2 BOOKS ON CAJON PASS!

------ALSO --...... Chard Walker's MODELING

By Pete Youngblood ©ffit!!](ID[ID RAIL PASSAGE TO THE PACIFIC Whether you're a beginner or a ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO they drove steel across veteran modeler, this new book is I Cajon Pass, creating that legendary rail passage ro the for you! Cajon Pass ... Sullivan's . 1 Pacific that is roday's mighty artery of commerce. ,� 1 __ _ Curve ... Summit ... double track There's a story there-and Chard Walker is the one man and sidings-it can all be yours and w.ho tells it superbly. He was the operaror at Summit, where Pete Youngblood tells how to do it the Santa Fe and Union Pacific turned the helpers, where passed endless fleets of troop trains in wartime and with layouts tied to prototype maps, streamliners full of vacationers in peace. Where the tonnage HO scale plans for buildings, signals, Lc.�.. rolled day and night-and where there was a little ex­ stations- the works! Prototype and , funeral streetcar named Descanso which became the spiritual home of a generation of railfans. model photos galore! Buy both : This is THE railbook of or any other year. It will make books for an even better picture of /7;;,;n,uml':;;;'ankrJ?t'I"I[' ':. 1985 you srand in awe of Cajon and the Santa Fe, UP and SP the railroad wonder that is Cajon! • railroaders who work there. And it is the showcase for such rail photographers as Kistler, Hotchkiss, Peterson, Glattenberg, Steinheimer, Sims, Whitmeyer, the author 72 pages, 1,20 photos and and-yes-Herb Sullivan who took rhe photo below and plans, softbound 8'/zx11". had a Cajon named after him. ISBN 87046-073-0. . (Trans-Anglo No. 273) . $9.95 256 pages, 350 + photos including (Add .85 p/h: Californians add 6% sales section, maps and artwork by John fax; 6'12% LA Co.) timetables, appendix. Hardbound Howard Fogg color jacket, 8'/zx11" . 87046-072-Z. (Trans-Anglo No. 272) ..

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SIGNATURE February 1988 No. 291

PACIFIC RAILNElrlS and PACIFIC NEWS are . . registered trademarks of Interurban Press, a Sacramento Light Rail...... Mac Sebree 16 California Corporation. The second portion opened, but patronage has been light

PUBLISHER: Mac Sebree Rocky's Des ert Main Line ...... Bruce Kelly 18 EDITOR: Jim Walker BN's First Subdivision across the Columbia Plateau NEWS EDITOR: Dick Stephenson ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Mike Schafer ART PRODUCTION: Mark Danneman Spokane, Portland & Seattle Class E-l PRODUCTION MANAGER: Ray Geyer CONTRIBUTING ARTIST: John Signor 4-8-4 No. 700 debuts ...... Kenneth G. Johnsen 28 STAFF: She was the star of Portland Rail Fair '87 Michael W. Blaszak, David R. Busse, P. Allen Copeland, Harre W. Demoro, R.C. Farewell, Departments: Thomas Higgins, Herb Horton, Don Jewell, Ken Meeker, Steve Morgan, Brian Norden, Rail News ...... 4 Mexico ...... 37 Clifford Prather, Karl Rasmussen, John A. Letters ...... Shortlines ...... 37 Rushton, Jim Seal, Joe Strapac, Charles Ver­ 6 celli. Call Board ...... 6 Transit

PIIC/F/C RAILNEII'S (UPPS 862840) is pub­ Expedited News ...... 7 Portland ...... 38 lished monthly by Interurban Press (a corpora­ Railroads San Francisco ...... 38 tion), 1212 South Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91204. Second-class postage paid at Glendale, SP ...... 8 Preservation ...... 39 CA 91209 and additional offices. POSTMAS­ AMTK ...... 10 Out West ...... 40 TER: Send address changes to: PACIfiC ...... RAILNEWS, P. O. Box 6128, Glendale, CA D&RGW . .. .. 12 Books/videos 40 91205. ISSN 8750-8486. SOO ...... 13 Photo Focus ...... 42

CORRESPONDENCE: Please use P.O. Box C&NW ...... 14 From the Past ...... 43 6128, Glendale, CA 91205 for ALL correspon­ BN ...... Photo Stop ...... dence. UPS deliveries only to 115-C E. Palmer 32 44 Av e., Glendale, CA 91205. UP ...... 33 Interurbans Newsletter . ...46 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $27 (U.S.) for 12 AT&SF ...... 35 Extra Board Ads ...... 47 issues, $49 for 24 issues. Foreign add $4 for Rail Canada West ...... 36 each 12 issues. Single copy $2.75 (subject to change without notice). First-class/air rates COVER: Combined Burlington Northern trains 195/1 03 rail down the 0.8 percent hill between available on request. Bluestem and Harrington, Wash., on June 20, 1986, an the First Subdivision of BN's Pacific Division. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: The Post Office BN GP50s 3142 and 3130, B30-7A 4050 and SP Tunnel Motor 9219 are leading this heavy does not regularly forward 2nd Class Mail and westbound past the talking defect detector at milepost 1524.6 in double-track ABS (Automatic Block PACIFIC RAILN£lfIS is not responsible for Signal) territory. -BRUCE KELLY copies not forwarded or destroyed by the Post Office. Replacement copies/PO notifications will be billed. Please allow us at least four weeks for any address changes. A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

ADVERTISING RATES: On request, or call oo much of a good thing, like something to eat or listen to, is (818) 240-4777. T often our problem when we open packages. Articles and photographs for the magazine are Yes, some slide subjects, composition and exposures are welcome. When submitting material for con­ excellent, sideration, include return envelope and post­ but chances are we'll only use one view-not because the others age if you wish it returned. PACIFIC aren't swell, but because out of an average of 500 slides on hand, we RAILNEI17S does not assume responsibility for can only use a dozen or so in each issue. the safe return of material. Payment is made upon publication. What is the message? Please be selective and send us only a few slides. pick out the best ones-if we have to sort through or © 1988 INTERURBAN PRESS You 10 Mac Sebree, President 20 we're more likely to send all of them back. Jim Walker, Vice-President Be sure to fully identify what's going on, and be sure to put your name and address on each slide. Please enclose a stamped, self­ addressed return envelope. -JIM WALKER

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 3 DA-J-

Ridin' high and lookin' pretty, a pair of glistening new Union Pacific Dash 8 40C's, 9102 and 91 10, and SD40-2 mate breeze along the Caliente Subdivision (former Los Angeles & Salt Lake) near East Garnet, Nev., on Dec. 11, 1987. The big new GEs delivered late in 1987 are rated at 4000 h.p. with a maximum speed of 70 mph. -MARK P WAYMAN

SP Labor Problems Tra ffic Diverted Napa Valley in San Luis Obispo In the meantime, the decision to divert traffic off the Coast route has cost a num­ Wine Train ber of other rail employees their jobs. Struggles To Begin Many affected by the downgrading of the Labor Problems in San Luis Obispo line were long-time residents of San Luis UTU sources brought to our attention an Obispo. Though their seniority may be The Napa Valley Wine Train has nearly error in our report in PRN 288, p. 6, exercised at other locations, many were completed a $1.7 million renovation of regarding the SP crew fired in conjunc­ very unhappy at the prospect of leaving 21 miles of track between the cities of tion with the tunnel fire near Serrano in the area they considered home. To them, Napa and St. Helena and soon will begin May 1987. While the crew was dismissed, things such as home ownership and the regular freight service prior to the start of and has not as yet been reinstated, they schools their children attended were im­ passenger operations in early 1988. did report the fire, but there was a delay portant considerations. Their protests to "We've taken great pains to make our of some two and a half hours before the company management in San Francisco tracks as smooth as Napa Valley's finest railroad notified the California Division went unheeded. wines," said Wine Train president Jack of Forestry of the fire. By that time the Currently, only Amtrak's Coasl Slar­ McCormack. Because the Wine Train blaze was more serious. The line was lighl and the unit sugar beet train for will run on track that has been part of closed for 13 days. Union Sugar's Betteravia plant run Napa Valley's history for more than 118 After an investigation, the six crew through San Luis Obispo. This arrange­ years, much of the line required extensive members were fired for non-compliance ment could change in the future. An­ repair, he added. with Rule 617, which in part states, "If other, more drastic, possibility is that the McCormack compared the assignment there is any danger of fire spreading to a line could be considered for sell-off (as to rummaging through a Napa history bridge or other structure, trains must be had been rumored if the proposed Santa book. "We found rail from the 1800s and stopped and members of the crew must Fe-Southern Pacific merger had been ap­ nails stamped with dates from the 1930s assist in extinguishing the fire." The crew proved). and 1940s." A collection of items found members have appealed the firing deci­ (Dick Slephenson, R. M. Sievers, San during the renovation will be placed on sIOn. Luis Obispo TELEGRAM-TRIBUNE) display in the community.

4 • FEBRUARY 1988 While much of the focus was on the track, safety along the route was up­ graded with the restoration of crossing gates, and a growing fire hazard was eliminated by Wine Train crews, by cut­ ting back overgrown brush which had gone untended for years. Regular sprayings and cuttings will prevent fur­ ther fire hazard.

Heavie r Rail Laid During the renovation, six miles of new 90-pound rail replaced the 62-pound rail which was often used in the 1800s. An­ other six miles of new track was laid at stations and terminal sites. McCormack said 90-pound rail is standard for branch­ line trains such as the Wine Train.

Track Renovation An interesting trio of Kennecott diesel power leads a southbound train near Bacchus, Utah, an Some 16,000 railroad ties, many placed Nov. 26, 1987. GP39 905 was recently repainted (and new stripes added on the plow); it works here in the late 1940s, were also replaced . Mc­ with MP1 5 906 and high cab GP39-2 794. This run is due to be discontinued in early 1988 when a Cormack said ties have a life span of 30 to slurry pipeline is completed between the mine (Bingham) and smelter (Magma), eliminating the 50 years, so deteriorated ties were re­ railroad haul of are. placed "to ensure maximum safety and -TOM ELLIS comfort." The line's eroded rail bed received a The Napa Valley Wine Train team also service launch will intensify. Architects blanket of 16,000 tons of ballast. The arrived at an innovative solution for the and designers have initiated restoration of track was then leveled to a tolerance with­ thousands of ties which were replaced, locomotives, passenger cars, stations and in one quarter of an inch, according to noted McCormack. passenger platforms. The upscale food McCormack. "That ensures a smooth "In a sense, we've returned part of the service is also under development. ride," he said. community's history to the community," "We're excited to be moving ahead and Further renovations included new steel he explained, "by donating hundreds of looking forward to adding back such an pilings on three bridges along the track ties to the Ve terans Home of California, important part of our community's histo­ and reconstruction of 16 culverts to com­ Silverado Archery Club, Skyline Park ry," said McCormack. bat future erosion. and several local churches." The ties are The Wine Train has been the subject of Four siding tracks were constructed to being used by these community groups a dispute as to whether it should be regu­ increase passing ability, even though only for landscaping. lated by the state Public Utilities Com­ five passenger trains will make daily Now that track is completed, McCor­ mission or by the Interstate Commerce round trips. mack said work for the spring passenger Commission (as a participant in interstate

Looking just as much at home on UP rails as their own, C&NW presidentiol GP50s 5054/5050/5098 lead 0 14-cor Chicogo-Seattle inspection train l'hrough To como, Wosh., in outumn 1987. -NILS HUXTABLE

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 5 commerce). A full-page ad appeared in burgh & Lake Erie to P&LE Railco Inc., tenced in late October to the one-year the Napa Valley TIMES in late October new Chicago We st Pullman Transporta­ maximum sentence allowed under the setting forth many facts about the train's tion Corp. subsidiary, has been chal­ law. His car left the roadway where it operation in an effort to reassure local lenged by the ICC. ended adjacent to SP tracks, hit a sand residents. There have been particular The contention has to do with P&LE's embankment, flipped, hit the tracks and concerns about noise and pollution. Sup­ position that it did not have to negotiate knocked them out of alignment. The Oil porters of the train point out that the ex­ with labor unions regarding the effects of Train derailed four units and 33 cars, de­ isting environmental impacts of adjacent the planned sale. stroyed 800 feet of track, and did a total of State Route 29 far exceed any which Perpetuation of existing labor protec­ $l.6 million damage. (William T. Morgan) might be generated by the new train. tion or existing labor agreements might We will report additional details on this make the difference between sale and new operation as they are available. abandonment. The appeal of the court The Dodge City, Ford & Buc klin (Harre DemO/·o, Edward Nervo, Staff ) order would have a large impact on possi­ Railroad, in western Kansas, has received ble plans of other major railroads to sell a $1 million grant from the Federal Rail­ off marginal lines to operators who would road Administration. This represents Union Objections be able to utilize smaller crews and other­ 70 percent of the cost of rehabilitation so Delay ex-TP&W Sale wise make multiple use of employees. that the line could re-establish regular If the appeal is not successful, the cre­ service. The line has been idle since 1980, ation of new shortline and regional rail­ though they have been busy acquiring Objections by the Brotherhood of Main­ road� might come to a standstill. equipment and working on buildings. tenance of Way Employees (BMWE) to On the Bucklin County end of the line, the sale of the former Toledo, Peoria & a Santa Claus Special was operated on We stern portion of the Santa Fe in mid­ December 6, 1987, much to the delight of November served to delay the closing of Rail Briefs ... local youngsters. (John Arbuckle) the sale of that portion of the line. BMWE had indicated a desire to nego­ Feds To Require Licenses tiate the loss of positions on the affected portion of the line. Santa Fe sought an The United States Senate voted m injunction to halt a threatened strike. A early November to establish a national judge refused to grant that order and , in standard for train operators. That's right, CALL BOARD the meantime, other problems cropped engineers will someday have to have a up in completing the sale. U.S. license to practice their craft! The Until all the details are worked out, bill calls for the Department of Trans­ there is no strike, and there is no sale. If portation to issue rules and standards FEBRUARY 27: Winterail88 railroad photography exposition, Scottish Rite Temple, 33 W. Alpine Ave., Stockton, Calif. and when all details are worked out, some spelling out minimum qualifications for 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. 10th Ann. show. Great headliners. Also 20 3000-c1ass GP20s are slated to go to the "train operators." The bill would also set flea market, photo contests. Adv. tickets $10 adult, $5 kids up a national "driver register" to deter­ under 12. Note: Only 900 tickets will be sold {usually a sellout}. new operation, plus some freight equip­ Tickets/info. (ind. SASE) from: Dove Stonley-Winteroil SS, ment. Further details will be forthcom­ mine if train operators or prospective em­ P.O. Bo, B771, Stockton, CA 9520B-0771. 289-291 mg. ployees have had any "driving-under-the­ MARCH 5: influence" convictions. Spring Outdoor Roilroadiana Swap Meet at Orange Empire Railway Museum, 9 a.m.-l p.m. $2 admission or includ­ ed in regular all-day ride pass. Also 30th anniversary at Perris celebration-operations all day. 2201 S. "A" St., Perris, AT &SF Seeks Spinoff Amtrak's firstpresident, Roger M. Lew­ CA 92370. Phone (714) 657·2605. 291-293 died recently in New York. While he of Garden City Line is, APRIL 10: Cornfield Meet Railraadiona Show & Sale, 10 a.m.- did not win wide acclaim for his efforts in 4 p.m. L.A. County Fairgrounds, Pomona, Calif. Call (818) 963- establishing the National Railroad Pas­ 8845 or write Possum Belly Caboose, Box 1285, Glendora, CA 91740. 291-293 Indicating that it is interested in seeing senger Corporation (Amtrak), he was at another operator take over the line be­ the helm during a pivotal period in the APRIL 17: Special Train from Los Angeles to Mojave, Calif.. tween Garden City and Scott City, Kan., via Soledad Canyon and Cajon Pass. Consist i� five private cars history of the passenger carrier (BULLE­ and two Amfleet cars. Fares $97 to $132. Details from Pacific Santa Fe Railway seeks to spin off the TIN BOARD) ... We stern Fuels Assn. Railroad Society, 1255 N. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. Garden City, Gulf & Northern Ry. , a has withdrawn from ICC its complaint CA 91104-2986 or call (213) 283-0087. 291-293 wholly owned subsidiary. The line about Illinois Central Gulfs coal haulage currently is being operated only as far as rates. The dispute revolved around rates Shallow Water, outside of Scott City. for moving coal from We stern's Brushy Slow track speed dictates that the run Creek Mine to Kansas City (Kan.) Board takes about six hours. When tied-in with of Public Utilities and Sikeston (Mo.) the rest of their run, the regular crew Board of Municipal Utilities (via ICG and LETTERS frequently does not complete their assign­ I I UP rails). A new contract was recently ment. It is expected that the offer to sell worked out between the parties. After a the line would bring a bid from the Gar­ strike closed the mine in 1985, We stern It's a GS-3 den City We stern Railway or another po­ showed it had an alternative when it I spotted a minor error in PRN 288 tential shortline operator. trucked the coal 20 miles to reach the "From The Past" (p. 43). SP 4422 is a (Staff, John Arbuckle) Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad, for GS-3. The GS-2s were 4410-4415, and the delivery to UP (ON ...Shippers TRACK) GS-3s were 44 16-4429. along the in Otter Tail Va lley Railroad -DOUG PETERSON Minnesota have gone from being skepti­ cal to supportive regarding the service the P&LE Ruling Appealed, Another Kind of Qu artet? new short line provides. A petition filed Would Impact Spin-Offs with the ICC opposing the railroad has Got a chuckle out of the caption on p. 44 been withdrawn. (ON TRACK) ...The in PRN 286 which says, "A quartet of A federal district court order, which in driver blamed for causing the July 12, four ..." Ever hear of a quartet of any­ effect delayed and modified a Sept. 26 1987 derailment of SP's Shell Oil Unit thing other than four??? ICC ruling authorizing sale of the Pitts- Train near Lancaster, Calif., was sen- -DICK KEEGAN

6.FEBRUARY 1988 EXPEDITED NEWS

SFSP TO SELL SPT TO RIO GRANDE: Many months of speculation ended on Dec. 28,1987, with the announcement by Santa Fe Southern Pacific that it had entered into agreement with Rio Grande Industries (parent of Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad) for sale of Southern Pacific Transportation Co. The total price of $1.8 billion includes $1.02 billion in cash plus assumption of SPT debt for the balance. This was in compliance with the ICC mandate for SFSP to divest itself of either SP or Santa Fe rail operations. RGI asked the ICC to speed up review of its proposed purchase of SPT, which it must approve; RGI sought ICC permission to file an application on or before Feb.22, 1988.

OTHERS UNHAPPY: It was not unexpected that other suitors would express their disappointment. Kansas City Southern Industries went further, claiming its offer was still better than Rio Grande's and stating it would continue its quest for SPT before the ICC. The Henley Group,which had earlier sought control of SFSp, reiterated its view that Santa Fe, the stronger of the two railroads,should have been sold off to return more to SFSP stockholders (at last report, it held 14.7 percent of SFSP shares).

MORE SANTA FE LOCOMOTIVES from both builders will be delivered later this year. Twenty "Dash 840B" models from GE will be numbered 7410-7429,while a like number of EMD GP60s will occupy Nos.4000- 4019; the GP60s will be assembled in Canada.

WET TRACK AND NO SAND on the locomotives were cited as reasons Amtrak's Coast Starlight doubled the grade between Serrano and Cuesta (above San Luis ObiSpo, Calif.) on Dec. 27,1987. The 15-car train was split, and then reassembled at Cuesta, resulting in over three hours delay. It was a troublesome trip all the way, fraught with delays due to air brake problems and red signals-the crew was changed twice and motive power was changed out at Oakland. Connecting eastbound Empire Builder passengers were bused from Klamath Falls, Ore.,to Pasco, Wash. The splitting of the train after stalling six separate times on the Cuesta grade is unprecedented in modern memory.

LEASED POWER: For the most part, leased locomotives remained on Southern PacifiC after the Holidays. An upsurge in business levels was the reason. Kyle GP40s found a new home in Oregon, working with road slug sets on the Coos Bay Branch.

