the UP would pro­ vide Santa Fe stockholders with a no-risk profit right away, in contrast to the uncertain, wait-three-years payoff of the BN-Santa Fe proposal. Quickly, they lined up on UP's side. Meanwhile, Krebs' supposed al­ ly, BN, refused to raise the bidding stakes and seemed content to sulk back to Fort Worth empty handed. Trapped by his legal responsibility to obtain the best deal for Santa Fe's stockholders, regardless of the consequences to his career, Krebs could do nothing more than equivocate. He complained that UP had no clearance from the ICC to put Santa Fe in a voting trust, but the ICC soon said that it saw nothing amiss with UP's proposal. He pointed out that shareholders would have to pay taxes on their profits from UP, while the BN deal was structured to be tax-free. He had his board adopt a "poison pill" defense, but UP quickly modified its offer to Gary R. Clark blunt that. He pleaded with his stockholders not to accept UP's tender offer until the Santa Fe board Santa Fe, independent lor now, represented by a westbound at Medill, Mo., on Oct. 6, 1994 had a chance to negotiated something better. The pages of the WALL STREET JOURNAL bore the invest­ ment community's response-money is king, and �oap opera. That's how the increasingly bored UP has more money on the table. media views the battle between Union Pacific Not wanting to risk a no vote on the BN merger and Burlington Northern for domination of proposal, Krebs postponed the stockholders' meeting ill the the Santa Fe. But to someone with an intense inter­ to Dec. 2, then to Dec. 16, and finally to Jan. 27. est in the railroad industry, it's more like a Shake­ Santa Fe also fired off a response to the UP offer, de­ spearean tragedy. Consider: Wealthy and successful, manding more money and elimination of the condi­ hero but flawed and unpopular, hero makes roaring tions UP had tied to it. Bu t these measures were success of big, floundering company. He then tries transparently intended only to buy time, allowing prevail, or to save an even bigger floundering company by Krebs and his loyalists to cook up a last-ditch ploy to W merging the two, installing himself at the helm, of defeat the Godzilla from Omaha. course. Overcoming obstacles in his path, he leads That ploy would be a leveraged buyout. To raise will the the effort to glue the two companies together into a enough money to pay the stockholders more than UP strong competitor. Only when the papers are about is offering, Santa Fe management and its allies would barbarians to be filed with the Interstate Commerce Commis­ borrow heavily against Santa Fe's asset value and fu­ sion does the hero's archenemy, the strongest com­ ture earnings. By acquiring its own stock, with help petitor around, enter the stage to steal away the from BN, Santa Fe would thwart UP's hostile from Omaha hero's own company and blow the dream of better takeovet� Krebs would retain his kingly employment service and bigger profits to bits. and the company would be in a position to pursue a come crashing It was a seesaw battle for a while. BN topped BN merger at its leisure. UP's initial bid for Santa Fe, and the rich and power­ In developing this strategy, Krebs may have been ful UP came right back with a still-higher offer. San­ inspired by the somewhat-similar experience of his through the ta Fe continued to resist UP's advances, arguing that crosstown counterpart, Robert Schmiege of Chicago a UP-Santa Fe combination was too anticompetitive & North Western. In 1989, Schmiege and C&NW gates at for the ICC to approve, making UP's higher offer il­ faced a hostile raider offering recklessly high lusory. If you really want us, said our hero, Rob amounts for C&NW stock. Refusing to give in, Krebs, lay out the cash for our stock now and as­ Schmiege and his principal ally, none other than UP, Schaumburg? sume the full risk that the ICC won't approve the secretly lined up enough financing to top the raider's deal. Convinced that UP wouldn't put its sterling offer. That effort was successful. The raider was re-

84-February 1995 > > > > >

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ALL TA PES ARE IN STOCK AND READ Y TO SHIP !

Order Toll Free 24 Hours A Day 800-950-9333 >i'� FAX 818-793-3797 .P Check or Money Order VisaIMasterCard E-mail: GEnie: PENTREX PRODIGY: FPNK19D P.O. Box 94911, Discover or American Express Internet: [email protected] Pasadena, CA 91109

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. AIl other lnternational customers add $10.00 per item. California residents please add 8.25% sales tax. AI2J94-64 STAY CLOSE to your interests. The Station Inn B&B, (cont.) efficiency-m inded Krebs can always find The Last Word jobs to "restructure." However, given the 827 Front Street, Cresson, PA 16630. Reservations: (8 14) 886-4757. Send SASE for flyer. 373-375 magnitude of what Santa Fe has already ac­ complished in this vein, further cuts may STEAM ENGINEER'S DIARY published in four pelled, C&NW became a private company and have an adverse effect on railroad opera­ books. $6 to $45. Write Cannonball McGee for details. 1961 Fargo Way, Sparks, NV 89434. 375 Schmiege and his cohorts kept their jobs. tions. Building new business, by contrast, The disadvantage of an LBO is that it would require substantial new capital invest­ DUPLICATE SLIDES locomotives, action scenes. leaves the company buried in debt. Most like­ ment. Raising money for intermodal termi­ Freight, passenger, short lines. Many rare locomotives, ly the company's new obligations will not nals, locomotives and double track, though, fallen flags. Catalog, samples $3. EAST WEST RAIL SCENES, P.O. Box 418, Torrance, CA 90508. 375 qualify as investment grade, requiring the would be difficult and expensive for a com­ borrower to pay far more that the market in­ pany already in hock up to its eyeballs. THE HOME SIGNAL is published to further the sharing terest rate, which in turn would drain cash Another drawback of the LBO option is of information about railroad interlocking towers, rail­ and borrowing capacity from the balance way signaling, and related technology and to foster that UP could defeat it rather easily. If Santa communication between those interested in these sub­ sheet. That's exactly what happened to North Fe's buyout offer is just a smidgen more than jects. Subscriptions to THE HOME SIGNAL are $8 for Western after it issued its "junk." Suddenly, UP's, UP could easily increase its offer to top four issues of eight to twelve pages each. For subscrip­ C&NW's interest expense shot up $175 mil­ the Santa Fe bid. Depending on how aggres­ tions write to: Richard P. Stair, 315 W. Charles Street, lion a year, putting the previously profitable sive, or reckless, UP chooses to be, it has the Champaign, IL 61820. 375-376 company in the red. Doomsayers felt C&NW money and borrowing power to outlast several RAILFAN TIMETABLES: The perfect guide to railfan­ would inevitably go down the tubes, and rounds of ratcheting the price upward. At ning. Designed like employee timetables, has every rail­ even UP seemed to hedge its bet by securing some higher price, the lenders funding Santa road in a region in one handy book. Complete wi th station haulage and trackage rights over the crucial Fe would get nervous enough about the com­ listings, rosters, frequencies and symbols. Some editions Chicago-Nebraska main line, just in case are limited, order now. CALIFORNIA $16.50, PACIFIC pany's ability to pay off this mounting debt to NORTHWEST (WNOR) $14.50, ROCKY MOUNTA IN hungry creditors tried to liquidate the rest of drop out of the deal. (CO/UT/NY) $14.50, SOUTHWEST (AZ/NM) $11.25, the railroad. But that never happened. We imagine Shakespeare would run his INTERMOUNTAIN (WY/MT/ID) $ 1 3.25. Altamont Schmiege and his management team found hero though all these perils, without finding Press, P. O. Box 754-P, Modesto, CA 95353-0754. 