SPECIAL TRAIN SEASON: SP operated a four-car special train from Oakland to LA. on Dec. 31,1987, in conjunction with the Rose Parade in Pasadena. Recently released SD45T-2Rs 6825 and 6826 headed four SP cars (295,289, 141 and 100). The equipment returned to Oakland on the Coast Starlight on New Year's Day .. . UP, SP and possibly AT&SF had plans for specials to Super Bowl XXII in San Diego on Jan.31. Some privately owned cars moved to San Diego as well-a planned all-private car train was cancelled ... Santa Fe operated its annual Rose Parade Special with three cars behind merger-painted GP9U 2291.

The first rail was ceremonially "Pandrol-clipped" (see p. 26 of this issue) at North Long Beach for the Long Beach light-rail line on Jan. 11.

RAILTOWN CONCESSIONAIRE FOUND: On Nov. 1,1987 , Western Railroad Service Inc. signed a one-year contract with California's Dept. of Parks & Recreation for operation of the Railtown 1987 State Historic Park at the Sierra Railroad site at Jamestown, Calif.

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 7 I .

}'. R�S .

Reflecting better days an SP'sCoast Route (freight traffic is now virtually all shifted to the San Joaquin Valley tracks), merger-pointed SD45T-2 9351 leads the motive power of on eastbound freight along the shoreline between Seacliff and Ventura, Calif., in July 1986. -TOM CARVER

Apparently, another 20 General Elec­ Helm Leasing (HLC) did in fact purchase tric B39-8 units have been ordered, in six of the units for use on the SP and light of successful experience with the Cotton Belt. Numbered HLC 3108, new 8000s. These 3900-h. p. machines are 3112, 3119, 3125, 3131, and 3164, all six SOUTHERN routinely assigned in sets of four to hot passed to HLC ownership on the first of PACIFIC eastbound from Los Angeles inter modal July and were promptly delivered from trains; officially the sets of four aren't to Chattanooga to SSW in Memphis. From be broken up for other services. As time there they moved to Pine Bluff for instal­ passes, however, they are showing up lation of SP radios. Once equipped, they elsewhere. (Units 8000-8003 arrived in almost immediately began leading trains. Roseville on October lion the LABRF Later arrivals include HLC 3143, 3144, and were cut off and turned there to re­ and 3148. turn to Los Angeles via Soledad Canyon.) Other leased units working on SP in­ Joseph A. Strapac At least a few sets have been broken up clude 18 Paducah & Louisville (ex-Mo­ for use on Sprint trains, either singly or Pac) SD40s in the series 3034-3053, seven New Power paired with a GP40-2. Despite many rev­ Helm Leasing GP40s (ex-Conrail and Twenty new GP60 units are to be assem­ olutionary features of the design, these ICG): 3065, 3072-74, 3076, 3082, 3091, bled in January at General Motors Diesel latest "B-boats" have evolved directly and 32 National Helm Leasing: 30 ex-BN at London, Ontario, Canada. (GM's Elec­ from previous GE models and still share SD45s, ex-BN GP40 3013 and SD40 tro-Motive Division is keeping only one many parts with B30 and B36 locomo­ 6414. It is not known how long these production line open at LaGrange, Ill., tives. Home base for most of them, there­ units will continue to operate on SP, for construction of F40 variants, switch­ fore, will be at Pine Bluff, where SP-SSW though this probably will be dictated by ers, and some specialty items. All engine has concentrated its GE expertise and traffic levels. Business traditionally drops production, even for locomotives built by parts supply. after the holidays, so the number of "for­ licensees overseas, remains at LaGrange.) eigners" should be reduced. Present word is that the new GP60s will Leased Power The above list does not include Kyle be numbered 9600-9619; an unconfirmed A hot rumor that SP was buying ex­ Ry. GP40s in the 3100 series (six units report has SP picking up its option for 20 Southern Railway dual-control SD45s during October) or Morrison-Knudsen more. turned out to be not quite true. However, (ex-Milwaukee) SD40-2s, which still

8 • FEBRUARY 1988 Retired SP Diesel Units Sold For Scrap September-October 1987

Model Number(s) 7?ioG,ande IltiFACT/ONrailroad Southwest Car Parts--Longview, Texas W2E 1305, 1318, 1319, 1322, 1333, 1334, 1336 SD7E 1501, 1536, 1538, 1539 SWI200 2262, 2266, 2267, 2272, 2275, 2276, 2278, 2280,2281, 2283 GP9E 2874, 2885, 2886, 2892, 3324, 3344, 3352, 3356, 3368, 3404, 34 10, 34 17, 3426, 3730, 3734, 3747, 3754, 3762, 3774, 3791, 3797, 3884 GP20 4087 GP20E 4100, 4109, 4111, 41 14, 4116, 4147 SD9E 43 16, 4328, 4343, 4360, 436 1, 4376, 4386, 4387, 4413, 4435 GP30 5002-5005, 5009-501 1, 50 13, 50 1 5-5017 U25B 6755 U33C 8585,8586, 8591-8597 ,8662, 8673, 8688, 8690, 8692 , 8693, 8695-8699, 870 1 ,8702, 8704-87 1 6, 8719, 8721-8723, 8728-8733, 8735-8745, 8746, 8748, 8749, 8752, 8753, 8755, 8757-8759, 876 1- 8770, 8772, 8778, 8779, 8781, 8782, 8784, 8785, 8787-8796 SD45 8887, 8893, 8952, 8960, 8972, 9000, 9048, 906 1, 9081, 9086, 9100, 9123, 9132, 9155

Levin Metals--Richmond, Calif. SW900E 1198 SD7E 1501 GP9E 2869, 2888, 3309 U25BE 3100 SDP45 3208 GP20 4063 U33C 8590, 8598, 8675, 8703 SD45 8827, 8841, 8871, 8944, 8965, 8975, 8980, 90 16, 9023, 904 1, 9043, 9049, 9054, 9060, 9066, 9069, 9080, 9094, 91 10, 9120, 9121, 9135, 9152, 9154 TRAVEL THE RIO GRANDE SYSTEM, FROM SALT LAKE CITY TO DENVER AND Chrome Locomotive Co.-Silvis, Ill. BEYOND. WITNESS MOUNTAIN SD7E 1515, 1541 RAILROADING AT IT'S FINEST. FROM THE SWI500 2455, 2476, 2643 FRONT RANGE WITH IT'S NUMEROUS GP9E 3303, 3351, 3375, 3405, 3853 TUNNElS TO IT'S FAMOUS WINTER SKI SD45 8953, 8956, 8969,902 1, 9036, 9077 TRAIN, THE D&RGW IS ONE OF THE WEST'S GREAT RAILROADS. David A. Wilson Ry. Equipment Co.-Des Moines, Iowa Highlights Include: SWI200 2255 SWI500 25 1 2 Freight Operations Amtrak Passenger Service Chrome Crankshaft Co.-San Bernardino, Calif. Winler Ski Train SW900E 1192 Tennessee Pass Royal Gorge Front Range were in evidence in mid-November. The long-anticipated "housecleaning" Joint line Operations When M-K's Boise shop is ready, these of retired diesels is taking place. In mid­ and More! units will be cycled through in prepara­ October, each operating division received THIS IS THE MOST COMPLETE tion for their new identity as NdeM units the first round of instructions on where to COVERAGE AVAILABLE OF TODA V'S (which still is much cheaper than buying send the initial 233 units of a planned to­ D&RGW. new power at a time when whatever pesos tal of 446 retired diesels. Each terminal is 90 Minutes the government has are worth a whole lot presently occupied with bringing these $60.00 VHS or BET A less than just a few weeks ago). The Chi­ old hulks lip to minimal FRA standards Check or Money Order cago, Missouri & Western GP40s which and shipping them out to variolls scrap­ "WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG" P.O. Box Pasadena, CA were on SP in September have moved on pers and dealers in used railroad equip­ 94911 91109 to greener pastures, and news of their ment. newest lease assignment can be found in A scrap dealer long associated with the Canadian column. Union Pacific (MoPac) in Longview, Tex­ as, Southwest Car Parts, will for some Fall Housecleaning time be the "elephants' graveyard" for Recent sales of SP diesel units include retired SP diesels. For its first deal with SW900E 1196 to Eveready Battery Co. at SP, Southwest has initially purchased Newport News, Va . The 1197 has been 179 diesels for their scrap value. Tradi­ South American Steam sold to MacMillan Bloedel at Port Al­ tionally, railroads sell most of their re­ 1988 Tours berni, B.C., for use at its Powell River tired locomotives and cars to on-line • facilities. scrappers, in order to avoid having to pay Tours to: Argentina, Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia and Guatemala The long odyssey over many years of freight charges to connecting railroads • Charter Steam Trains and to minimize the somewhat greater ex­ Alco S4 1845 is apparently finished, with • Plenty of Photo Run-bys and Cab Rides the 19S5-vintage switcher finding a home penses of preparing a retired diesel for an • Linesiding Opportunities on Colorado's Great We stern Railway as interchange inspection. • In-Depth Study of Rail Systems its 1845. Only recently did Great We stern We hope one of our Texas correspon­ • Spectacular Scenery finish repainting this wandering Alco dents can provide a photo for publication • Extra Time for Railfanning or Sightseeing switcher. It was sold by SP in 1974 via when this great gathering accumulates in • Write or Call for Brochure and Itinerary Chrome Crankshaft to Kaiser Steel (Fon­ Longview. Trains Unlimited, Tours tana), where it was numbered 1007. From c/o The Travel Experience there it graduated to a property of the System Shorts 1430 Myers Street, Suite (P) Ideal Cement interests, finally coming to In Fresno, CaliL, SP is continuing to H Oroville, 95965 (916) 534-8555 rest in northern Colorado sugar beet re-lay its double-track main line with rib­ CA country. bon rail, replacing the jointed trackage. Tours organized by Chris W. Skow

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 9 On the other hand, the diesel facilities at sis for shakedown and crew familiariza­ arrivmg Los Angeles one hour 46 min­ Fresno are almost de-populated of Me­ tion on the San Diegans even before the utes late. Push-pull equipment on these chanical Department personnel . . . SP is Oct. 25 timetable change. two trains helped to minimize delays. breathing a corporate sigh of relief as the The most important point now is that No. 571 was terminated at Oceanside. Great Salt Lake has dropped to its lowest not all trains are push-pull, as there are Passengers were taken back to San Diego water level in 18 months: 4,209.5 feet not enough cab cars in service yet, nor are by bus. The equipment turned on the above sea level. This is 16 inches lower all cars in the San Diegan pool equipped wye at Escondido Jct. (Oceanside) and than at this time last year. If next spring's with the necessary cables for that service. became No. 570. No. 573 (due to depart snow melt isn't too great, ·the causeway From Los Angeles, trains 570, 572 and San Diego at 6:45 a.m.) was annulled, may need just routine maintenance for a 580 can be counted on to operate in the and the equipment shifted to cover change. push mode. These trainsets return from No. 577 (due out at 9:45 a.m.); it depart­ Thanks 10 Dewey Slevens, Rod Higbie, San Diego as trains 577, 579 and 585. ed San Diego an hour and eight minutes Bob Sinclair, Dick Slephenson, and O. Fi­ late. Other trains operated normaLly. shel. Fire Disrupts Service San Diegan service was disrupted on Other Push-Pull Notes Nov. 3 due to a fire alongside the 4th Santa Barbara service is slated to begin Subdivision tracks at Stuart, four miles sometime in February 1988. There will north of Oceanside on government prop­ be a press train with stops at on-line cities erty. A wooden storage shed containing the day before. AMTRAK/ barrels of pesticide caught fire early in the Additional releases in the cab car pro­ morning, shrouding the area in heavy, gram are scheduled to go to the new At­ PASSENGER toxic smoke. The fire damaged the code lantic City service and for Chicago-De­ line for CTC, so the signal system became troit-Grand Rapids runs. inoperative. The rail line and adjacent Interstate 5 were closed for five hours. A Viewliner Equipment total of five Amtrak trains were affected. A couple of readers asked us to explain A 20-mph speed restriction was imposed what the Viewliner equipment is that they Dick Stephenson past the site of the fire. had seen out on the line. These three cars Train 570 was terminated at Santa are the prototypes for the next generation Ana, turning to become No. 571 of single-level equipment. The cars' Push-Pull San Diegans (35 minutes late). Train 572 turned at shells were built by Budd, and interior Push-pull service started on a limited ba- San Juan Capistrano to become No. 573, finishing was done at Beech Grove Shops. There are two sleeping cars, 2300 and 2301, which contain 14 double roomettes, two deluxe bedrooms and a handicapped bedroom. The third car is diner 8400. The Derby Horse Railway The sleepers are slated to begin testing on Autotrain early in 1988, while the diner is and the World's First being used on a variety of routes. These cars are distinctive in appearance because ELECTRIC FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVE they have a double row of side windows. John R. Stevens There still remain many questions about the source of funding for Amtrak to fi­ The Derby Horse Railway, formed in 1885, opened as an electrified line nance a fleet of these new cars, though in 1887. The World's First Electric Freight Locomotive arrived there in April Congress may be persuaded to come up 1888. Freight service quit by 1889 and the locomotive was retired that year. with the money. Miraculously it was not scrapped and was rescued by the author in 1982. It is now at the Shore Line (Branford) Trolley Museum at East Haven, Conn. Sooner Chief Runs Santa Fe hosted the operation of the Sooner Chief, another in the series of Op­ eration Lifesaver special passenger trains, on Nov. 10, 1987. Santa Fe worked in cooperation with the State of Oklahoma and the MKT, KCS and BN railroads. FP45U 5998 handled baggage car 77, business car 53-Mountainair, diner 61, lounge 62, dome lounge 60 and track in­ spection car 89, in a train of all Santa Fe­ owned equipment. It operated from • 65 pages (7% x 91f2"). Guthrie to Ardmore and return, making • Softcover. stops at Edmond, Oklahoma City, Nor­ • 25 photographs. man, Purcell, Pauls Valley and Ardmore. The World's Oldest Electric Freight Loco­ • 3 Drawings + 1 map. motive (above) and the Van Depeole­ There was no opposing freight traffic on equipped street railway (above. right). Stock No. BX13 ...... $7.50 the line that day, making for a smooth

res. add 6% sales WRITE FOR CATALOG (Calif. tax) operation. At Purcell, Santa Fe President John Swartz presented the mayor of the town with the deed to the depot (which is used to house city offices).

Car Notes November was a moderately busy

10 . FEBRUARY 1988 month for private and business car moves One portion of the AT &SF auction La­ in the west. Chicago & North We stern bor Day weekend was the sale of surplus operated business car Chicago and track passenger cars. Baggage car 75 was sold to inspection car Fox River out to Los Ange­ Marvin Robertson, of the Kansas City les. They arrived on the westbound APL area, for non-rail use; he owns other cars. train on Nov. 8, laid over until Nov. 11 Steam generator cars 138 and 139 were and returned. sold. The 138 was purchased by John Southern Pacific operated power-bag­ Baldwin, who in turn conveyed it to gage car 295, lounge 289- City of Angels Steamtown. The car moved soon after and business car 100-Airslie from Oak­ with the reporting marks DLWX. Car land to Los Angeles on Nov. 6, returning 139 was sold to the Dodge City, Ford & on Nov. 9. Both directions the cars oper­ Bucklin Railroad. It joins a variety of oth­ ated on the rear of the Coast Starlight. er equipment on the western Kansas Another Southern Pacific move saw short line. (See RAILNEWS pages for oth­ business car 141-0akland come to Los er DCF&B news.) Angeles on Nov. 12 and return to Oak­ land on Nov. 14. Ridership Figures SP car 250 doesn't move much in pas­ The figuresare in for Amtrak ridership senger trains anymore, but its heritage as for the fiscal year which ended Sept. 30, a Sunset Limited car is evident. The bag­ 1987. Right off the top, half of the 20 mil­ gage dorm (ex-3104) is assigned now to lion passengers carried were in the North­ SP's Police Department, which uses the east Corridor. Overall, short distance car for shepherding shipments of auto­ trains were up 1.8 percent, long distance mobiles; it was in Los Angeles on trains up 1.2 percent, and special trains Nov. 29. up 5.9 percent. Some specific western Amtrak car 10000 (which it does not trains noted are: San Diegans up 5.9 per­ own, by the way, but leases from William cent (hauling a million and a half fares), Kratville) was in Los Angeles on San Joaquins up 11 .9 percent, Southwest Nov. 12-15. Chief up 6.8 percent and Chicago-Texas Napa Valley Wine Train has acquired Eagle up 7.3 percent (with related Chica­ five heavyweight passenger cars from go-St. Louis service up 6.7 percent). It Norfolk Southern. This includes open-air was a good year for business, and we'll see car Lookout Mountain, long a favorite on what the current year brings. the excursion runs. On Oct. 26, no less than five private CalTrain Action cars were in Los Angeles Union Station at In the wake of poor ridership for spe­ once: Native Son, Palm Leaf, City of Chi­ cial trains operated when the Pope visited cago, Charlolle and Chapel Hill. The latter the Bay Area in September, many people car was out on tour; it is based in North wondered how well-filled two CalT.rain Carolina. It arrived that day on the rear of special trains would be when they operat­ the Sunset Limited and departed the next ed for the Big Game on Nov. 21. (For day on the rear of the Coast Starlight, still those who don't know, that is the annual painted in C&O colors; it carries the football contest between the University of number 3. California and Stanford, a traditional ri­ On Nov. 8 an ex-UP diner, now named valry of major proportions.) Two special Imperial Table was at Los Angeles. It trains operated for football fans, depart­ wears two-tone gray. Another ex-UP car ing San Francisco at 10:30 and that returned to Los Angeles in mid-No­ 10:35 a.m., with ten- and nine-car con­ vember is 9003, an AutoTrain refugee, to sists, respectively. Over 3500 tickets were become Bryce Canyon. It will require con­ sold, easily putting the operation in the siderable work before being ready to run black. in revenue service again. On Nov. 28, a special Santa Claus train And, while on the UP theme, there is a operated on the Peninsula, with special request in for a seven-car special train from Los Angeles to San Diego for the Super Bowl Game on Jan. 31 , 1988. All By Popular Demand of the cars proposed for this train are ex­ UP, now privately owned. This would in­ CORNFIELD MEET clude dome diner Columbia River, ex-UP NEW!! 8009. RAILROAD lANA On Thanksgiving Day cars La Condesa "inside" and Native Son were on the back of the SHOW & SALE Coast Starlight leaving Los Angeles. They pro railroading returned on separatedays. Also in town at Sunday, April 10, 1988 10am-4pm that time was the Silver Patio, an ex­ WHERE YOU LEARN TO HANDLE POMONA THE MODERN FREIGHT TRAIN' CB&Q dome lounge. AND MUCH MORE A check of a private car storage location CALIFORNIA in the City of Commerce on Nov. 26 L.A County Fairgrounds UNIQUE. i\IULTI·PAGE PORMAT' Call Dealer showed Overland Rail Tours cars 4814- (818) 963-8845 FREE BIlOCHURE* For InqUires Mojave River, 6102-AflOn Canyon, and OrWrile INSIDE PRO RAILROADING 16701 MAIN STREET SUITE 175 Details Possum Belly Caboose Invited 9027-Tehachapi, as well as 35- Louisa, ex­ HESPERIA. CA 92345 Amtrak 5402 and 1201-Narional Border. Box 1285. Glendora. Ca 91740