375 economies, built business, paid down the success, before having him orate the final MILWEST is an organization of modelers, historians, debt and pulled the carrier out of the red. soliloquy as the barbarians from Omaha former employees and others who share an interest in Could a highly leverage Santa Fe achieve a come crashing through the gates of the the former Milwaukee Road's "Lines West" west of Mo­ similar renaissance under today's conditions? Schaumburg fortress. But we doubt that bridge, South Dakota. Our quarterly newsletter, "Mil­ The events of 1987-88, when Santa Fe essen­ even the fertile imagination of the Bard west Dispatch," has photos and articles of interest on tially raided itself to fight off corporate buc­ the history and operations of the former "Lines West." could come up with as many twists and Annual meet. Dues are $10 per calendar year. Milwest, caneer Michael Dingman, aren't a useful par­ turns as Santa Fe's real-life drama has made Ron Hamilton-Secretary, 3191 SW Yew Avenue, Red­ allel. The Santa Fe of that era had lots of so far. Whether or not Santa Fe pulls off an mond, OR 97756-9486. 375 businesses unrelated to the railroad that it LBO, we're confident there will be still more SMITHSONIAN'S SOUTHERN RAILWAY locomotive could sell off to retire the debt it incurred to surprises before the saga ends. PRN 140 I, in counted cross stitch. Striking greens and grays, pay stockholders a back-breaking special divi­ finished size about 4 by 21 inches. For expelienced stitch­ dend. That isn't true now. Today's Santa Fe ers: unique 12-page right and left facing pattern with Ai­ Pacific Corp. owns little more than the da, floss, needle. $30 postpaid. Fuzzy Crafts, Inc., Route stripped-down railroad itself. EXCHANGE Classifieds I, Box 289C, Hamilton, VA 22068. 374-375 Likewise, North Western's experience CHICAGO CENTRALIILLINOIS CENTRAL West­ came in a business environment that was ern Lines Historical Society. Learn the latest on the quite different from the conditions that would NEW LOWER PRICES: 30� a word/S7.50 per issue Chicago Central plus read articles about the ex-IC surround Santa Fe as a newly privatized com­ minimum. Payment in advance. We reserve the right to Western Lines through Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin. Send edit all copy and refuse any listings. Ads cannot be LSASE to joe Franta, Chicago Central Te chnical Infor­ pany in 1995. Although the North Western of acknowledged, nor can proof copies be sent. Closing mation & Historical Society, 22 W 465 Burr Oak Lane, the early 1990s had sold off its unprofitable date: two months before issue date. Count all numbers, Glen Ellyn, IL 60 1 37. 375 parts and nonrail holdings, it had two big name and address. Home/office street address and WE MANUFACTURE railroad conductor caps, brass things going for it-an improving market for telephone number must accompany order. Mail to: conductor badges, and conductor uniforms (sack Classifieds, Pentrex Publishing, P. O. Box 379, railroad stocks and declining interest rates. coats, trousers, vests) in authentic railroad configura­ Waukesha, WI 53 187 These permitted C&NW to refinance its debt tions. Ticket punches and coin changers also available. at lower cost and to pay some of it off with Write for pricing information: Transquip Company, 91 proceeds from stock sales. North Western AUTHENTIC 1930s PEAR CRATE LABEL colorfully Bluejay Road, Chalfont, PA 18914 or telephone (2 15) depicting UP's M I 0000 S9 postpaid. WP stock S20. 822-8092. 374-385 may not have enjoyed its current success if it (503) 371-0868. Paul jarmusz, 2845 D SI. NE, Salem, had been bled dry by servicing its entire buy­ OR 9730 I. 375 APRIL 29: MI. Rainier Scenic Railroad presents a out debt at the issue rate. Geared Triple-header with Climax # I 0, West Coast Spe­ TED ROSE WATERCOLORS. Original paintings avail­ It isn't likely a newly leveraged Santa Fe cial Heisler #9 1, and Pacific Coast Shay #11. Departing able or commission the artist to create custom art. Con­ Elbe at 10:30 excursion travels to MRSR shops at Min­ would be that lucky. Interest rates are now tact: Ted Rose, P.O. Box 266, Santa Fe, NM 87504. erai, back through Elbe for lunch, then on a round-trip on the rise, and that trend isn't likely to (505) 983-9481. 