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 11 FROM THE stops at a dozen participating locations nately, it can be up to two weeks between WILLIAM P. PRICE along the route to introduce the jolly the awesome sandblasting performances FILM COLLECTION Bmm man. Local chambers of commerce of loaded No. 758 grinding up the three helped defray the cost of the train. percent ruling grade on the west side of Thanks to Bill Farmer, Ed Vo n Nordeck, Tennessee Pass. John Arbuckle, Don Dominguez, Wes Unit Coal Train Notes Leatherocl�, Woody Boyd, and George Gar­ vanza. The parade of unit trains hauling coal from the Mid-Continent Coal loadout on the Aspen Branch at Carbondale is con­ tinuing. Empty hoppers are delivered to Mid-Continent on train Nos. 75 1 and 799 eastbound from Grand Junction. We st­ RIO bound loads are hustled across the system and over Utah's Soldier Summit grades as GRANDE train Nos. 750 and 798. Each operation is composed of 84 hoppers. Loads are turned over to UP at Salt Lake City for Sleam Irains on Ihe B&O Slill polished Ihe rails Ihrough forwarding to Long Beach Harbor III Cumberland. MO in the mid-fifties but diesels would soon bring the steam era to an end. Historian and lifetime resident of California. Cumberland, William P. Price, chronicled these times with still photographs that appear in numerous books and articles. Bill Ski Train Equipment also made 8mm color movies while taking many of his famous R. C. Farewell photographs. This program features these films made in 1953 Rio Grande is contracting to purchase and 1954 . . just as the steam engine had begun to fade from 17 "Tempo" coaches from VIA to replace Ihe Baltimore and Ohio's ALLEGHENY RAILS. the eight 1915-vintage coaches recently Filmed on the Pittsburgh Division over Sand Patch Gradeand SFSP To Sell SPT To RGI the Cumberland Division's west end. you'll see the "Big Six" sold to Napa Valley Wine Train. The 80- 2·10·2. EM·l 2·8·8·4. P·ld 4·6·2. 01 ba 2·8·2. and Ihe Aleo Rio Grande Industries would buy SPT for passenger ex-VIA coaches were built in FA. Passenger trains are seen including the ··Washingtonian." Each scene is well documented with historical information 1.8 billion dollars under an agreement the late 1960s. Rio Grande spokesperson provided by Harry Stegmaier and Bill Price. Narration by Rege announced by SFSP on Dec. 28, 1987. Craig Meis, Ski Train Project Manager, Cordic. Presented with a musical background. The price includes $1.02 billion in cash noted that the use of the roller bearing 55 minules ...... $49.95 plus assumption of $800 million in SPT cars will enable faster speeds, resulting in debt. RGI sought quick ICC approval the saving of 15 minutes in the trip be­ (which would normally take a year or tween Denver's Union Station and Win­ more) of the sale. ter Park. Meis declined to release the pur­ chase price for the 17 cars, but did note that the $18 round-trip Ski Train fare will Right-of-Way Changes in Denver likely increase. Rio Grande is one of three railroads utilizing Joint Line trackage between Motive Power Notes Denver and Pueblo. Its trek through the Rio Grande's SD45s that were pulled southern suburbs of Denver has for years from cold storage some months back, ac­ encountered continuous delays due to tivated, and leased to power-hungry BN Watch For high rail trafficlevels. Moreover, rail traf­ are being returned to home rails. Rather ALLEGHENY RAILS fic and the many grade crossings that are than being deactivated and returned to VOL. II: The Western Maryland found along the Joint Line alignment long-term storage at Denver, the big OTHER TITLES AVAILABLE through south Denver have in the past growlers are being run through the Burn­ o Chollenger '82 . U.P. 3985 1982 Trips 55 min .... $49.95 induced unbelievable motor vehicle traf­ ham Shop for normal preventative main­ U.P. "Challenger" 3985 1981 Coverage. 55 min. . . .. 39.95 D - . fic bottlenecks. tenance and put to work on Rio Grande's o Ole.eI. W.. , . U.P. D&RGW. Utah Rwy. 55 min...... 39.95 o Legend 01 Ihe Rio Grand. Zephyr · 52 min...... 49.95 Recently the Joint Line was recon­ own main lines. The first unit noted back o OI •• eI. on Ih. U.P. · DDA40X. SD·40. U30·C. 60 min. .. 49.95 structed through Littleton. Grade cross­ was D&RGW 5333, which was assigned Dlesel8 on the Union Paclflc ..•The Sequel · 60 min . .... 49.95 D ings have thus been eliminated by placing to Rio Grande service on the Moffat Tun­ D Steam Over Sherman - U.P. Steam in '50's. 55 min . .... 49.95 D Rio Grande OfThe Rockies - '50'5 Std. & N.G. 59 min . . ...49.95 the tracks in a "trench." An associated nel main line and was working in train D Excursion to the Thirtlel - Rare8mm Coto. N.G. 52 min ...49.95 mainline crossover installation now al­ No. 128 on Nov. 10. Train No. 167 of Rio Grand. N.G. In Ihe Aftl 8mm N.G. 58 min ...... 49.95 o ... lows for greater flexibility in moving Rio Nov. 11, southbound down the Joint o A Forlle.Memory · D&RGW. ATSF. S.P .. RGS. 24 m,n . ... 34.95 D Narrow Gauge Video Vlgna"e . Colo. N.G. 55 min . .... 39.95 Grande trains up and down this rather Line, was powered by D&RGW 5363 and o O&RGW N.G. Fri. Train. · 1967 (Silenl) 60 min. . .. 49.95 congested stretch. returnees 5317 and 5324 (SD40T-2, two o O&RGW N.G. Siock & Pa ••. Tr. · 1967 (Silent) 60 min .. ..49.95 Ralls Aero.. The Summlt - .. . 34.95 SD45s). This same trio was utilized with D Cumbres & Toltec. 28 mm . Operational Notes D Doubleheader '83 · Cumbres & Toltec 28 min ...... 24.95 added help to power the super-hot Ford D Snow Train: Rio Grande's Ski Speclal - F-9. 28 min ... 34.95 The Tennessee Pass main line contin­ Fast (D&RGW train No. 179) west over The Sugar Cane Train .... 24.95 D - Hawaii's 3' LK&P. 20 min . . ues to see daily traffic operations. In the Tennessee Pass on Nov. 12. Motive pow­ D Last Steamers at the C&S - 1958 Std. Ga. 52 min ...... 49.95 D Tehachapi Pt. I: The Santa Fe - Diesel. 57 min ...... 49.95 westbound direction, super-hotshot train er assignment was: D&RGW 5363, 5317, D Tehachapi Pt. II: TheSouthern Pacific · 52 min. . . 49.95 No. 179 usually operates on a daily basis, 5324, and 5409 (SD40T-2, two SD45s, D The Rio Grande Today - 2 Hr. Special. 120 min. . . .. 59.95 commonly departing Pueblo in the early SD40T-2). By midnight of Nov. 13 the D The Flftle. Exprell - Steam on 15 roads. 5i min...... _ 49_95 SPECIFY VHS or BETA II • DEALERS WELCOME morning. Eastbound, transfer tonnage following SD45s were verified as re­ Sh,pp,ng & handling S2.50 (U.S . & Canada) Fore'gn S5.00 from SP to the Kansas City gateway via turned, shopped, and active in mainline FREE DESCRIPTIVE BROCHURE Pueblo moves over the pass as train Rio Grande operations: 5317, 5321, 5324, Nos. 130 and 146. No. 146 has frequent­ 5326, 5329, 5335, 5336, and 5337. __ VISA or ly run in two sections lately. Unit coal Rio Grande GP30s aren't showing any '5 is MasterCard (303) 770-8421 trains 7571758 are alternating transit cy­ signs of disappearing; they are still uti­ � cles between the Tennessee Pass and Mof­ lized in any and all kinds of service. On 'iiiiiiii' 'iiiiiii'VIDEO PRODUCTIONS fa t Tunnel main lines, usually operated November 4, GP30 3007 was noted roar­ 6447 S. Heritage PI. W'/Englewood. CO 801 11 on a once-weekly basis. Thus, unfortu- ing eastbound over the Moffat Tunnel

12 . FEBRUARY 1988 main line as the second of two units as­ radios to broadcast descriptions of violat­ Operational Highlights signed to the Rio Grande's hotshot Rail­ ing vehicles to nearby troopers. Sgt. To­ With Soo's need to retain its Bensen­ blazer, train 102. lar didn't mention if locomotive-mounted ville classification facility for at least the The use of foreign motive power other radar guns would be used in an attempt to near fu ture, an additional transfer oper­ than that of SP has dropped off lately. SP slow down over-zealous railfans. ation into the former Milwaukee terminal motive power continues to be commonly Thanks to Robert R. Harmen. fo und in Rio Grande bypass trains operat­ has begun, aimed at expediting traffic ed back and forth between the Kansas through the congested Chicago metro City gateway and Salt Lake City via the area. Daily transfer service from ICG's Moffat Tunnel main line. Fairly Homewood Ya rd is now provided, with frequently a pure set of SP motive power, ICG power laying over at Bensenville. led by a Rio Grande pilot locomotive, is The old Soo had once enjoyed a heavy assigned to these trains. Soo flow of interchange traffic between Examples include October 21 when LINE Homewood and Schiller Park yards, han­ eastbound Rio Grande train No. 126 rat­ dled by CP connection trains in the 900- series. ed D&RGW 5363 (SD40T-2) leading SP SD40T-2s 8553 and 8308, and SP GP40-2 Soo participated in the movement of a 7244. On November 3, train No. 126 was large Westinghouse transformer with one powered by Rio Grande SD40T-2 5358, of the "Schnabel" flatcars in mid-No­ vember, as WECX 202 arrived at Hum­ SP SD45R 7555, and SP SD40T-2 8361. Karl Rasmussen The next day, eastbound Rio Grande boldt Ya rd in Minneapolis on the 14th, train No. 134 was powered by a pure SP spliced between a pair of empty Southern covered hoppers, powered by GP38-2 set: SD45Rs 7443/75 15, and SD45T-2 Financial Situation Still Rocky 4502 and trailed by one of the two ex­ 9314, without the services of a Rio Despite Soo's $131 million sale of its Milwaukee extended-vision waycars, the Grande pilot locomotive. In another ex­ Lake States Division to Wisconsin Cen­ 992300. ample, November 9 found a second sec­ tral Limited in October, the company's With the continued retirement of the tion of eastbound train No. 226, powered financial situation still remains in a pre­ 1972 order of fo rmer Milwaukee SD40- by D&RGW SD40T-2 5392, SP SD40T- carious balance. Issuing its third quarter 2s, the joint BN/Soo coal power pool has 2 8230, SP SD45R 7439, and SP SD40T- earnings statement for the period ending seen a number of cosmetic changes. One 2 8386. September 30, Soo Line reported a net of the more colorful motive power sets For some two months now, Soo 2037 loss of $12.4 million, on gross revenues of observed recently was No. 282 out of (an ex-Milwaukee GP40) has worked the $152.6 million. This reflected a one-time St. Paul on Oct. 24, featuring black eastern part of the Rio Grande system. charge to earnings of $24 million, attrib­ patch SD40-2 6386, BN U30e 5917, ex­ October 29 found the unit working east­ utable to the then-pending sale of the KCS SD40 6400 (still in "albino" dress) bound across the Moffat Tunnel main Lake States Transportation subsidiary. and BN SD40-2 7854. line on hotshot No. 100. On Novem­ On a more positive note, however, the A similarly multi-hued set of all-Soo ber 3, 2037 was noted grinding east­ company realized $5 million in the sale of motors powered No. 499 into St. Paul bound over Tennessee Pass on train future industrial development lands to earlier on the 24th, including SD40-2 No. 146. November II found it helping the City of Minneapolis. This transaction 783, "albino" SD40 6401, black patch to roll Rio Grande tonnage northbound was facilitated with the relocation of the GP40 2033, SD40 743 and roster unique up the Joint Line as part of "bypass" motor vehicle transfer operations to SD40B 6450. train No. 127. Upon reaching Denver, St. Paul and Cottage Grove, Minn. 2037 was released from No. 127 and Cabin Car Capers quickly assigned to southbound train More Scheduling Changes As reported in last month's column, No. 167, and was returned down the In its ongoing effort to reduce costs and some of the former Milwaukee bay win­ Joint Line toward Pueblo. In a related return to regular profitability, Soo an­ dow cabooses have received the black occurrence, a most colorful motive power nounced more schedule changes during patch treatment, indicating plans to re­ set was noted northbound up the Joint the fall months of 1987. With the closing tain them on the roster (at least for a Line on October 16 when KCS 680 and of the "old Soo" intermodal facility in while !). Recent converts fo und the "blackpatch" Soo 6305 rolled Rio Grande Minneapolis during late October, Sprint 992225 becoming the 154, while the train No. 166 into Denver. trains 208 and 209 now originate and ter­ 992222 was renumbered twice, to the ISS minate in the fo rmer Milwaukee yard in first, then to the 157 (wonder if there were State Troopers Ride the Rails St. Paul. With the loss of the lucrative two 155s on the property at one time?). The State of Colorado recently intro­ UPS contract to rival BN, sufficientoper­ CNW and MKT waycars continue to be duced a "Trooper on a Train" program ating space was made available to handle regular visitors on Soo property, no designed to catch grade-crossing viola­ the primarily container-oriented oper­ doubt due to run-through grain and coal tors. Sgt. Larry Tolar, spokesperson for ations which formerly were based out of traffic. the Colorado State Patrol, noted that they Minneapolis. Motive Power Footnotes wish to cut down on deaths and the de­ On the Chicago-to-Kansas City corri­ struction of grade-crossing barricades dor, two significant changes took place, With the delivery of the entire fleet of caused by drivers trying to beat trains aimed at reducing long-term operating 21 SD60s and the concurrent return of at across crossings. On a random basis, costs. Trains 228 and 229 were eliminated least 3S former Milwaukee SD40-2s to troopers will ride trains up and down the between Muscatine, Iowa, and Kansas their owner, Soo's motive power situation Joint Line to observe motorists in cars, City, and trains 225 and 227 were consoli­ has stabilized somewhat from the confu­ trucks, and buses. The on-board trooper dated in their entirety between the Chica­ sion experienced earlier in the year. Soo will not stop the train to flag down and go and Kaycee markets. Line has suffered temporary problems cite an errant motorist, nor will assigned On the Chicago-to-Louisville corridor" with the new SD60s, similar to those pre­ locomotives have roof-mounted red and secondary trains 256 and 257 were elimi­ viously reported by both C&NWand UP. blue flashing light arrays or cab-mounted nated between Chicago and Terre Haute, However, EMD seems to have learned sawed-off shotguns as normally associat­ Ind., with principal trains 20 I and 204 from the difficulties and has made quick ed with the Trooper's cruisers. Rather, having to pick up the extra carloadings repairs to the Soo units when they have the on-board troopers will have portable between those points. failed .

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 13 A large number of Soo Geeps are ber; 6687, 6689, 6691, 6693 and 6696 em­ ceive the remaining 35.3 percent of the presently on lease to the Wisconsin Cen­ barked for VMV in Paducah, Ky., on stock issue. tral, primarily GP9s, and eight units were Nov. 12. A committee consisting of CNW's non­ recalled fr om the bankrupt CC&P and More fo rmer Milwaukee SD40-2s left employee directors studied the offer and, turned over to WCL (947, 950-952, 954, the roster: 135, 153, 159, 160 and 63 16 after being given the green, increased the 956, 959 and 960). Reportedly, some fo r­ left in October; 131, 156, 165, 166 and proposed note value, unanimously rec­ mer Milwaukee GP40s are also on short­ 6380 left in November. The 162 was re­ ommended its acceptance. CNW an­ term lease to WCL, which has made the tired in October, but remained stored at nounced on Nov. 17 that it would accept tight power balance on Soo unmanage­ Shoreham as of mid-November. the offer. The agreement is subject to ac­ able. Accordingly, during the last week of GP40 2032 and GP38-2 45 11 (ex-361) ceptance by CNW shareholders, which October, all ten stored GP7s and SD lOs were recent black patch conversions at will probably be sought at a February were fired up and placed in yard and Shoreham, while ex-KCS SD40s 622 and stockholders' meeting. transfer service, releasing larger Geeps 624 became 6400 and 6402, respectively, St. Louis-Chicago Service Restored fo r road service. without the benefit of a complete Soo Reflecting the local euphoria for the paint job. The North Western resumed operation world champion Minnesota Twins, Soo Wreck-damaged GP40s 2061 and 2062 of through freight trains between Proviso decorated GP38-2 4416 with "Win were spotted at Shoreham on Nov. 14; Ya rd and the St. Louis area in late Octo­ Twins" banners and released the dapper 2061 looks repairable, but the cab and ber. Train PRGCA departs Proviso be­ EMD from Shoreham Shops on Octo­ front end of 2062 were severely mangled tween midnight and dawn for Granite ber 18, ironically, one week prior to the and will likely be retired. City, Ill., and the Alton and Southern 7th game victory in the Metrodome. Power wanderings: Former MP SD40 connection. Its north/eastbound counter­ Slug 2118 was finally repainted in late 3046 (now P&L?) trailed Soo SD40-2 192 part is GCPRA. Trains BOMAA and October at Shoreham and is now in hump on No. 202 out of St. Paul on Nov. 5, MABOA between Boone, Iowa, and service at St. Paul yard with "mother" while on Oct. 27, Soo GP40 2007 and C&NW's Madison, Ill., yard (opposite MPI5AC 1535. After a period of evalua­ SD40-2 6608 were somewhat out-of-place St. Louis) remain in service. Trains tion, similar reincarnations may be in visitors to C&NW's East Minneapolis en­ PRSTA and STPRA, which previously store for the other six SW9 hulks congre­ gine facility. fe rried Chicago-St. Louis traffic to and gated at Shoreham. Thanks to Michael Blaszak and Soo Line from connections with BOMAA/MA­ Preparing fo r the cold winter months Railroad. BOA, have been extended to Clinton, ahead, GP38-2s 4400, 440 1, 4435, 4444- Iowa, and are now symboled PRCLA and 4452 and SD40-2s 6614-6623 have been CLPRA. These changes reflect improved equipped with electric engine purge sys­ traffic volumes; C&NW's business for tems. 1987 is running over 5 percent ahead of The last of the fo rmer CR SDP45s have 1986 levels. now left Shoreham: 6692, 6694, 6695, 6697 and 6698 departed in early Novem- CHICAGO & Ore Trains Return Another freight service restoration oc­ NORTH curred on Oct. 10, when the first ITCUS WESTERN train in over a year departed C&NW's TRANSCONTINENTAL SERIES Itasca (Superior, Wis.) Yard bound for TRAIN CHECKS the Union Pacific interchange at Council Bluffs and beyond to the steel mill at Ge­ 111tST NATIQN"l 8MO: 'l:J

IDENTITY CHECK PRINTERS BOX 149·0 PARK RIDGE, IL 60068·8012 note to $9. Through this transaction, Gib­ ferred. These top·bound personal size checks are printerl with sepia baCkgrounds. One part bons, Green would end up with a deposit slips and check register are included in each order. Chicago-Chemung Railroad Co. Place my TRAIN CHECK ASST. order STARTING No 57.5 percent stake in NewCNW; CNW 0 200 checks - $12.00 0 400 checks - $21.00 o Checkbook Cover (if needed) - $1.00 management, which includes many of the Lost in the news about takeover offers o First Class Mail (Optional - Faster Delivery) - $3.00 employees who bought C&NW from for­ and major line sales was the startup of the Ship To: ______mer owner Northwest Industries in 1972, Chicago-Chemung Railroad Company, Address ______would get 7.2 percent of the NewCNW which acquired about 2.3 miles of City State __ Zip ___ Write for Informllt/on regarding our other cheek designs stock, and public stockholders would re- C&NW's erstwhile Beloit Subdivision

14 . FEBRUARY 1988 between Harvard and Chemung, 111. , on Point, which F&EV recently purchased; south side of the Proviso diesel shop. Oct. 2. After a November 1986 derail­ FWP&P hopes to inaugurate service to When completed by the end of 1988, this ment, C&NW embargoed this subdivi­ that point by July 1988. will reportedly permit closure of sion and began serving Beloit via Clinton C&NW's Butler, Wi�., diesel mainte­ Junction, Wis., and the former Milwau­ Locomotive Notes nance facility. An official ground­ kee Road "Southwestern" line. The Electro-Motive Division GP60 demon­ breaking ceremony was held on Octo­ CCRC serves a grain elevator complex, a strators 5 and 6 remained in C&NW ser­ ber 20, when Chairman James Wolfe and plant which makes plastic milk bottles fo r vice through mid-November. Despite the other company officialsposed with green­ Dean Foods and an FS fa cility at Che­ presence of these state-of-the-art units and-yellow shovels. To make room for mung. At first CCRC operated between and the 90 SD50s and SD60s it acquired operating units displaced by the con­ Chemung and C&NW's main at Harvard in 1985-86, C&NW remains power-short struction activities, C&NW dispatched with a Trackmobile, but by November it and continues to rely on once-stored 20- the following stored locomotives to Oel­ had arranged to use a C&NW Geep. Op­ year-old SD40s and SD45s to move much wein between October 20 and 25: 886, erations are on an as-needed basis; of its tonnage. The following units have 889, 975, 1214, 12l9, 122l, 6482. (The apparently, employees of the grain eleva­ been observed in operation in recent 6482 was later restored to service, as not­ tor operate CCRC trains. weeks: ed above.)

Fremont, We st Point & Pacific Abandonments S040 (original C&NW): 869, 870, 872, 880·882, 884, Railway 892 C&NW filed a notice of exemption in (ex-Chicago Great We stern): Freight service was restored on another S040 923, 926 early October covering abandonment of S045 (original C&NW): 944, 948, 957, 958, 964, 974 segment of former North Western track­ S045 (ex-Conrail, BN): 6472, 6474, 648 1, 6482, its 6.5-mile line between Wa terloo and age on Nov. 4, when the Fremont, We st 6500, 6503, 65 14, 6528, 6537, 6539, 6543, Cedar Falls Jet., Iowa. This abandon­ Point & Pacific Railway, an affiliate of the 6553, 6556, 6566-6568, 6576, 658 1 -6585 ment will sever North Western's Fremont & Elkhorn Valley tourist line, Marshalltown-Wa terloo line. As reported delivered fo ur empty covered hoppers to C&NW even repainted the 6553 from earlier in this column, a highway project Farmers Cooperative in Hooper, Neb., Conrail blue to the current yellow/green in downtown Waterloo will claim a por­ for loading. This was the firsttime freight scheme in October. Repainting of the tion of C&NW's right-of-way. C&NW had been loaded on railroad cars at GP50s continues, with the following units has arranged for Iowa Northern to handle Hooper since the 1970s, according to lo­ reported wearing "Pantone green": 5050, its Waterloo traffic to and from Cedar Ra­ cals. FWP&P owns ex-Soo SW1 200 5052, 5054, 5057, 5070, 5074, 5075, pids. 212l; however, mechanical problems 5078, 5081, 5098, 5099. with that unit forced the new railroad to Blair Station Demolished borrow C&NW GP7 4160 on Nov. 6. Proviso Diesel Shop Expansion The brick C&NW depot at Blair, Wo rk continues on restoring the ex­ During the week of October 11, con­ Neb., was razed on October 19. This sta- C&NW line beyond Hooper to We st struction began on an addition to the Continued on page 32 Roaring Fork Railroad Begins Private Car Service. We offer three levels of service: First class, Vistadome and coach starting as low as $99 one-way Denver to Glenwood Springs. Ticket price includes open bar and fine dining in our VistaDiner.

Our route over the Continental Divide includes the famous tun­ nel district and its spectacular views of the Rocky Mountain wilderness.

Departs Denver every Saturday through March for Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and Salt Lake City. Returns each Sunday. Call (303) 893-8922 collect for reservations and information.

PACIFIC RailNEWS - 15 SACRAMENTO LIG HT RAIL

The second portion opened on Sept. 5, 1987, but patronage has been light

by Mac Sebree

hat's the question a few are asking these days about only eight trains, requmng eight drivers. The 52 buses Sacramento's new light rail system, which has would require 52 drivers. opened its two segments on time, on budget-but to Former Sacramento County Supervisor Patric Melarkey, ridership that has been, at least initially, disappointing. The on the other hand, thinks the light rail line was a "dumb, firstT line, from downtown to Watt Ave.-Interstate 80 via ludicrous proposal" from the start. Certainly, seeing the North Sacramento, opened last March. After six months of sleek, German-made Duewag cars gliding along K Street operation, the line is carrying 7,500 riders a day. downtown is a culture shock for many, although perhaps less The other half of the system-the Folsom line-opened as so for those old enough to remember when Pacific Gas & planned on Saturday, Sept. 5. After a month, it was carrying Electric's yellow trolleys rolled along the same street prior to only 3,000 riders a day. That's a total of between 10,000 and 1946. 11,000 riders a day, about half the predicted total. The trouble, Beach thinks, is that patronage projections Cameron Beach, the system's operations manager, says were made many years ago when funding was first sought for many more riders will be added in January 1988 when the the light rail line. At that time, transit patronage was rising east side bus network will be rearranged to feed into light rail rapidly due to gasoline shortages. stations. And, even at 11,000 passengers a day, Beach says If only 1 1,000 passengers had been promised, building the the line is a success by several important measurements. entire system at a bargain price of $175 million would still "We're carrying that many people in 21 light rail cars with have been justified, and the line's management would be plenty of capacity to spare. Just to carry an equal number of hailed as prophets, Beach fe els. The builders of Portland's passengers we'd need 52 buses, and lots of people would be new light rail line are heros now because they did not over­ standing." promise ridership. The saving in overhead is dramatic. The 21 cars comprise Still, praise for the Sacramento line is not hard to find. Mayor Anne Rudin was quoted in the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE as bullish about the newfangled trolleys. She says the rail line helps reduce smog in Sacramento, which -MAP COURTESY SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE now has the third-largest air pollution in California, helps North carry people downtown and is a hedge against the day when Highlands Sacramento (which is California's capital city) has the kind of urban traffic problem that is strangling other cities. Operation of the system is extremely simple. The North­ east and Folsom lines are through-routed aside from one or two early-evening trips from Watt Ave. which end down­ town. A IS-minute headway is run on weekdays, half-hourly on weekends. Eight trains are needed, but nine operators are used as fa llback rostering is employed at the Watt terminus to permit a quick turnaround. One-way running time is 53 to 55 minutes. In the base period, weekdays, all trains are two-car con­ sists (requiring 16 units) and in peak hours 21 of the 26 LRVs are in service, with three-car sets on the Wa tt line and two-car sets on the Folsom line. How is this accomplished? At the south end of downtown, where the line turns from 12th to private right-of-way head­ ing east, there is a three-track holding yard, known as the R Street Yard. At the 13th Street Station just east of this loca­ tion, each southbound train drops a car, and this car is then 2 , reversed on a nearby crossover and attached to the next MILES Rosemont northbound train.

16 . FEBRUARY 1988 In true-trolley style, a three-car tra in skirts the side of the road on 12th Street near the American Bridge as it heads downtown. Date: May 1987.-MAC SEBREE

After the morning peak, the five extra cars are stored in the R Street holding yard. Later they are recoupled to north­ bound trains in the afternoon rush hour. Flat fare, permitting unlimited LRT travel for 90 minutes (but only one bus transfer) is $1 in peak hours, 85 cents off­ peak. Trips falling entirely within the city center cost only 25 cents midday, but there are no transfer or stopover privi­ leges. Ticket machines accept coins only and require exact change, but there is a dollar bill-changing machine next to each ticket machine. Books of 10 unvalidated tickets are available, but not from the ticket machines, and they offer no discount anyway. There is no day pass. The six-axle, articulated Duewag cars, painted an attrac­ tive white, blue and gold, are similar in size and performance to cousins running in San Diego, Edmonton and Calgary but Above: On opening day of the Butterfield leg, the inaugural four-cor train, decorated with banners, climbs the east end of the viaduct over the Union feature a modified, more angular front end. Pacific (former Western Pacific) main line.-ROBERT DAVIS. Below: A train "Those cars are our salvation," says Beach. "They are at K Street mall, about to run onto 7th Street.-MAC SEBREE virtually trouble-free and win praise from our riders every day. It's like having a state-of-the-art PCC car!" Beach firmly believes that ridership will grow and con­ found the pessimists. "Our line has several characteristics which will ensure growth," he says. "There are large state office buildings downtown and another one near the Folsom line outer terminal. We already have heavy midday riding and although peak-hour patronage has not been as high as we had hoped; we are filling the trains midday and yet there's more likelihood of finding a seat," he added. "I had to stand last Sunday at 2 p.m. on a two-car train," Beach remarked. "It's possible we're still getting a lot of weekend curiosity riding, but for whatever reason the trains are often filling up on weekends." In fact, Beach is optimistic enough to believe that it will be necessary to double-track the outer ends of both lines within five years to cope with rising demand. Right now, portions of the system resemble one of those charming little Swiss sub­ urban trolley lines with a single track meandering first from one side of the road to the other. Colorful, but perhaps already outmoded. In any event, Sacramento's light rail line will be an interesting thing to watch in the coming years. Thanks lo Sleve Morgan fo r providing many of lhe opera ling delails. DESERT

BN/s First Subdivision Across The Columbia Plateau

Text and photography by Bruce Kelly

ecause of the high acclaim given to its scenic cross­ halfway point between We natchee and Spokane. Successful ings over Washington's Cascade Range and the crops in the Crab Creek area between Harrington and Odes­ Montana Rockies, Great Northern Railway was, sa started a westward wave of settlement in 1900; the town of fo r the majority of its existence, thought of as a mountain Quincy, just above the Columbia River Gorge, came into railroadB . To Jim Hill-the renowned "Empire Builder" be­ being by 1902. hind GN's early growth and construction-the rails laid "Rocky;' Becomes GN Symbol across the Stevens and Marias passes weren't valued as much in terms of passenger train window views as they were fo r Hundreds of miles away on the granite ledges of the Conti­ their role in creating the nation's northernmost trans­ nental Divide in northern Montana, mountain goats gazed continental line btween the Great Lakes and the Pacific down upon the whistling, smoking monsters invading their Ocean. His haste to expand the Great Northern to Puget natural habitat, almost mocking the appearance of Jim Hill Sound didn't prevent Hill from capitalizing on the industrial with their shaggy, pointed beards. The likeness of a Rocky and agricultural possibilities waiting for him on the fl atlands Mountain goat was eventually adopted as the corporate sym­ between these mountain ranges. Nowhere did Hill find a bol , and Great Northern trains from Seattle to Minneapolis greater contrast of landscapes than in eastern Wa shington, carried the profile of "Rocky," as the goat was later dubbed, where the Columbia River separates the fo rested (and usual­ on their riveted steel and wooden fl anks. How else could ly snowcapped) Cascade Range from the sand- and rock­ thousands of two-dimensional mountain goats have migrated covered wastes of the Columbia Plateau. west to the Columbia Plateau desert, where real-live rattle­ snakes, badgers, and coyotes dwell among the sagebrush? Completed In 1892 Nowadays, it's Burlington Northern who runs Rocky's The black, basaltic rock which covers the Columbia Pla­ railroad, and then some. Where corrosion or new paint teau fo r more than 20,000 square miles at depths of more hasn't marred the past, goat emblems still ride on fo rmer GN than 5000 feet supports a relatively thin layer of topsoil and freight cars. Ninety-five years after the railroad's arrival, the vegetation. Jim Hill saw the potential fo r commerce here and Columbia Plateau has been further tamed by Grand Coulee went so fa r as to offer free cattle to trackside ranchers and to Dam and Interstate 90; irrigation pumps life into millions of promote studies of dryland fa rming techniques. Hill's atti­ acres of wheat while trucks and trains haul out the respect­ tude regarding the Plateau was, "The prairie without popu­ able harvest. Technology hasn't diminished the size of this lation is a desert." Great Northern's main line across this desert though . Centralized Traffic Control, 132-pound desert was completed in 1892 , with a division point and an welded rail, and a maximum speed of 79 mph are descriptive I I -stall roundhouse located at Wilson Creek, Wa sh ., the of most of the 170 miles of Burlington Northern's First

18 . FEBRUARY 1988 MAIN LINE

Two 5D40-2s and a B30-7A lead BN train 14 past milepost 1532 between Mohler ond Harrington, Wash., on April 26, 1 987. The train is climbing the 0.8 percent double-track hill to Bluestem. Moments ago, combined trains 1041 196 come by on the north track; 1041196 will be waiting at Bluestem so No. 14, here on the south track, can get by.

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 19 At barely 15 mph, BN grain symbol GC-l climbs into Lyons, Wash., on the First Subdivision behind SD40-2s 6754 and 8045, U30C 5372, SD40-2 7803 and Oakway lease SD60 9070. The Oak way unit was added at Ya rdley to help lift GC-l west up the 1 percent grade out of Spokane.

20 . FEBRUARY 1988 At 6:07 a.m. on April 10, 1987, two Amtrak F40s hustle Amtrak 7, the westbaund Empire Builder through Quincy, Wash., as the train dives into a 1 percent descending grade. Number 7, due into Wenatchee, Wash., at 4: 16 a.m., is several hours tardy account of a freight derailment in Montana.

Subdivision, Pacific Division between Spokane and We nat­ tion, trains enter the Pacific Division. Great Northern's chee. On America's largest railroad, this is a fine example of original line took a more roundabout path out of the Spokane first class, top-notch trackage. River Va lley, swinging far to the north around the highest of the rock barriers. One of BN's many improvements to the Starting Against the Grade area's line segments in the early 1970s was the construction With the division point at Wilson Creek now lost to histo­ of a more direct line west up the hill to Lyons, but the grade ry, a single BN crew handles a train's journey across the First still reaches one percent, and helper units are sometimes Subdivision, Pacific Division. Amtrak's Empire Builder added to the road engines of heavy westbound grain trains to makes the run in just under three hours. The Columbia get the tonnage beyond the first crest at Lyons and over the Plateau is exactly what its name implies-a high topographic 2454-foot summit at Fairchild. body-and trains departing We natchee or Spokane must Once onto the Columbia Plateau's desert landscape, BN overcome 1.0 percent grades to climb onto the Plateau's rim . trains count off the mileposts at speeds that put the 18- A short distance east of We natchee, many BN freights begin wheeled competition to shame. The tri-light CTC signals their eastward run from the small yard at Appleyard, soon come on just minutes ahead of a fast intermodal's passage, crossing the Columbia River between Malaga and Rock Is­ then go dark again as the Trainlink rear-end monitor (more land. Columbia River siding-elevation 607 feet-initiates common than the caboose now) goes blinking away into the the one percent, 20-mile grade to Quincy-elevation 1305 distance. The only place on the First Subdivision where feet. The operational and photographic highlight of this CTC is notably absent is on the 22.6-mile stretch from La­ ascent is the Trinidad Loop, where eastbound trains fo llow . mona to Bluestem . Great Northern laid double track be­ the Lynch Coulee into a box canyon and reverse their direc­ tween these two stations (incorporating the passing sidings at tion on a 10-degree, 5-minute curve, gaining enough altitude Mohler and Downs) to allow a more continuous flow of to penetrate the ridge west of Quincy. traffic up and down the 0.8 percent hill surrounding Westbound freights from Spokane's Yardley terminal start Harrington . Movements on the double track under Burling­ climbing toward the Columbia Plateau at Sunset Junction. ton Northern are still signaled by automatic block (ABS) and Throttle settings shift from Run 4 to Run 8 once all the road trains normally run on the right-hand track. BN's Boyer engines are on the Latah Creek Bridge, and at Latah Junc- We st dispatcher in Seattle is in charge of the First Subdivi-

PA CIFIC RailNEWS • 21 Left: At 12:27 a.m. on April 11, 1987, two Oak way 5060s and a BN 5040-2 ease train 3 toward an approach-medium signal at Wilson Creek, Wash., holding the main to meet an eastbound now entering the siding. Below: At 12:33 p.m., now that train 3 has cleared on the main, BN Extra 6712 East accelerates out of the siding. Wilson Creek was once a Great Northern division point, complete with 11-stall roundhouse.

EAST WILSON MAIN LINE CREEK

sion's ABS double track and CTC single track east of La­ autoracks in trains 3, 4, 12, 14, 15, 2l, 22 and 33. SeaLand's mona; the Seattle East dispatcher handles everything west of double-stack trains traverse the plateau rails as trains 7, 8, 9 Lamona. and 10, usually holding the mainline rails while general freights 103, 104, 195, 196, 206, 600, 601 and 699 duck into A Trade Route : Then and Now the CTC sidings. Unit grain trains from nearly a dozen Those double stack container trains (BN symbols 7, 8, 9 Midwestern origins-headed ultimately for Seattle or Ta­ and 10) now marching across the Columbia Plateau with coma-add to the First Subdivision's busy schedule. trans-Pacific cargo recall the early GN years when open trade Since much of BN's fast intermodal traffi c connects with with the Orient was one of Jim Hill's great accomplishments. Seattle, the First Subdivision has received special attention Beginning in 1905, the Great Northern provided direct trav­ in the fo rm of recent tie renewals and the installation of rail el to Japan and China with the Oriental Limited (predecessor clips (more secure than standard spike and tie plate anchor­ to the Empire Builder) to Seattle, where passengers then ing) on some of the tighter curves. With so many mainline boarded the steamship Minnesota for the long ocean cross­ and branch segments being abandoned or sold off by BN ing. Cotton from the southern and New England states, these days, it's nice to see efforts made toward the preserva­ flour from the central plains and metal ores from Colorado all tion of the fo rmer Great Northern route across the Columbia pounded across the Columbia Plateau en route to the Far Plateau. Looks like the trains will be using Rocky's desert East. Jim Hill's vision of a railroad land bridge across North rails for many years to come. America remains intact on the modern Burlington Northern with Midwestern grain and fu ll-size automobiles from De­ troit rolling west, and high-tech Japanese merchandise and Thanks to Howard Kallio of BN' s Public Affa irs department compact autos rolling east. On the First Subdivision, Pacific in Seattle and Fred Simon, BN news editor fo r CTC BOARD Division, BN moves high-priority trailers, containers, and magazme.

22 . FEBRUARY 1988 Hard to believe it's late April-The sun is straight up and temperatures are in the upper 90s as 5040-2 7862 heads BN train 22 into the double track at Lamona, Wash., where CTC signals are left behind and the gradient pitches upward to 0.8 percent.

BN GP9 1762 shuttles boxcars and container flats west from Appleyard to Wenatchee, where they will be picked up later in the evening by a Seattle-bound mainline freight.

A blinding snowstorm blankets the Columbia Plateau on New Year's Day 1987, but BN train 196 blasts through the powder at track speed with its consist of two GP50s and two S040-2s in Run 8. They must maintain their assault on the 0.8 percent grade between Harrington and Bluestem near the east end of double track. 24 . FEBRUARY 1988 The crew of sidetracked BN GP9 1800 has taken cover as fuel-tendered GPSOs roar down the main with train 4 at Fairch ild spur, throwing snow all over the right-of-way.

e�e DESERT MAIN LINE

Three 5D40-2s wrap BN train 196 around the 10-degree, 5-minute curve at Trinidad Loop between Trinidad and Quincy, Wash. When the power passes the caboose, they will be moving in opposite directions.

-MAP BY JOHN SIGNOR

PA CIFIC RailNEWS • 25 Above: Cabooseless BN train 14 crosses the Columbia River bridge between Malaga and Rock Island, Wash., on April 11, 1987. Soon the three SD40-2s will be fully throttled against the 1 percent grade to Quincy. Left: Extra 8070 East swings through the reverse curves at the Trinidad gravel spur. Below: Rail clips and 132-pound welded rai I are standard on the more curvaceous and steeply graded portions of the First Sub, Pacific Division. 5040-2 8000, 5045 6532 and 5040-2 81 12 make the transition into dynamic braking as BN train 8-sealand's double-stock container hauler- ... straddles the crest at Lyons and storts down the 1 percent to Spokane.

_D_E_S_E_R_T�MAI N LINE

At milepost 1483 on July 7, 1986, GP50s 3144, 3100 and 3135-with fuel tender 42-drag train BN 7 up the 1 percent grade across Indian Canyon bridge between Latah Junction and Lyons, leaving the metropolis of Spo­ kane behind.