374-397 to Eatonville, a total of 38 miles over ex-Milwaukee change anytime soon. This means a bought­ branch line. Photo opportunities and special run-bys are NEW NARRATED COLOR VIDEOS from 1964-72 8 included, as well as a shop tour. Coach seats $65; first out Santa Fe would face a huge interest bur­ mm films, mostly passenger in Midwest. SSAE to class $90. Seating is limited. Reservations required by den-perhaps $400 million in additional in­ Brass Car Sides, 715 S. 7th Street, SI. Peter, MN mail or telephone. Dial (206) 569-2588 MWF or write 56082. 374-375 terest expense per year-with no prospects MRSR, P. O. Box 92 1, Elbe, WA 98330. 374-376 for short-term relief. Also, the stock market CALIFORNIA BY TRAIN & BUS. Visit hundreds of LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD CALENDAR, historical is in the doldrums, and railroad stocks were destinations by rail. Color maps. California Transit images in classic black and white. $6.50 + $1.95 S/H. Guide. $18.95 ppd. to CTP, P.O. Box 72040, Davis, CA dogs in 1994, almost all losing value during Railroad Museum of Long Island, Calendar chairperson, 95617. 375-380 the second half. If this trend isn't reversed, a 18 Second Street, Ronkonkoma, NY 1 1779. 372-376 new Santa Fe equity issue in a year or two "WORKING FOR THE CHESSIE SYSTEM." Inside sto­ MARCH 12, THIRTEENTH ANNUAL Railroadiana & ry by retired AVP. Hardbound, 288 pages. Send S 18.65 to would face a hostile reception from the fi­ Model Show. 9523 Cameron Street, Burnaby, B.C. 9 Vandalia, Box 8392, Huntington, WV 25705. 375 nancial community. Moreover, UP isn't likely a.m.-4 p.m. admission by donation. Tables available. to go away, and it would be in a position to SIERRA RAILWAY EXCURSION Aplil 30, 1995. "The Roy, 3874 Winlake Cres., Burnaby, B.C. V5A 2G5. snap up Santa Fe shares if the bought-out Logger's Mixed," a photographer's special wi th Sierra Ry. (604) 420- 1292. 375 company were to reappear in the public mar­ Shay No. 2 and mixed train from jamestown, Calif., to OVER 20,000 different train depot photos for sale. ket. Without funds from external sources to Keystone and return. Numerous quality photo runs en Send $1 for list of your state. Roberta Niesz, 1715 B reduce debt, Santa Fe would have to rely on route. 6 a.m. departure, 10 a.m. return. Continental break­ Avenue N.E., Cedar Rapids, IA 52402. 372-383 fast served aboard train. Reservations required; $50 per additional money generated through railroad person before April I, $60 after. For info and tickets send NEED MONEY FOR A PROJECT? Venture capital operations. We hate to say this couldn't be SSAE to joseph T. Bispo, 4260 S. Fruit Avenue, Fresno, sources are available, calI (702) 747-6964 fo r informa­ done-on a 14,000-employee property the CA 93706. Phone (209) 268-7968. 375-377 tion. 371-382

SS-February 1995 Mergers, Milwaukee Road and More!

Pacific RailNew Ann ual 1995 PENTREX SALUTES THE SANTA FE! ------II ' r � �j lJi�!J�\J�\J �� "UJ� From Super Chief to Super Fleet By Dan Pope and Mark Lynn Foreword by Mi chael Gross - Commentary by Michael Ha verty

From the moment it was unveiled, the Warbonnet design has symbolized elegance, innovation, and the cutting edge in rail transportation. In this exciting new all color book you'll see Warbonnet history laid out in striking detail. Enjoy the colorful sights of: * Early E-ls * F-units * FP45s * Alcos * EMDs * GEs * The Super Chiej * Today's Super Fleet * and much, much more! Lavish and unique color photographs (many of which have never before been published) and fascinating text make this one book you'll want to read over and over again!

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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. All other International customers add $10.00 per item. California residents please add 8.25% sales tax. MAG5