A new symbol on the First Sub is train 33, which hauls American-mode autos (in this case, new Fords) to the West Coast. C30-7 5557, 5040-2 6712 and B30-7A 4059 lead 33 around Trinidad Loop on April 10, 1987. SPOKANE, PORTLAND & SEATTLE CLASS E-1 4·8·4 NO.700 DEBUTS

Portlond Union Station was an especially active place during the November 1987 Rail Fair. The round end of the Daylight-liveried five-car display train headed by SP 4449 stands at left as Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight prepares to depart; a BN TOFC is already on its way out of town. The 91-year-old station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Text and Photos by Kenneth G. Johnsen

ove over, 4449. Make room, 8444. Wa tch out, 611. the old Portland Union Station; the 700 was one of the guests There's a new kid on the block in the fo rm of a invited. The restoration group shifted gears from mechanical black 440-ton roller-bearing 4-8-4 that's going to to cosmetic work in order to get the 4-8-4 presentable. capture the hearts of a lot of steam fans. Spokane, Portland &M Seattle Railway type E-1 No. 700 made its first public appearance at the Portland (Oregon) Rail Fair '87, Nov. 6- Rolling Stock Exhibited at 8, 1987. Its hulking beauty made it a real show-stopper. Portland, Oregon's Rail Fair '87

Built in 1938 Railroad or Owner NumberfName Type Built (Locomotives) SP&S 700 was built by Baldwin in 1938 as a near-identical Portland Traction Co. 100 SW-l 1952 twin to parent Northern Pacific type A-3 Northerns. SP&S SP&S 700 4-8-4 (type E- J ) 1938 had three type E-1 locomotives, numbers 700-702. The pri­ Doyle McCormack 743 F45 (ex-BN 6627) 1971 mary difference between the A-3s and the E-1s was that the UP 3680 SD40-2 1980 4-8-4 (GS-4) 1941 NP engines burned coal, while the SP&S engines burned oil. SP 4449

Retirement, Then Resurrection (Other) SP&S' 76 Crew dormitory car 1914 In 1956 the 700 pulled the last steam-powered passenger Private (SP) 1133 Caboose 1942 train on SP&S and was then donated to the City of Portland Washington Central 2133 Center beam car 1987 SP 4033 Jordan spreader 1962 for preservation. In 1958 it was moved onto a display track in PRPA (NP) 2575 Auxiliary tender 1962 Oaks Park where it became a stablemate of SP Dayligh1 4449, PRPA (Pullman) Cromwell Sleeping car 1912 which had also entered the park that year. PRPA (NP) Elllerprise Sleeping car 1912 Following the immensely successful resurrection of SP SP&S' Ml. Hood Sleeper/Lounge 1950 Snow suppor! car 1949 4449 for the Freedom Train and other events, a group calling SP SI/owflake Amlrak Superliner cars 1980-82 themselves Pacific Railroad Preservation Association under­ BN Hi-rail crane 1986 took the restoration of SP&S 700 on a slower, more subdued (read volunteer) scale. During summer 1987, the City of I-owned by Pacifil: NOrlhwcst Chaptcr, N.R.H.S. Portland was planning an event to celebrate its purchase of

28 . FEBRUARY 1988 To p: An as-delivered photo of SP&S 700 at Spokane, Wash., in 1938. The silver smoke box and simplified tender herald of today's 700 are the principal noticeable differences from its appearance of a half century ago. Above: Nearly 50 years after delivery, the 700 is on its way to SP's Brooklyn roundhouse from Oaks Park. Below: The 7oo's future "canteen" car as seen on Nov. 2, 1987. A Vanderbilt tender off GN 4-8-4 No. 2575, it was donated in 1986 to PRPA, which has decorated it in BN colors, with heralds from BN's predecessor roads.

Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway No. 700

Builder: Baldwin Locomotive Wo rks Delivered: June 21, 1938 Type: E- l (Passenger Oil Burner) Length: 109 feet, 2 inches To tal We ight: 879,600 pounds Diameter Drive Wheels: 77 inches Tender Capacity: Fuel Oil -6,040 gallons Wa ter - 20,000 gallons

Removed from Oaks Park of 29 years. Interestingly, this same diesel switcher had placed the Northern in Oaks Park in 1958. On Nov. 2, just four days before the beginning of Rail The 4-8-4 was towed to SP Brooklyn Roundhouse (home Fair, the 700 was removed from Oaks Park. Portland Trac­ of the 4449) fo r completion of its restoration. While cosmetic tion Co. SW- l No. 100 tugged the 700 out of its resting place work was finished in time for Rail Fair, the boiler work is

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 29 Portlond's traditianal Queen af Steam, SP Daylight 4449, shared the limelight with SP&S 700 at the Partland celebration. The 1987 alteration to 4449 to represent the way General Service (GS) steamers looked at a certain stage of their life was the black upper headlight ring, a true-to-prototype appearance from the late 1940s.

Star of the show was the 700. Surrounded by admirers, the locomotive made its public debut at the 1987 event. An oil-burner with ro ller bearings on all axles, No. 700 has a distinct advantage as a future excursion locomotive.

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---- Portland Traction Company SW 1 No. 1 00 (EMD, 1952) was at Oaks Park on Nov. 2, 1987, to pull SP&S 700 out of its resting place. Number 100 was the same diesel that put 700 into the park in 1958. It is now owned by Dick Samuels, who has restored it to its as-built appearance. Missing, however, are trolley poles which had been added by PT to activate signals via tralley wire.

SP&S 700 and its curious train (the two heavyweight passenger cars ore baggoge car Enterprise, originally a Pul lman sleeper bought by GN in 1948 and converted, and Pullman Cromwell, also purchased by GN in 1948 and converted to maintenance­ of-way diner} moved at a walking pace from Oaks Park to Brooklyn roundhouse. At the far end is PT 100. Date: Nov. 2, 1987.

not yet done. The PRPA's target date for boiler certification is the 700's 50th birthday: June 1988.

Rail Fair '87 Successful The 700's presence at Rail Fair was complemented by a

.. live display and operation of SP 4449, with a five-car red­ and-orange passenger train. The streamliner's deep-throated whistle periodically added to the excitement of Portland's three-day event. The throngs of people who attended Rail Fair learned what redevelopment the city has planned for Union Station. While some of the site will be converted to shops, hotels, condominiums, and parks, the station itself will continue to be a busy Amtrak depot. A rail museum is planned also, and backers are hoping it can finally provide a proper home fo r

the 4449, the 700, and also Union Pacific 4-6-2 No. 3203, A disappearing breed: Espee's cupola-style cabooses were represented at Rail which still languishes at Oaks Park. Next year's Rail Fair Fair '87 by SP 1 133, the last one operating in Oregon. Purchased from SP in should be even more exciting-with two live 4-8-4s, what spring 1987, it is now owned by George Lavacot, Bob Slover and Dan Butler, who have restored it to original condition. other city can match that?!

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 31 continued from page 15 BN shop personnel will perform the nec­ Ltd., both manufacturers of construction Railroads columns essary maintenance under the guidance of materials, has agreed to supporr BN's GE supervisors. This compromise was plans to expand the usage of the long-life tion was located at the crossing of C&NW apparently based on the experience BN track materiel across its system. The fa­ and the Omaha main line of North We st­ has had with B30-7As overhauled by in­ cility for producing the ties will be located ern subsidiary Chicago, St. Paul, Minne­ house and GE forces. The LMX units are in Denver, operating out of the former apolis & Omaha. While the former is the painted in gray, with white and red Midwest Steel building site in the Mile­ CTC-equipped transcontinental main stripes, and are accented with red letter­ High City. line to Fremont and the Union Pacific ing and a small GE logo on the nose. Traffic Mushrooms in the connection, the latter is mostly aban­ The new GEs have been observed in all Twin Cities Terminal doned. types of service since deliveries began, not restricted to inter modal schedules as With its aggressive cost-cutting and Errata some individuals earlier thought would traffic solicitation programs now operat­ Our column in PRN 288 noted the op­ be the case. During the last week of Octo­ ing in high gear, BN proudly boasts of eration of a special Amtrak train between ber, for example, units 8519 and 8549 significant traffic increases handled Chicago and Ames, Iowa, on Septem­ worked as a team on trains 60/63/65 be­ through its Twin Cities Terminal. An ac­ ber 19 to carry football fans to the Iowa­ tween Chicago and Denver. Fuel tender curate measure of the level of general Iowa State football match. That report, FT25 worked on No. 63 through manifest carloadings handled is the num­ based on a trip flyer received by this col­ Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, on the 28th. Engines ber of cars pushed over the Northtown umnist, was incomplete, as the train in numbered as high as the 8554 had been Hump in Minneapolis. In 1985, a total of fact operated beyond Ames to Boone. spotted on the property by mid-Novem­ 592,000 units were moved over the crest, The 20th Century Railroad Club and the ber. The delivery of husky-looking GEs increasing to 660,000 during 1986. By Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers, has allowed the return of all of the leased September 30 of this year, the total had which promoted the train, offered three D&RGW SD45s, and many of the short­ exceeded 600,000 cars, likely to top destinations to travelers: Cedar Rapids term borrowed DM&IR SD9118s and as­ 800,000 units for the entire year. (for the Amana Colonies tourist area), sorted Katy Geeps. At its Midway Intermodal Hub in Ames (for the football game) and Boone St. Paul, the number of trailers and con­ Montana Rail Link Gets Off to tainers handled by BN in 1986 was (for persons wishing to ride the Boone & a Rough Start Scenic Va lley tourist line). The consist of 20,500, while the total for the first three the train included C&NW GP50 5056, Marred by accusations of sabotage, the quarters of 1987 was 23,000. The recent Amtrak F40PHs 397 and 377, and Am­ Montana Rail Link started independent addition of UPS traffic from Chicago will trak Superliners 34082, 34048, 35009, operations on October 31. The serious in­ significantly increase this total for the 31032, 34098, 34064, 33013, 31016, cident occurred just three hours after the fourth quarter and on into 1988. Every 31029 and 31033. part sale/part lease of the former NP weekday finds eight ExpedilOr trains In PRN 287 we mentioned that trackage located across southern Mon­ working out of Midway, in addition to C&NW had substituted River Grove for tana took effect. Three locomotives (in­ transfer runs which connect with trans­ Kedzie Avenue as a stop for West Line cluding two newly delivered LMX B39- continental trains at Northtown. 8s) were separated from a train in the commuter trains. The reference should Summary of Recent Schedule Changes be to River Forest; River Grove is a near­ Livingston yard, and went on a west­ by station on the former Milwaukee bound jaunt of 14 miles over Bozeman Proving the point that modern rail traf­ Road. Pass, reaching speeds of up to 80 mph fic marketing is an evolutionary science, before derailing. BN's labor unions have we have a plethora of schedule changes to Credits claimed no involvement, but a wildcat report this month. The number and dis­ Thanks 10 Bruno Berzins, Bob Slein, strike of 900 employees involved in the tribution of inter modal trains seems to be Montana Rail Link transaction had been in a constant state of change, as evidenced Lloy d Rineharl, Michael M. Barlels, THE called for 12:01 a.m. on the 31st. Strikers by the initiation of ExpedilOr trains 28 and MIXED TRAIN and THE NORTH WESTERN claimed that the sale/lease arrangement 29 between Omaha and Kansas City in DISPATCH. was primarily aimed at destroying the late September. In mid-October, an ex­ union. The particular involvement of the perimental APL double stack train was LMX locomotives in the runaway inci­ received from SP in Kansas City, operat­ dent seems coincidental after the months ing through to the IHB at Congress Park, of litigation over the maintenance provi­ Ill., as a symbol 50MU (for Murray Ya rd sions for these units. The corporation of­ in Kansas City). The IS-car, five-plat­ BURLINGTON fered a $100,000 reward for information form train originated in Long Beach, Cal­ regarding the incident. if. , and was delivered to CR for further NORTHERN On a more positive front, BN has made handling in Chicago. arrangements with Montana Rail Link to Other changes in the Chicago-to-Kan­ convey at least SO of its older locomotives. sas City corridor fo und trains 53 and 54 The group consists of seven switch en­ renumbered to 153/154 respectively as of gines (NW2 19, SW9 269 and SW1200s late September, but in correction to a re­ 203, 208, 215, 216 and 220), 23 GP9s port in PRN 289, symbol 59 was never Karl Rasmussen (1721, 1725, 1729, 1731, 1732, 1744, originated to handle return SeaLand con­ 1831-1835, 1903, 1904, 1924-1927,1929- tainer traffic moving east on No. 58. The Delivery Begins on Leased B39-8s 1931, 1934, 1935 and 1946) and 20 SD40s primarily empty boxes instead go west Upon reaching accord with company (6301, 6306-6308, 6310, 6312, 6315- from Chicago on the point of ExpedilOr union agents concerning the routine 63 17, 6320, 6322, 6324, 6335-6337,6341 No. 57. A final change in this corridor maintenance of the new locomotives, BN and 6344-6347). found symbols 402 and 403 eliminated finally began taking delivery in late Octo­ between Chicago and Galesburg, Ill., ef­ Concrete Ties into BN's Future ber on its fleet of 100 leased B39-8s. The fe ctive Nov. 3. settlement calls for the motive power to After signing a contract to fa bricate 1.7 Probably on a temporary basis, Pacific be leased from LMX on a kilowatt-hours million concrete ties, the consortium of Northwest to Birmingham, Ala., inter­ of electrical energy consumption basis; Lone Star Industries Inc. and Monier modal trains 22 and 24 were rerouted

32 . FEBRUARY 1988 from Kansas City to the Twin Cities, Northern, Mihe Clemy, Rich Farewell, and Encampment Railroad Company. UP Galesburg and St. Louis corridor as of Jeff Hendrichs, Darren HID, KI"is Lundt, purchased the line on Aug. I, 1951. The early November. Number 24 was spotted NORTHWEST RAILI'AN, alld THE MIXED trackage has since been cut back to Sara­ running through Newport, Minn., on the TRAIN. toga where numerous timber brokers ship 1st, behind SD40-2 69 19 and B30-7A outbound lumber, wood chip and paper 4039. products. WRB was expected to start ser­ Coal trains continue to provide materi­ vice on its new trackage by early Decem­ al for this column as well, exemplified by ber. (R . C. Farewell) recent symbol changes in the St. Louis area. Trains JJ054/055 and JJ 1181119 are UNION Head-on Collision in Wyoming now handling We stern coal into local A tragic head-on collision at Nugget, power plants, probably replacing older PACIFIC Wyo. (53 miles west of Granger, Wyo.) symbols usurped by more attractive coal SYSTEM on Nov. 8 claimed the life ofone UP em­ contracts from hungry mines located in ployee and injured six. In the accident, the Powder River Basin. which occurred in heavy fog, eastbound Out west, seven experimental trains freight SECSZ (Seattle-Canal Street symboled as CK1841 185 carried low sul­ Trailers) slammed head-on into west­ .. fur coal into the power plant located at bound freight CSSEZ (Canal Street-Seat­ Ken Meeker Centralia, Wa sh. Tested during Septem­ tle Trailers). This portion of railroad is ber, it is expected that the successful op­ under CTC (Centralized TrafficControl ). eration of the sub-bituminous product in Two Branches Sold Power for the SECSZ was SD60s 60 14 the subject steam plant will lead to fur­ In a practice becoming increasingly popu­ and 6016 while MP C30-7s 9025 and 9000 ther contracts. lar among the nation's larger railroads, and SD40-2 3228 were in charge of the Union Pacific has arranged for the sale of westbound counterpart. As could be ex­ Operational Footnotes two more branch lines that it fe els would pected, damage was most severe to the As of Oct. 18, the entire Chicago Re­ be more profitable if operated as a short two lead units; both are currently being gion was being dispatched with Track line, without the strict union guidelines evaluated for repair. The remains of the Wa rrant Control, although some addi­ that regulate larger railroads. In addition 9025 were shipped to the North Little tional communication system invest­ to the 476.5 miles of Idaho and Oregon Rock shops in a gondola. Killed in the ments will be required to make the oper­ trackage currently under negotiations wreck was Pocatello Conductor Ned E. ation 100-percent effective. with Western Intermountain Industries, Hanson. In a rare but touching gesture, The rapid increase in container traffic Inc. (PRN 290), UP, during late Octo­ UP ran a special "funeral train" between prompted BN to add to its fleet of plat­ ber, completed a deal to sell the 24.3-mile Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Pocatello on fo rm equipment, this time in the form of Encampment Branch in southeastern Nov. 9 to move the casket of Mr. Hanson three-unit sets, numbered in the 637300- Wyoming and the 108-mile Coalmont from Kemmerer, Wyo., to Pocatello. series, spotted on the Chicago-to-Seattle Branch in Wyoming and Northern Colo­ Powered by a freshly cleaned GP40X, the trains by mid-October. rado to Western Railroad Builders special included a baggage car and busi­ That leased power does get around: (WRB) of Ogden, Utah. This contracting ness car 119 and operated from Council Katy GP39-2 373 was spotted on an X66 firm is a partner with We stern Inter­ Bluffs to Green River, Wyo., where it was drag at Aberdeen, S. Dak., on Oct. 16, mountain Gas Company of Boise, Idaho, held fo r a 2 p.m. arrival at Kemmerer. getting down to Albia, Iowa, by Oct. 20 in the negotiations for the Idaho trackage. Family members rode in the business car and working No. 492 through Mt. Plea­ While details are still sketchy at this time, to Pocatello where the train was spotted at sant, Iowa, two days later! we do know that UP has delivered fo rmer the depot fo r unloading of the casket. How about some pooled power thrown Burlington Northern SD7 6083 to the The cause of the accident is currently in for good measure. HLC SD40A 5021 Laramie, Wyo., headquarters for the new under investigation. A bizarre and tragic (from Soo) and SD40-2 7205 worked the short line and reportedly, WRB has ar­ twist was that the engineer of the east­ 126-CC275 coal empties into Aberdeen, ranged with dealer Mountain Diesel bound train and the deceased conductor S. Dak., on Oct. 30, while one week ear­ Transportation Co. of Sacramento for of the westbound train were brothers, and lier, Cotton Belt SD45T-2 9383 was spot­ lease of an A-B set of fo rmer Alaska Rail­ neither knew his sibling was on the other ted at the Northtown Shop in Minneapo­ road F units for use on the Coalmont train. (Tom Johnstoll) lis. One of the more elaborate Branch. The ex-BN SD7 is one of several applications of foreign power found CN units turned over to UP by the bankrupt Locomotive News SD40s 5218/5024/5223/5023/5204/5219 Iowa Railroad in lieu of payment for UP's locomotive roster, which on working with BN SD40-2 8159 on broker fees; it is slated for use on the Nov. IS totaled 2,263 units, reflected the No. 241 out of Minneapolis on Oct. 22. Encampment Branch. following changes during late October The trailing 5 I-car train featured no less The Coalmont Branch, originally built and early November: Sold to Morrison­ than four CN 78100-series waycars! in 1903-191 1 by the Laramie, Hahn's Knudsen of Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 28 Peak & Pacific Railway Company be­ were ten fo rmer Rock Island GP40s, most Motive Power Postscript tween Laramie and Coalmont, a distance of which had been retired or were pend­ The number of operating leased ex-CR of 11l.8 miles, was purchased by UP on ing retirement: GP38-2s (with full EMD markings) was Dec. 195 l. The line has since been cut I, UP No. Ex-RI No. in excess of 25 units by mid-November. back to Hebron, milepost 108, and the MP 60� 34� Soo's Shoreham Shops and BN's West trackage between Hebron and Wa lden, MP 606 3�6 Burlington Shops are making quick milepost 92.2, has been out of service for UP 610 350 strides in getting the entire fleet operable several years. Weekly unit coal trains have UP 612 352 UP 61� 35� before severe winter weather sets in. One been the branch's main traffic source in ," \1' 615 355 of the more colorful applications of the recent years. Fox Park siding, milepost Ml' 626 368 blue Geeps found the 76 1 leading BN 54.6 on the branch, is the highest point on MP 628 37 1 GP9 1889 and GP IO 1409, and GATX the UP system with an elevation of 9,058 Ml' 629 372 UP 6�6 HI5 SD38-2 1238 on a 90-car No. 835 out of fe et. The Encampment Branch was con­ Minnepolis on Nov. 11. structed from Wa lcott to Encampment Sold to Precision National at Mt. Ve r­ Thallhs to Jim Aronhalt, Burlillgton between 1906 and 1908 by the Saratoga non, Ill., on Oct. 29 were SD40 30 II and

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 33 all six of the "Sulzer" SD45s, numbers Armour Ye llow Shorts and one brakeman. The elimination of the 60-65. These SD45s were retired on Pooled power infiltrating UP's system second brakeman was agreeable to the Dec. 21, 1983, only two years after hav­ trackage has seen some unusual examples union in exchange for a guaranteed re­ ing had experimental Sulzer engines in­ serve board: high-seniority trainmen will during recent months. Perhaps the most stalled by Morrison-Knudsen. Two loco­ be able to stay home and receive 70 per­ bizarre was Southern Pacific SD9E 4336, motives that were intended as trade-ins to cent of their pay for the remainder of which was interchanged to UP at Port­ General Electric (via scrapper Pielet land, Ore., on Oct. 22, and operated to their railroad careers. Establishment of Brothers) against the new order of 75 North Platte on symbol SENP2 on an additional guaranteed extra board pro­ Dash 40-8Cs were deemed " unmovable" Oct. 23. On Oct. 25 the aging "Cadillac" tects the low seniority trainmen who can­ at their current location and will be not hold regular pool turns and only work headed for Los Angeles on symbol scrapped locally. C30-7 2425 (wrecked at when vacancies occur. The only trams APLA7, a hot American President Lines Robbers Creek, Calif., last year) was sold that will still operate with the traditional double stack container train. After run­ to Durbano Metals of Ogden, Utah, on train crew arrangement are the locals on ning on several of the Utah basin coal August 10. Disposition is pending for the Inside Gateway or Highline between . trains for the next few days, the 4336 U30C 2929. The railroad has substltuted Keddie and Bieber, Calif. , where a flag­ headed west again on Nov. I on symbol U30Cs 2923 and 2942 against the GE or­ man is required on the line's non-sig­ APOA5X, another hot double stacker to der, along with U30C 2871 (which was nalled trackage, and on subsidiary Sacra­ Oakland. It was interchanged back to the wrecked by C&NW at Tama, Iowa, last mento Northern Ry. , whose crews opted SP at Oakland on Nov. 2 ...Other re­ year). not to vote for crew consist. The reduced cent rare examples of pooled power in­ The fo llowing units were stored unser­ crew arrangement took effect Nov. 2-5 cluded both Conrail and C&NW SD50s . viceable, awaiting retirement, during Oc­ across the Feather River DistrICt. UP IS and several Alliance-based BN GE units tober/November: U30Cs 2832 and 2889, currently negotiating with the different (Elrond Lawrence) ...On Sept. 26, UP SD40 3026 and SD40 MP 3014. UTU lodges across its system in hopes of helped the mountain city of Wallace, Ida­ The following units were recently relet­ signing additional crew consist agree­ ho celebrate the centennial of the first tered from MoPac to UP: MP15s 1359 ments. rai road (narrow gauge Coeur d'Alene and 1381, GP15-1 1626 and GP38-2 2223. l Railway and Navigation Company) to Units repainted and relettered lllcluded: Winnemucca Yard Office Closed reach this mining town, the hub of Ida­ Continuing force reductions have ho's silver belt. To commemorate the oc­ Model MoPae No. UP No. claimed yet another former WP station. casion, UP ran a special passenger train to SD40-2s 3106 4106 Effective Nov. 30, the operator posItIons 3134 4134 Wallace, powered by GP38-2s 2023 and at Winnemucca, Nev., were scheduled to U23B 4523 557 2016 with business cars Idaho and 105. be abolished. Train reportings will be B23-7 4617 117 Dignitaries on board included Idaho's B30-7A 48 13 213 handled by the stations at Portola, Calif. , governor and several prorrunent area SD40-2C 6028 3928 and Elko, N ev., and train crews will be businessmen. UP's own branch to Wa l­ responsible for obtaining their c�mputer­ lace was constructed between 1888 and generated train orders and work lists from UP's decision not to renew the long­ 1890 by the Wa shington & Idaho Railroad the depot's printer. One mamtenance-of­ term operating lease on many of its pre­ Company ...UP has placed into service way clerk's position will be r tamed, at viously leased locomotives has left the 345 new 73-foot centerbeam flatcars for � . least for the time being. In addltJOn to the railroad in a severe power crunch, espe­ lumber loading. The cars were built by agencies at Elko and Portola, only Stock­ cially for four-axle units. To remedy this Gunderson Corporation of Portland, Ore. ton was drastically cut back on Sept. IS, situation, UP has "re-leased" on a short­ . . . Making appearances in Southern however, when the Customer Service term basis many of the former MoPac California during early November were Center portion was transferred to the Na­ GP38-2s that were returned to U.S. Trust pairs of C&NW SD50s and SD60s on the tional Customer Service Center at Company of New Yo rk last June. The CSLAZ. This hot pig train which comes St. Louis. Twenty-three jobs were either non-dynamic-brake-equipped units have off the North Western usually gets plenty eliminated or transferred. Only 35 cleri­ mainly been assigned to former MoPac of power, so a pair is rare ...Local pow­ cal positions remain on the entire former­ branch lines in the Texas area, although a er in Los Angeles remains interestlllg. WP trackage, as compared to over 250 in few have strayed west, including Four B23-7s (175, 177, 179, and 181) the operating department alone prIor to No. 2009, which was working the Boul­ work locals, including to the harbor. Oth­ the merger. der Local out of Las Vegas during late er local units during November were October. UP also began a short-term SD40s 3018 and 3118, and MoPac GP38- Feather River Shorts lease agreement with EMD effective early 2 2063 arrived in mid-month ... One October for the lease of SO ex-Conrail reason you may see C36-7s at Los Angeles During the past few months shipments GP38-2s. The dynamic-brake-equipped during the day (in or out of the engllle of government-owned grain have filled . units are part of a group of 100 ex-Conrail shed) is that they tend to arnve at mght up storage silos and warehouses through­ GP38-2s that were returned to EMD and may lay over until the next night to out the west coast. Much of the gram that upon expiration of their lease. EM!?s �b­ depart on a piggyback or contalller tram has been shipped to northern California contracted the necessary recOndItIOnlllg ...UP's double-stack train operated for has been unloaded for storage at the site work and is now leasing the units to both K Line now has some new equipment in ofthe former Del Monte Cannery at Yuba UP and BN. When delivered to UP, the tow. K Line has leased its own version of City. This facility, which is located on the units were painted in solid Conrail blue, well cars, which have a lower profile, and Sacramento Northern, was recently fi lled with only EMD ownership marklllgs to capacity, so all future grain will be . smooth-sided appearance. (Dick Stephen­ stencilled on the cab. The umts, whlCh son) stored at other local warehouses. Several are ex-Conrail 7940-8039 (built in 1972), of these are located in the Colusa area, have had the second digit dropped (EMD west of Yuba City, away from rail service. Reduced Crews on the numbers 740 through 839). While on UP, The closest rail access exists on SN's Sut­ Feather River Route they have been suffixed with the letter ter Branch, which at one time extended "L" to avoid conflict with the remalllmg During mid-October, UP reached an all the way to Colusa. Recently several UP GP30s that occupy the number series agreement with the United Trans­ unit grain trains have been operated out 700 through 874. The ex-Conra l units portation Union crews on th: former WP to the end of the branch, between Sutter � . have so far only operated on UP s mid­ lines that has resulted m tram crew con­ and Tarke. The grain was then unloaded western trackage. sist of an engineer, plus one conductor into trucks for transit to local storage

34 . FEBRUARY 1988 warehouses . . . The last remaining sec­ things at which Santa Fe is looking. Fol­ Network have already started to take tion of the long abandoned Terminous lowing evaluation of test data and em­ place. A traffic imbalance on the Phoenix Branch, northwest of Stockton, was re­ ployee reactions, Santa Fe is expected to leg (far higher inbound than outbound moved during late summer. The wye and place an order. Should that be with business) led to discontinuance of that one mile of tail track that have been used EMD, a place has already been reserved segment, with the last run of the QKCPX only for bad order car storage during the in the GMD production schedule for on Sept. 16 and the last QPXKC two days last ten years had been retired earlier this GP60s, but the railroad could certainly later. New symbol VCWPX (Chicago­ year. alter or customize the model, or order Phoenix), effective Nov. 2, does not op­ variations on a stock model to suit its pur­ erate with reduced crews. The Q train poses. As with previous purchases, it is from Kansas City now continues south possible that Santa Fe will split the orders from Albuquerque to EI Paso and oper­ between EMD and GE. Don't be sur­ ates six days per week. prised if B39-8s are the designated unit Another new service, initiated Nov. 16 acquired from GE in 1988. between Los Angeles and Richmond SANTA Chico's Notebook (trains 899 and 998), has evening depar­ FE Changes in Santa Fe's Quality Service tures (six days per week, except Sunday)

Dave Busse

Looking Ahead Santa Fe enters 1988 with many unan­ swered questions about the future direc­ tion of the railroad. The very ownership of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Rail­ way may still be up for grabs by the time you read this. Two different take-over bids are pending for parent SFSP. No matter who is in charge, there will be a continued emphasis on cost-cutting and greater operating efficiency. There CAJON should be a number of changes in 1988 that will have a direct bearing on what railfans see at trackside. PASS Santa Fe has started to join the move­ ment to sell off branch lines (see News section), and additional sales may be pro­ AND posed during 1988. Some operating efficiencies will come through changed crew districts. One ex­ 1H£ ample underway now is the elimination of Emporia as a crew change point. Initially, \ 41 engine men are being relocated, part of P a total of 171 employees affected by long HAPj lOO ilroading \ runs. From Kansas City westward, crews AC . ' t tarnOU s ra i loOP work to Wellington, Newton, or Arkan­ l£H la s rnos ""acnap t calitorn a d tne Ie" d' g sas City, Kan. Members of both the B of Visit ass n r railroa � � twq °Botn caion P ectacula d n -t L.E. and UTU have been affected. Other andrnark eryan d �� cations an l �'itul scen . w o otn lo run-throughs are targeted for later in the offer, e e-uP vie to �t a clos , office Bars W year. o � avel thern. patcher s h lena- Another change reportedly coming in '{ � 1-fnat\tr 't e Dis u nd t e -\ trains ta e yOU to h ab ride aro mid-1988 is the closure of La Junta, We also k o a c and give y U . action Colo., and Clovis, N. Mex., as division \-I p '{ard ilroadl�9 urn PI· d itn ra e.,?n d headquarters, as part of a restructuring cnoPi lOO is loa?e t, traCKSla \ UR ta e eev:r s sea CifiC that would see the New Mexico and Colo­ Inis 2 \-lO tne-engln s utnern pa uts yoU 'n� Fe and o rado divisions combined and moved to wnicn p �otn santa Albuquerque. cing along pa Q/Ie As reported in previous issues, the re­ trains. r tape today\ cent study of locomotive design changes Order you is also aimed at bringing about many only $59.95 9-\'\ money-saving improvements. The six �p.O. 80X 94-\,\0 - BElA a CA.9 9 SD45-2 booster units are on the road -VMS or pasaden , V r . now, and are a hint of what might be e orde n ck or Mon . u e actlo - Ch e 5 m t ly included in a future new locomotive or­ cial 2 s for on , r alspe dUCtiOn der. Changes in locomotive body design s (fe er pr� PluS, we al O a f our oth a e o to lower aerodynamic drag and increase k prevIew t p \ c ed fuel efficiency have been studied. Tests pa $10! using Canadian National SD50F 5432 t will give an indication of some of the

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 35 from the terminals and an overnight run. partner Ray Lindstrom told the ARIZONA vandalism. In 1986, CN shipped 900,000 These trains use three three-person REPUBLIC that the company hopes to sell vehicles and paid out just C$2 million in crews, changing at Barstow and Bakers­ two or three dressed-up cabooses each claims-a dramatic decrease since 1980. field. In a scene reminiscent of Super C, month and to have at least six always in CN states that it carries more than 60 per­ the 998 train into Los Angeles on Nov. 26 stock. "Obviously our customers will be cent of all autos shipped by major manu­ had SD45-2R 5839 and six piggybacks. It train buffs who have a lot of money," he facturers to Canadian destinations and as is expected, however, that the train will said. "But $99,000 is cheaper than a much as 80 percent of international traf­ grow as new business is found. Rolls-Royce." (Yes, Mr. Lindstrom, but fic. Other railways and truckers are, of Helper locomotives were seen in early it would also buy you a fa irly decent pas­ course, trying to cut into this market November on the Fourth Subdivision of senger car or a couple of first-generation share. the Los Angeles Division while attempt­ locomotives with spare parts thrown CN is considering a major reorganiza­ ing to expedite heavy San Diego-bound in.-Ed.) tion of its regional operations centers to a SDX freights over Miramar Hill between Thanks 10 Keel MiddlelOn,Jim Speaker, centralized location in Toronto. If imple­ Del Mar and San Diego. The helpers (ei­ SANTA FE RAILWAY NEWS, Elrond Law­ mented, this could see 13 or 14 regional ther two or three units, depending on rence, Jon Gmlield, Cliffo rd Prather, Jim centers closed and a vast number of posi­ tonnage) worked on the rear of the train, Miner, Steve Donaldson, L.A. "Bud" Jell, tions transferred to Toronto. CN is study­ and returned light after cutting off at George Arthur, Aaron Zipthorpe, and Dick ing the move and will present the propos­ Miramar. Photographers weren't too ex­ Stephenson . al to the Canadian Transport cited, however, because, for the most Commission. part, the job works after dark. What Canadian National placed its three mil­ perked up many at trackside was the in­ lionth concrete tie on September 2, 1987, clusion of a Conrail unit in the consist­ at Kawene, Ont., 120 miles west of part of a program to run off miles. Conrail RAIL Thunder Bay. This represents over 1,200 units 3197, 6319 and 64 13 were noted in miles of track laid on concrete ties in Southern California. (See PhOIO SlOp pp. CANADA western Canada since the program began 44-45.) in 1975. The tie program brought to a Santa Fe donated transportation WEST close the upgrading of CN's important recently for two trailerloads of used South line into Thunder Bay, which car­ school desks, chairs and tables from Mo­ ries a large amount of bulk commodity desto, Calif. , to Tecate, Mexico. They traffic. will be used to furnish a school being CN Power News built by the local Rotary Club. To m Higgins Santa Fe carried the Operation Lifesav­ Cross a GP9 and an SW1200 and what er message to the Phoenix area just before Canadian National News do you get? According to fans: SWEEPS. Thanksgiving with a staged grade-cross­ Ex-CN 4-8-2 No. 6060 has been moved These two rebuilt units, classed as GS- ing accident in nearby Sun City, Ariz. into the steam shop at North Va ncouver. 413a, originally emerged from Pointe St. Many in the company feel these staged The engine moved under her own steam Charles Shops in Montreal in March 1986 events get the message out better (and far from Alberta to Vancouver last year for as 7300 and 7301, and later were renum­ cheaper) than the railfan-favored special SteamExpo. An additional $50,000 has bered 7100 and 7101. The next six units, trains. been allocated to get the steamer ready for classed GS-413b, were completed in 1987 Two Phoenix entrepreneurs have start­ excursion service in 1988. and numbered 7102-7107. Two addition­ ed the Custom Caboose Co., to buy, re­ A rockslide on CN's Alberta Resources al units released in 1987, numbered 7300 store, customize and resell railroad ca­ Ry. caused extensive damage to SD40- and 7301, are classed as GS-412a. booses for non-rail uses. The company is 2(W) 5306 and SD40s 5116 and 5126 CP Rail Power News headquartered in former Santa Fe steel when they derailed. The three units were caboose 999232, which now includes a spotted on their way through Edmonton CP Rail has leased 20 additional units: wet bar, refrigerator, microwave, televi­ on their way to repairs, in early Septem­ ber. BC Rail SD40-2s 747, 750, and 757 sion, stereo sound system, L-shaped wal­ Quebec, North Shore & Labrador SD40s nut desk, plush carpet, computer work Since the early 1980s, CN Rail has 200-203, 220 station, security system and specially de­ spent more than C$230 million on its Re­ Chicago, Missouri & Weslern (ex·WP) signed bathroom, complete with minia­ duction of Automobile Damage (ROAD) GP40s 3517, 3519-3522, 3524, and 3525 program to enclose railcars transporting Bessemer & Lake Erie SD9s 825, 827, 829, ture sink. One can be yours for just 83 1, and 832 $99,000 including shipping. Company automobiles and to reduce damage from These latest units bring to 65 the total number of leased engines on CP Rail. GP9 8835 recently suffered a fire while TRACTION working on Vancouver Island. It has been ProIOIYflCS and Models moved to Angus Shops for rebuilding. The 45 remaining unrebuilt GP9 units "The magazine for the traction enthusiast" will be rebuilt and numbered into the • Book ReViews BOOK & GIFT SHOP • Great Photos 01 the • 36 to 44 pages • HLnts �st..ro$ri 8200 series, for use as road switchers. • Letters • M aps CALIfORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM In other Victoria news, SW1200 1210 Over 1000 Titles Always In Stock! replaced SW8 6701 at Victoria while the 0-- CALL US FIRST! � smaller unit was sent to Coquitlam Yard

Mileposl 1 and lhe Slale Railroad Museum for maintenance. GP9u 1623 is at We llcox SUBSCRIBE TODAY are open 7 days a week 10 AM . 5 PM Ya rd; other E&N engines were GP9s 8825, 8827, 8828, 8830 and 8836 as of 6 Bi-monthly Issues PHONE ORDERS (916) 447·9665 VISA/MC mid-September. Only ...... $1 600 115 "I" STREET ' OLD SACRAMENTO, CA 95814 $3000 12 Issues Only SEND $1.00 FOR CURRENT CATALOG CP Rail News Mail to: Box 526, Canton, Ohio 44701 Grain shipments on CP Rail set a new Dealer Inquiries Welcome soclm PACifiC COASI CHAPl[R RAILWAY & LOCOMOlIV[ HISIORICAL IIiC. record in 1986/87, up more than 35 per-

36 . FEBRUARY 1988 cent over the previous year. Products in­ the Mexican railroad is transporting tour­ cluded shipments of wheat, oats, barley, ists and their recreational vehicles on the flax, canola and rye. Moving this traffic Chihuahua Pacific line. Between October Carl Loucks was made easier by the addition of 4,500 and the end of April, the NdeM expects new cars to the fleet, plus the leasing of to handle 54 movements and to receive .. .sELLING RAILROAD TIMETABLES hoppers from roads in the U. S. over one million dollars income. The first trip of the season was on Oct. 17 and con­ 199Wayland st., NorthHaven, CT 06473 sisted of 68 RVs and 86 tourists carried on 30 flatcars from Chihuahua to Los SPECIALS OF THE MONTH ... Mochis. a few of the more than 100,000 items in our stock. We do NOT sell any re­ Peso Devaluation prints. All are original railroad issue. You'll learn about railroad operations MEXICAN The further downward drop in the val­ from these .. ue of the peso vs. the dollar is not good

RAILROADS news for the Mexican railways. Their RULE BOOK - ability to buy spare parts or other needed SEABOARD SYSTEM 1984. Over 200 supplies is further limited. For travelers, pages with operating, signal and com­ it makes Mexico a very good travel value. munications rules. With the devaluation, it can be expected Hard Cover Binder $20. that there will be fu rther price increases CONDUCTOR'S INSTRUCTIONS - C. R. Prather (but taken against the value of our dol­ Amtrak 1981 . Fare Rules, Safety Rules, lars, it still is bargain shopping time). Operating Rules, PA Announcements, There have been some interesting turns etc. 200 + pages, Hard Cover three ring of events regarding 50 diesel locomotives Historical Group Being Formed Binder $20. to be sent to Mexico. The original reports PACIFIC RAILNEWS is proud to be the AMTRAK EMPLOYEE TIMETABLE: from Mexico stated the units would be only railfan publication to carry news Northeast Corridor, Schedules, rebuilt by three U. S. companies and from Mexico on a regular basis. We have Instructions. maps, Over 400 pages, would be exchanged for 50 NdeM units. been asked to mention that consideration Binder $20. Morrison-Knudsen was to supply 25 is being given to forming a historical EMPLOYEE TIMETABLES: Line by line units, VMV Enterprises of Paducah, Ky., group whose fo cus would be Mexican trackage, instructions, speeds etc .. 15 units and EMD was to supply the re­ railways. If you are interested in informa­ CN-Prarie 1986 $ 8. maining 10 units. The 25 units from M-K tion on such a group, please contact Ed GTW-System 1982 ...... $ 6. ICG-Midwest 1983 $ 6. would be former Milwaukee Road SD40- Vo n Nordeck, P. O. Box 2768, Riverside, MILWAUKEE RD Syst-82 $1 0. 2s. CA 92516. A word of thanks to all of you N & W-Pocahontas 1981 $ 6. Since then, the ex-MILW units have who keep our columnist supplied with NS-Crescent 1987 $ 8. been diverted to work on the power-short data from Mexico. (Dick Stephenson) PRR-Eastern 1965 $ 8. SP. It was assumed all the units sent to PC-Eastern 1971 ...... $ 8. SBD-Florence 1984 $ 6. Mexico would be SD40-2s, however, Thanks 10 Ken Ardinger, Ed Vo n Nor­ SBD-Nashville 1985 ...... $ 6. VMV has sent 16 former N&W SD45s deck, and EXCELSIOR. SBD-Raleigh 1985 ...... $ 6. and two former BN SD45s. The follow­ SOO-SYSTEM 1986 $10. ing ex-N&W units have been sent: 1704, SSW-Kansas City 1981 $ 8. 1706, 1708, 1716, 1730-1732, 1734, 1 736, SP-Eastern 1986 $ 8. 1739, 1741, 1747, 1757 and 1762-1 764. SP-Northern 1986 S 8. The ex-BN units were the 6405 and 6683 UP-System (with MP) 1986 $ 8. (nee-SLSF). As of mid-December, it was PUBLIC TIMETABLE SPECIAL: not known whether the units were rebuilt SHORTLINES The history of your favorite road told in as SD45s or SD40s. timetables. One from the 1940s. one from the 1950s, one from the 1960s ... 3 Passenger News System timetables for only $12.00. Trains 53 and 54, the overnight trains Choose from ATSF,ACL,CB&O, between Mexico City and Veracruz, are MILW,CRIP,CV,C&O.B&O,IC,GN,NH, NYC,N&W.NP,PRR,SAL,SOU,UP. Six the latest to be upgraded. ElJarocho be­ sets for $60.00 gan running with new and rebuilt equip­ Mark Denis EMPLOYEE TIMETABLE ment during the last part of October. STARTER KIT: With the inauguration of this service, Ideal for the new col­ lector. Ten employee timetables, hours there are now improved trains on all the The Kiamichi Railroad had its grand of interesting reading about railroad op­ overnight routes from Mexico City with opening on October 24-25, with passen­ erations. One each from the SP, the exceptions of the lines to Oaxaca, ger specials on the Hugo-Durant, Okla., UP,ICG,SCL,SOU,ATSF,BN,MP, north to Guadalajara and south and east turn and the Hugo, Okla.-Ashdown, ROCK ISLAND, and CPo All ten for to Ve ra Cruz. More on upgraded passen­ Ark., turn. Kiamichi is operator of the $25.00. ger service later. old Frisco Ardmore-Arkinda Subdivision NdeM has been running numerous ad­ and the Antlers, Okla.-Paris, Texas por­ Our monthly catalogue lists hundreds vertisements in magazines and news­ tion of Frisco's Arthur Subdivision. Op­ of items. No charge, sent with each papers to promote the improved passen­ erations are based at the old Frisco divi­ order, or send a SSAE. ger service. Many of the ads have been for sion point of Hugo, Okla.; power consists the El Purepecha on the Mexico City­ of fo ur ex-MoPac GP35Ms and three Uruapan route. So far the railroad has GP9s. usually advertised only the latest up­ As oflate October, a Hugo to Paris turn graded train, and the ads usually mention usually starts between 7 and 8 a.m. A Carl Loucks points of regional interest or have a holi­ Hugo-Madell, Okla., turn is also called ...SELLING RAiLROAD TIMETABLES day tie-in. for the same time. (This train runs over 199 Wayland St., North Haven, IT 06473 An interesting source of revenue for BN tracks from Lakeside to Madill, the

PACIFIC RaiiNEWS • 37 interchange point.) An evening train tival, so was affected very little, if at all, next two-to-three years, it is hoped). Five from Hugo to Ashdown, Ark., is some­ by that. The degree to which recreational cars is the number called for in the agen­ times called after the Madill turn arrives riding might occur on other new-genera­ cy's new Transit Development Plan (five­ back in Hugo. A switcher is based at Ash­ tion light rail systems depends somewhat year plan), but the agency hopes to be down to interchange with KCS and the on the attractiveness and variety of the able to secure funding sufficient to dou­ Graysonia, Nashville & Ashdown and to environments encountered on a trip over ble this number. serve local customers (it also works the the line, but Portland's impressive num­ Ashdown-Hope line). bers are strong evidence that rail travel­ Coal trains off BN out of Madill oper­ even when it's just rail transit-holds a ate to a power plant at Ft. Towson, certain usually-unquantifiable attraction Okla., 15 miles east of Hugo, using BN for the average person (not just railfans). power. This fact is no surprise to most readers of Interchange points are at Madill (with this column, but outside the transit-en­ MUNI BN); Durant, Okla. [with MKT and UP thusiast community, it would have been (MP)]; Valliant, Okla. (with Texas, Okla­ difficult to convince anyone in Portland homa & Eastern); Ashdown, Ark. (with of this before the MAX line opened. KCS and GN&A) and Hope, Ark. [with The survey also found that only 57 per­ UP (MP)]. Radio channels are 160.920 cent of all weekday boardings were for and 160.350. (Dan Schroeder) trips to or from work; shopping, enter­ tainment, and personal business were the Don Jewell other reasons most often cited by the sur­ vey respondents. Had the survey not been done during the summer, school J Line Extension trips would undoubtedly also have placed Muni has finally received the federal TRANSIT highly. Other statistics of interest include grant for the extension of the J-Church the following: Contrary to traditional ex­ streetcar line to Metro Center. This grant pectations, MAX's park-and-ride lots are in the amount of $9 million has been more heavily used on weekends (4,610 pending for two years and will be cars per day average) than on weekdays matched with $3 million in Muni funds, (3,744 cars), at least in the third week of plus a previous $6 million grant, to build June '87. In terms of boarding and alight­ this 2.3-mile extension. It will run from PORTLAND ing activity, the busiest stations on the the current J Line terminal at 30th and LIGHT line are Pioneer Courthouse Square (on Church sts. via 30th St. and San Jose Ave. weekdays) and Lloyd Center (on week­ to Metro Center with initial stations RAIL ends). During the survey period, people planned on San Jose Ave. near BART's who were not residents of the Portland­ Glen Park Station and at Randall St. Va ncouver metropolitan area accounted Patronage on the J-Church line should for 18 percent of MAX riders on the aver­ substantially increase from the present By Steve Morgan age weekday and 27 percent of riders on 16,000 per day when the extension is the average weekend day. As to fare pay­ opened. Besides providing a faster trip ment, 35 percent of weekday riders used downtown by LRV compared to present­ A detailed survey of MAX passengers was monthly passes, 14 percent used discount day bus service on San Jose Ave., it will conducted in June by a local research tickets (purchased ten at a time), and allow Muni to dispatch cars to the N­ company under cor:tract to Tri-Met. Re­ 46 percent paid cash for each ride; down­ Judah and J-Church lines from Metro sponses from 4500 light rail riders were town's Fareless Square accounted for Center much faster than the present route tabulated and extrapolated to represent three percent of weekday MAX board­ through Twin Peaks Tunnel. Also, plans all-day totals. The results were presented ings. for the extension call for at least some of at the end of the summer. One of the most the J Line cars to be through-routed on Ridership Still Fluctuating interesting findings was in the area of the M-Oceanview Line to S. F. State Uni­ "Trip Purpose": Recreational riding ac­ After four consecutive months in the versity and the large Stonestown Shop­ counted for 4.5 percent of boardings on range 18-19,000, I wrote in the October ping Center, thus providing direct service the average weekday but an amazing PRN that perhaps weekday MAX rider­ to these imporant destinations for the 21.7 percent of boardings on an average ship had stabilized at that level. It now first time from the Noe Valley and Mis­ weekend day (in June). This translates to seems that it is still too early to be able to sion Districts. about 900 riders on an average weekday say, as summer patronage was significant­ Bids for actual construction of the new and over 4,000 riders on an average Satur­ ly higher. Average weekday boardings line will be called for shortly, with work day. People citing "entertainment" or were just under 21,000 in June and July, expected to begin next spring. The job is "visiting friends" for the purpose of their 22,400 in August, 18,800 in September, scheduled to take about two and one-half trips were put in separate categories from and 19, 100 in October. There is no dis­ years with the first revenue service over the "recreation/sightseeing" one, but cernable trend, as yet, although this ob­ the new route expected in late 1990. With there are very few tourist destinations server wonders if perhaps higher rider­ the announcement of the federal grant, along MAX which could be considered ship in the summer months-and California Senator Pete Wilson called this "sightseeing" rather than just "entertain­ probably December-might be a regular project "one of the better investments the ment"; thus, it is generally agreed that occurrence for MAX, in view of the high federal government has made in mass nearly all of these trips were people riding percentage of recreational riders. Sunday transit. " MAX just for the fun of it. ridership has finally dropped off-pres­ The survey was conducted more than ently falling in the area of IO,OOO-but nine months after the light rail line's Saturday activity remains at the 19- opening, so nearly all Portlanders have 21,000 level. Tri-Met has announced had a chance to take a ride, and much of that, in order to increase service levels it � the novelty should have worn off. The intends to order some additional light rail Rail� study took place after the 1987 Rose Fes- cars as soon as finance permits (in the

38 . FEBRUARY 1988 ticipated next Memorial Day. To provide We are now informed that "Glendale" re­ additional fu nding for the interior of the fers to the Glendale Mill site near Arcata, building, the Friends of the V &T orga­ Calif. The folks in Eureka undoubtedly jPRESERVATIONj nization is placing personalized message knew the nearby sites; this columnist did paving blocks along the walkways for a not. donation of $45 . An SASE to P. O. (Thanks to A. B. Abenzelhy) Brian Norden Box 1330, Carson City, NV 89702 should bring information. The Ogden Union Station has been There was steam activity in Nevada at the restored for use as a civic center. The The 1987 season ended for Cumbres & end of October. At the Nevada Northern 1924-built depot now houses several mu­ Toltec Scenic Railroad on October 30. Museum , 4-6-0 No. 40 (BLW 1910) was seums (antique autos, firearms, a model This was reportedly its best season, with a used on the 30th and 31st for filming a railroad, gem and art exhibits) and a com­ ridership increase of nearly 14 percent Willie Nelson film. The engine, equipped bined theater and banquet room beside over 1986. During the year the volunteer with a diamond stack and pulling one of continuing to be used as a working rail­ program painted 18 cars and engines 483 the baggage-coaches painted yellow, was road station. An exterior exhibit of rail­ and 492, and made repairs to other cars. operated in open country between McGill road equiment is being developed. The Various improvements to the physical and East Ely. The engine was cleanly collection, which started with a UP steam plant were done including the installation fired with hard coal. rotary snow plow and a UP ISO-ton wreck of over 2,000 treated ties. The seven Also the same weekend, V&T 4-4-0 derrick, now also includes three locomo­ coaches built over the previous two years No. 22 (BLW 1875) and 4-6-0 No. 25 tives, several freight cars, one SP bay­ at Antonito were in service out of Chama. (BLW 1905) were operated at the Nevada window caboose, UP wooden side-door These cars have the traditional clerestory State Railroad Museum. No. 25 pulled caboose No. 25766, and UP dome-lounge roof line and Hale & Kilburn walkover the two tunnel cars which provided rides No. 9015 (the tail car named Moon Glow seats. on the Museum's trackage. On the 31st from the General Motors Tra in of To mor­ (Cumbres To ltec Scenic Railroad) the replica of the V &T water tank was & row). The dome-lounge was rescued after dedicated by appropriate state officials; Oops and corrections department. In some 20 years in a Pocatello, Idaho, scrap No. 22 and coach No. 4 transported the PRN 287 it was reported that Arcata and yard. It is reported that a grant has been dignitaries. That evening the Friends of Mad River Shay No. 7 was relocated received to restore this car. the V&T hosted the annual Virginia & from a site stated to be Glendale. The (Ogden Union Slalion) Truckee Symposium. newsletter of the N orrhern Counties Log­ Preserved Diesel Locomotives At the Carson City site, construction is ging Interpretive Association did not underway for a new museum building. specify what they meant by "Glendale." in the We st Wo rk began in mid-August on the two­ During the editing process the state loca­ The Ogden Union Station Museum track display building; dedication is an- tion of "(Ore.)" was added to the item. has three locomotives among its rail

..the mere mention of the name brings forth railroad images larger than life. It wasn't just tracks and trains. It wasn't just an Indiana institution-though it MONON certainly' was that. Oh, my, no. . What the Monon was ...well, it was every American railroad, every American hometown, every American underdog rolled into one. Why, the Monon was practically human. Its birth was a cause for rejoicing. its operation a source of Hoosier pride. And when it died, a thousand legends lived on. Now, legend and fact are woven together in a brand·new, finely crafted illustrated history of the Monon. We take you from beginning to merger into the L&N, from Louisville to French Lick to Indianapolis to Michigan City to Chicago ... from Hoosierland to hotshot. from 4-4-0 to Century 420. We're proud to announce the creation of Monon-The Hoosier Line by Gary and Stephen Dolzall. This book is in production and will be published by Interurban Press in the Fall Of��1 9�8!7�. �1t:s:e�d�i;,tOijr��iS������::i

PA CIFIC RailNEWS • 39 equipment. At present the collection in­ University Press, 1978) is a fa scinating THE W ET S IDE OF THE MOUNTAIN cludes Union Pacific Centennial diesel dictionary of the state. It has thousands of (Nettle Creek, 1981) is one of several DD40AX No. 69 16 (EMD 1969), UP gas listings, ranging from cities to museums, good works by former S EATTLE STAR re­ turbine No. 26 (GE 1961), and Southern art, geography, personalities and indus­ porter Bill Speidel and is an essential Pacific GP9 No. 3769 (EMD 1957 and try. modern guide to western Washington. rebuilt by SP in 1974). Two books by University of San Fran­ The history of commerce on Puget Sound cisco professor and historian Kevin Starr and its ports is nicely covered by Gordon Lake Oswego Trolley offer an unusual and lively view of the R. Newell in SHIPS OF THE I NLAND S EA Portland's "Willamette Shore Rail­ history of the Golden State. They are (Binfords & Mort, 1960). A good general way," the generator-trailer-powered vin­ A MERICANS AND 'rHE C ALI FORNIA history of the Puget Sound area will be tage "trolley" service to Lake Oswego, D REAM, 1750-1915 (Oxford, 1973, and found in N ORTHWEST GATEWAY (Doub­ has proved to be a huge success. During also in paperback from Peregrine) and IN­ leday, 1942) by Archie Binns. September and October, capacity loads VENTING THE D REAM, C ALI FORNIA I have listed but a sample of what is (70-75 people) were usually carried on at THROUGH THE PROGRESSIVE ERA (Ox­ available. My point is that there is a lot least three of the five daily trips, and the fo rd, 1985). more to railroad history and photography afternoon trips were often booked solid Among the books that provide a dra­ than siderods, diesel model numbers and several days in advance. People without matic background to San Francisco Bay trolley poles. The story goes beyond the reservations were turned away or had to Area transportation history are Richard tracks and these books expand horizons. wait until the last trip of the day. Good H. Dillon's I RON M EN (Candella Press, loads were still being carried into Novem­ 1984), which is the story of the Donahue ber (the date of this writing), and over­ brothers who built several Bay Area rail­ all-during the first two months-the roads and the Union Iron Works, and Harold Gilliam's SAN FRANCISCO BAY average load per trip was at least 50 per­ sons ' It certainly turned out to be lucky (Doubleday and Co ., 1957), an unparal­ BOOKS that the Oregon Electric Railway Histori­ leled glimpse at the bay's commerce and cal Society decided to use the ex-Black­ ecology. pool double-decker instead of Council The curious reader can also delve into Crest No. 503, since the relative condi­ Jack London's B URNING D AYLIGHT, tion of the two cars-not their relative published in 1910, to appreciate how a capacities-was the reason for the switch. great capitalist was admired in his time. Most riders have expressed surprise at The book is based on the life of F. M. how scenic the line is, considering that it (Borax) Smith, who built railroads in Ne­ is located completely within a large met­ vada and developed the Key System fe rry ropolitan area and comes within one mile and electric train system in Oakland. of downtown Portland. At least ten paid In the case of Borax Smith, the reader charters also had been operated by mid­ can also get the nonfiction version in November. George Hildebrand's BORAX PIONEER: (Steve Morgan) FRANCIS MARION SMITH (Howell-North, 1982). After reading both volumes, the reader might decide that the true story RIO GRANDE-RULER OF THE was more exciting than London's fiction. ROCKIES by R. C. Farewell. Trans Besides Hildebrand's volume, a reader Anglo Books, P.O. Box 6444, Glendale, seeking information about Nevada might CA 92105. 168 pp., $34.95 plus $1.50 shipping. pick up THE H ISTOR Y OF THE COMSTOCK LODE, 1850-1920, an amazing work by The Rio Grande, as with some other Grant H. Smith that is still in print and roads, seems to have created a fan fascina­ was originally published by the Universi­ tion disproportionate to its route miles. ty of Nevada in 1943. I have a lot of other Certainly, however, it travels through Harre W. Demoro Nevada fa vorites but will only mention some outstanding scenery and over im­ THE BIG BONANZA by C. B. Glasscock pressive geography to connect Denver Some of my favorite books are not about (A. L. Burt, 1931) and Glasscock's GOLD and Pueblo with Salt Lake City. railroads or transit systems, yet they en­ IN THEM H ILLS (Bobbs-Merrill, 1932). In this book, Rich Farewell has hance my understanding of trans­ THE OCTOPUS by Frank Norris (Doub­ brought together a good collection of his portation history. While some ofthe titles leday, 1901) is the fa scinating novel based black and white photos from all over the are obscure today, all are available in good on Southern Pacific's control of agricul­ system along with an up-to-date look at libraries. tural land in the San Joaquin Va lley. The the operations of this interesting regional During a recent trip to Southern Cali­ powerful book contributed to the efforts carrier. The road is examined in logical fo rnia, I had two books on the car seat early in the century to reform California's segments: the Moffat Tunnel main line, beside me: CALIFORNIA, A GUIDE TO THE government structure, and Californians the joint line, the Tennessee Pass line, the GOLDEN STATE, the classic history and (and their railroads) still live today under canyons, the desert, Soldier Summit, the tour book written in the late 1930s by the that revised political system. Whether Ski Train and the Rio Grande Zephyr. The Federal Writers' Project of the Wo rks you decide the book accurately portrays effort is aided by easy-to-read maps, Progress Administration (WPA) and pub­ SP or not, you'll gain new and profound drawn by the author, that detail each sec­ lished in May 1939 by Hastings House. insights about the subject. tion of the line. Here is a wonderful look at the state, its The Pacific Northwest also has a WPA Operational information is fairly exten­ cities, industry and geography, written history that I consult often: WASHING­ sive, including train numbers and perti­ by some of California's best writers who TON, A GUiDE TO THE EVERGREEN STATE nent details that add to a better under­ were hired by the federal government (Binfords & Mort, 1941). Like the Cali­ standing of the way the railroad works. during the Great Depression to produce fo rnia book, it details the railroads and Phoros cover motive power as new as the the volume. shipping as well as geography and indus­ SD50s and as old as the last of the Fs. The other work, A COMPANION TO try. Both books even list streetcar and bus Even joint tenant Utah Ry. gets a little CALIFORNIA by James D. Hart (Oxford fa res for each city. attention with a reprise of Alco-powered

40 . FEBRUARY 1988 operations on Soldier Summit. Not to be about certain to be intimate and engag­ amount of from-the-cab fo otage which found are details of the expansion to Kan­ ing, particularly so in this case, for Two may be of interest to those who have not sas City or Amtrak's operation of the FEET TO TIDEWATER is definitely a vol­ experienced that interesting perspective. California Zephyr over the Rio Grande. ume I would want if suddenly relegated to Generally, the tape follows an east­ It is interesting that the prints used in life on a desert island. bound course from San Bernardino over this book are consistently of good quality This diminutive system began as a gi­ Cajon Pass, covering the area in seg­ and contrast. Good black and white pho­ ant dream, a railroad that would link ments, then turns westward from Bar­ tography is almost a dying art these days. Quebec with a minor port on Maine's stow, and continues on to Bakersfield. Though colorful scenery, such as the por­ coast. What was actually built was a 43- Considerable attention is paid to locations tions of Colorado and Utah the Rio mile main line from Wiscasset up the high in fan interest, such as Sullivan's Grande runs through, would reproduce Sheepscot Valley to Albion with a short­ Curve in Cajon Pass, Summit, and the nicely in color (as seen in Interurban lived branch to Winslow. Mostly it car­ Tehachapi Loop. There also is footage Press' catalog, for example), the images ried potatoes and timber out and coal in. from a visit to the Santa Fe dispatcher'S presented are sharp, pleasant and infor­ Passengers rode in tiny coaches with two office in San Bernardino. mative. In this vertical format book, seats on one side of the aisle and one on If a viewer has never been to the areas there are 55 full-page vertical shots used. the other. The little cars generally covered, this tape can serve as a good There also is balance, with photos of bounced along at the end of mixed trains basic introduction. It covers most, but buildings and people related to the rail­ that never set any speed records. not all of the areas commonly visited by road included. The photos serve to re­ The twisting roadbed had little gravel, fans. It does not cover the area station by mind readers of the four-season nature of many bridges, and was subject to flooding station, nor does the narration explain all the area. with each spring's thaw. Given tiny, top­ that is seen on the screen. For example, a Whether a reader would like to learn heavy locomotives, frost damage in win­ dead Amtrak F40, being forwarded to for the first time about the Rio Grande, or ter and sun-kinks in summer, the result Los Angeles for mechanical work shows renew old acquaintances, this book pro­ was an inordinate number of usually non­ up repeatedly, but no mention is made of vides a pleasant tour through the two­ lethal accidents. One of them in 1933 be­ why it is in the motive power consist of state heart of the Rio Grande. Nevermind came the excuse to abandon the line alto­ the train. One of the Santa Fe GP35s that the road has expanded and may ex­ gether and incidentally ended the last briefly renumbered in anticipation of the pand again ...that could well provide Railway Post Office in service on a two­ merger makes an appearance, but no the makings for another volume of no less foot-gauge line. comment is made about its rarity. interest. Interesting characters abounded, out­ There are good shots of both Santa Fe -DICK STEPHENSON standing among them being Carson Peck, and Union Pacific helper operations on a wealthy associate of F. W. Woolworth, Cajon (even a ride on a helper), without who for reasons never quite clear bought mentioning that besides pushing on the the railroad in 1906--bankruptcy sales upgrade, these same units are used for ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF JAPAN, happened periodically-and made it their dynamic braking capability on the Vol. 2: Central Japan by Leroy Demery, profitable into the 1920s. downhill side. Ray DeGroote and Wallace Higgins. Throughout, the writing is excellent, The continuity of this tape leaves some­ 120 pp., 5% x 8", softbound. Light Rail well above average for a railfan effort. thing to be desired. It jumps back and Transit Assn. $15 plus $1 postage from The highlight has to be the riveting de­ forth between on-train and off-train Map Factory, P. O. Box 3484, Los Ange­ scription of the line's battle with the suc­ shots. The same train is seen in action at a les, CA 90078. cession of four blizzards that struck in number of locations, but not necessarily This second in a series of guides to in­ February and March 1920. The snow in geographical sequence. In my opinion, terurbans, tramways and metros of Japan train required a full week for a round trip. it might be better to edit a tape such as is mind-boggling in its detailed coverage The publishers have well understood this to take the ride, with appropriate of the various rail systems. Each system is how important photos are to railfans, and commentary, and then go back and exam­ covered with a textual description, route the collection is unusually complete. It ine the locations in some detail. One of and fleet list, and usually a diagram of ranges from pin sharp studies by profes­ the difficulties here is that a lot of railroad services or occasionally a track map. sionals to the family four-year-old posed was condensed into 90 minutes. Such a handbook should be invaluable on the footplate of old No. 4. We have to credit Pentrex crews for to the railfan visiting Japan. The dia­ Completing the work are rosters, scale using some different locations, especially grams of railway service patterns are fas­ drawings, bibliography, index, and lots of in Tehachapi. All too often, we see photos cinating, and it might take hours of study maps. And if this is not enough, it's a taken from the same old locations. One to work it all out even after digesting the darned good value. distraction, though, is the technique of thousands of pieces of information. -JAMES KINGMAN zooming out, then back, then all the way Clearly, when it comes to electric rail­ to wide angle. The human eye, amazing ways, Japan has it all and then some. as it is, does not have the capability to -MAC SEBREE readily adjust as the videocamera can. Some viewers have even complained that VIDEO REVIEW these zooms are painful. Overall, we would have to say that this is not necessarily the best effort Pent rex TWO FEET TO TIDEWATER: The CAJON PASS-TEHACHAPI LOOP; has produced to date. To their credit, Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington 90 min., VHS or Beta, $59.95. Produced they have combined riding the line with Railway by Robert C. J ones and David L. by Pentrex, P. O. Box 94911, Pasadena, on-the-ground shots. Possibly close fa­ Register, 275 pages hardbou nd, CA 91109 or from Interurban Press, P.O. miliarity with the lines covered provides a 8'/2 x 11, 350 photos. Available from Box 6444, Glendale, CA 91205. different perspective from which to com­ Pruett Publishing Co., 2928 Pearl St., Pentrex's latest release covers the two ment. If someone wants to step back a bit Boulder, CO 80301. Price $34.95 plus $1 most popular railroad attractions in and get a view of both of these important handling. Southern California. This new tape con­ mountain passes with good examples of Little railroads have a special charm tinues to utilize the camera technique im­ typical motive power consists of 1986, and none more so than the 2-foot gauge provements seen in Steam Expo and the then this tape will prove useful. linesof Maine. Books about them are just Best 0/ '86. It also includes a considerable -DICK STEPHENSON

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 41 drives. It takes a little practice, especially if each camera is equipped with lenses of HOTO FOCU different focal lengths. When you have p S plenty of time and some extra hands to help lug all the extra equipment, this technique works well. Hand-holding several cameras at once is a different matter entirely and is a nec­ essary mode of operation in the "run and gun" style so common on train chases. Slik Photo Products, a tripod manufac­ turer, has a product called a "twin camera platform" which holds two 3Smm cam­ eras side by side. It appears to be de­ signed for tripod use, has no provision for hand-holding and probably wouldn't ac­ commodate large-format equipment. The author spent considerable time searching through catalogs and checking with professional photo supply houses Dave Busse and fo und nothing commercially avail­ able for hand-holding more than one cam­ Using Several Cameras at Once era. Lucius Beebe once wrote that standing on Railfanlmachinist George Kelcec of the hill above Sullivan's Curve in Califor­ Convent Station, N.J., seems to have nia's Cajon Pass, camera in hand, watch­ solved this unique problem with his cus­ ing a long Santa Fe freight appear in the tom-designed multiple camera brackets. viewfinder and knowing you were about For several years, Kelcec has supplied The author's two motorized Canon F- l cameras to make a spectacular photograph, was railfans from California to South Africa aligned and ready to go on a custom-designed twin camera bracket constructed by railtan one of life's great experiences. with heavy-duty aluminum frames capa­ George Kelcec of New Jersey. Triggering is ac­ The thrill is still there. Today a grow­ ble of holding two or more cameras for complished with pushbutton switches wired to ing number of photographers are finding hand-held photography. They've become a rather common sight on many steam the motor drives. Special guards above the but­ the experience to be even more rewarding tons prevent accidental firing when the rig is excursions across the country and gained by coming back with more than one shot laid flat in the car. Note the shoulder strap at­ of each scene. Poor Lucius and his col­ some notoriety in 1983 when a shot of one tached to the frame. Posts ore plastic, rest is leagues had to lug their heavy Speed appeared in an NBC-TV Today fe ature on high-grade aluminum. Graphic cameras over hill and dale with­ railfans. -DAN IEL O'DONNELL out the benefit of fo ur-wheel-drive vehi­ Kelcec charges about $75 fo r the rigs cles, access roads or scanners to let them which are specifically designed for the know when trains were coming. cameras the customer plans to use. Trig­ All that work for one shot. gering is by way of cable releases or elec­ own brackets similar to Kelcec's, but he That was fi ne in the days when every­ trical switches mounted in the handles. is the only person we know of who builds one shot black-and-white film. Today, Kelcec's advertising has been entirely by them for other people. 3Smm color slides seem to be the pre­ word of mouth so far, bu t a letter to him At this point, some might be inclined ferred medium, but many people want a at 20 Fairfield Road, Convent Station, to ask why slide shooters in particular black-and-white negative as well, either NJ 07961 with a stamped, self-addressed would go to all the expense and trouble of in 3Smm or a large (4 x 5 or 6 x 7) fo r­ envelope brings you more details on this using two rather expensive cameras and a mat. Slide traders want several extra product. heavy bracket to accomplish what one originals of each scene for the growing For some time the author has used one single-shot camera could do along with numbers of traders who prefer action of Kelcec's brackets holding two motor­ some high-quality slide duplicating. shots over locomotive portraits or "ros­ ized Canon F- 1 cameras, both loaded As a collector and photographer, I ter" shots. The way to do it is with two or with Kodachrome slide film and general­ don't collect duplicate slides for the same more cameras triggered in unison. ly using identical lenses. With normal reason New Yo rk's Metropolitan Muse­ How do you manage several cameras at SOmm lenses on a train going, say um of Art isn't full of lithographs. I enjoy once trained on the same moving subject? 40 mph, it's possible to produce up to having original work in my collection For those who prefer to pick their spot half a dozen very good quality images of from some of the country's most talented at trackside and set up for whatever one scene. The very best one stays in the railway photographers. The value of comes, it's no great problem to mount collection, and the second-best is often these slides, if mostly intrinsic, is en­ each camera on a separate tripod, pre­ saved for publication purposes. The rest hanced knowing that these are very limit­ fo cus them and release the shutters using are extras to be traded. Care must be tak­ ed in number. In addition, it is nearly long cable releases or electrical switches en not to fi re too soon and end up with impossible to use duplicates for publica­ wired to cameras equipped with motor five or six shots with the train so far away tion purposes. that you can't give them away to other Yo ur comments on this or any other collectors. railfan photographic matters are wel­ The Kelcec brackets work beautifully come, and we invite other twin-camera Bock in business ...THE WESTERN RAILROADER for single frame work using a 3Smm cam­ shooters to share any of their secrets with Serious Rail HislOry Only! era mounted over a large-format camera. our readers. Shortlines·Traction·Loggers· Steam·Elecrric·Diese! -DAVID R. BUSSE Fifty years of service b), the \'V est's senior historical journal At least one fan has lWO 6 x 7s mounted Now Published Quarterly-$ 10.00 per year along with his motorized Nikon. "Weighs The aUlhor is S anla Fe columm:Sl fo r Pa­ cific RailNews and has been phoLOgraphing The Western Railroader a ton, but gets him the shots," says de­ Post Office Box 2268 signer Kelcec. lrains and actively lrading rail slides fo r Huntington Beach, CA 92647·0268 A number of railfans have built their more lhan 12 yea rs.

42 . FEBRUARY 1988 CB&Q train No. 30, with C&S E5A No. 9955 in charge, is seen at Fort Collins, Colo., on June 22, 1965. The train was running late because of disruption of train schedules in the area due to floods. Its usual power was a Burlington E8 or E9. -ED FULCOMER

FROM THE PAST

Union Pacific U50D No. 50 mates with three other UP diesels (one each GP9, GP30 and GP9B) to roll a hotshot freight through Caldwell, Idaho, on Aug. 30, 1968. The 5000-h.p. giant ro lled on four two-axle trucks; it was retired in 1974 and traded in to GE. -JAMES H. GRIFFITHS A real mix of motive power graces Sao train 2/22 at Newport, Minn. on July 25, 1987. Helm Leasing SD40A 5019 is ex-ICG, MK 7500 is an ex-B&O SD40 (which has seen a variety af lease/pool assignments in the Midwest), and Sao GP40 2034 wears the black-patch scheme that only partially hides its Milwaukee Road heritage. -KARL RASMUSSEN

p p Strange Faces in Strange Places

The eastbound LANPZ is on UP rails at Sloan, Nev. , behind C&NW SD60s 801 2/8045 and UP SD40-2 3969 (ex-MP) on Nov. 14, 1987. Both C&NW SD50s and SD60s have visited the UP this past fa ll. -MARK WAYM AN Santa Fe's San Diego freight on Nov. 8, 1987, included Conrail SD40-2 63 19, which was working off mileage owed to AT&SF. The train was eastbound near Sul­ livan's Curve, in Cajon Pass, returning to Barstow, Calif. -BOB HANGGIE

Rolling the westbound APL train down Cajon Pass on July 26, 1987, are Rio Grande SD50 551 1 and UP SD40-2 3475. D&RGW SD50s ore infrequent visitors to Southern California-though they hove been spotted on both UP and SP trains. -BOB HANGGIE

PACIFIC RailNEWS • 45 INL WRITER MAC SEBREE is taking a break for this issue. As a "substitute" we present these two traction photographs. Since a picture "is worth a thousand words," here are at least two thousand of them for you.-Editor

Back in the days af Iowa interurbans, Waterloo, Cedor Falls & Northern combine 141 poses at Cedar Falls on June 21, 1946. -GORDON E. LLOYD

These two Sacramento Northern steeple-cab electrics, Nos. 653 and 654, were yard mates in Yuba City, Ca lif., when filmed in 1962. When dieselization finally came to this electric "island" in 1965, both were preserved. The 653 went to the Orange Empire Railway Museum at Perris, Calif., while 654 went to the Western Railway Museum at Rio Vista Junction, Calif. -JOHN N. HARDER/ HARRE W. DEMORO COLLECTION

46 . FEBRUARY 1988 EXTRA BOARD ADS �

P"Clr-IC R"ILN EWS reserves the right to edit all 1911 WESTERN PAC IFIC wall map (50 x 37"), 1988 CALENDAR by East Penn Traction Club. copy and refuse any listings. Ads cannot be ac­ 1980 Union Pacific wall map; public, employee time­ Great b&w photos, LVT, pSTCo., PTC:, AC&S, and knowledged, nor can proof copies be sent. Closing tables, passes, other paper ilems. Listing will com­ more! $6 postpaid (3 to 5-$4, more than 6-$3). date: 20th oDrd month before issue date. Count all prise western North American railroads only. We st­ Mail orders from Dr. Richard L. Allman, 327 Rock numbers, name and address. Homeloffice street ern Pacificwall map to highest bidder, all other items Rd ., Villanova, pA 19085. PA res. add 6% PA sales address and telephone number must accompany ad priced to sell (reasonably priced). Listing also in­ tax. Note-A few 1987 calendars still available for order, even if not included in copy. RATES: 13¢ a cludes back issues The We stem Railroad"", some soft-, $3. 289-291 word/$5 minimum. Payment in advance. hardcover books. 25¢ for listing to Larson, P.O. Box 210, Sioux Falls, SO 57101-02 10. 291 APRIL 10, 1988, Los Angeles, 7th Cornfield Meet­

MEXICAN RAILROADER for 1988. May 13- 15 Southern California's premier railroadiana shO\\' and AT LAST! High-quality and accurate lapel pins of N\exican Northwestern Cd. Juarez (0 Cumbre, Bas· sale. L.A. County Fairgrounds, Pomona, Calif. the We st's railroads by the premier supplier of pins to to ques de Chihuahua lumber railway to Mesa del Hura­ 10 a.m. 4 p.m. General Admission $3. Dealer ta­ the airlines, railroads, rail museums and railway his­ can using Fairbanks Morse diesel-$325 bles $30, inquiries invited. Write for details: Possum torical societies. Not the poorly done, cheap ie velry May 13-22 includes Bosques, emire Mexican North­ � Belly Caboose, P. O. Box 1285, Glendora, CA 91740 normally encountered, but first-class representations western and CHI' route through Copper Canyon with or call 818/963-8845 before 9 p.m. PST. 290-292 of railroad heralds and name-train logos. RR Her­ open gondola. 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III. res. 35,000 LOCOMOTIVE SLIDES. The First Section add 6.5% tax. VISA/MC/MOICk: The Chicago Kid, duplicate slide catalog and reference book: 142 pp., P. O. Box 529, Deerfield, IL 60015. perfect bound, alpha-numeric format, 1,620 compa­ nies, engine numbers, models, paint schemes, dates. COPPER CANYON RAIL TOURS (Mexico): Ride Class I, Shortline, Industrial from U.S., Canada, 400 miles from desert to mountain to sea over 39 Mexico and other countries. Special offer $5.95 (in­ bridges and through 86 tunnels. Small friendly cludes sample and $1 coupon). Porreca & Associates, . groups with many extras. Special railroaders tour Inc., Box 22, Boulder, CO 80306. 289-296 Feb. 27-March 5: Easter Indian Celebrations April I-II: Summer getaway; june 16-25. Also cus­ Santa Fe & Southern Pacific LOOKING FOR data and photos of Santa Fe's San tom tours for organizations. Adobe To urs, Box TWO black & white calendars jacinto branch. 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THE How To Read Yo ur Subscriber Label For better subscription service. Passenger Train Journal (PTJ). Pacific RailNews (PRN). Prototype Modeler (PM) and "CAB's EYE-VIEW" Private Varnish (PV) are phasing in a new type of subscriber label. Here's how if will look: inexpensive, HIGH-QUALITY, home VIDEO JOURNEYS Passenger MIAIvI! Melrorali . PHILA UII,·Fkd . SEPTA Vol Chester ' Private Train Prototype Pacific $1 5.00 BUFFALO nha . Trolleys 01 MUNICH Varnish Journal Modeler RailNews BOSTON grecm 8. blue Orange ' PHILA Norllslown Expiration Expiration Expiration Expiration Your Compuler (P8.VV) . Tr Olleys 01 AMSTERDAM 8. THE HAGUE · PORTLAND max ' CHICAGO Ravenswood. Evanston Issue Issue Issue Issue Postal Zone Input Number $20.00 ! l J I SAN DIEGO Trolley ' TORONTO Ya ng£! Subway . JI y � �:::.-- � ::/' AMrRAK NE Corndor. Val l 8. 2 r,olleys 01 COLOGNE -' � .- $25.00 DEUTCHES BUNDESBAHN � 19 3rt 292 4 For PTJ s ubscribers. note only the 17 JOHN 0 SUBSCRIBER second and third digits of your expiration VHS ' BETA · VIDEO 8 1 7� issue appear: i.e.. if your magazine 3223 MAIN ST and many more, similarly priced! expires with issue 119. only the "19" will SACRAMENTO CA 95864 SEND show SASE TO: CARSON HOME VIDEO POST OFFICE BOX The new labels will be used for all renewals. extenSions. or changes of address. The old labels will be phased out over a 42582 period of about a year. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19101

PA CIFIC RailNEWS • 47 UNION PAOFIC 8444 1 9 8 7

In September of 1987, the Union Pacific unveiled their freshly repainted 8444. The all black paint job was replaced by a traditional two tone gray which the locomotive had once been painted. Pentrex traveled to Cheyenne to capture this beautiful locomotive as it raced across Wyoming to Nebraska for the River City Roundup in Omaha. Then it was back to Cheyenne for a trip to Denver and an excursion over Sher­ man Hill. The weather was superb as we chased the 8444 at 70 mph with plenty of smoke, steam and whistle blowing. Our tape shows the UP 8444 pulling fr eight and in passenger service. This is a great example of the footage which Pentrex is fa mous for providing to our customers. For a limited time, we are proud to offer this 60 minute tape for a special low price of $29.95. Order your tape today!

P.O. Box 94911, Pasadena, CA 91 109

VHS or BETA Check or Money Order

Plus. we also ofle r a special 25 min­ ute action-packed Preview tape 0/ our other produ('cions/or only $/0'