Nostalgia & History > BN GP9 break from the early 1990's

Two months ago I did a BN GP9 break featuring some photos that I my dad had taken in the 1970's, and now I wanna share some photos from my collection of some BN GP9's from the early 1990's. There is a variety of GP9's I here of former GN, NP, SP&S and CB&Q.

1). BN 1745 (ex-NP) with another GP9 behind it, and EMD leased GP38-2 are at Tacoma, WA. August 1990

2 & 3). BN 1763 (ex-GN) and a caboose sit at Bend, OR. June 1991. I wonder what the heritage is on the caboose?

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..three more photos...

4). BN 1802 (ex-GN) is bringing in a local train at Everett, WA. August 1992

5). BN 1977 (ex-SP&S) at Superior, WI. September 1992. (SP&S only had 6 GP9's.)

6). BN 1875 (ex-NP) & BN 2189 GP38X (ex-CR/PC) & BN 64 SW15 (ex-SLSF) at Seattle, WA.

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..and two more..

7). BN 1961 (ex-CB&Q) with two SD40-2's at Seattle, WA. September 1992

8). BN 1938 (ex-NP) at Eugene, OR. January 1993

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From what I can gather the caboose in question was built as NP 1124. Cabooses renumbered into the 12500 series were part of the early 90's caboose rebuilt program. Thats the only standard cupola type I have ever seen that recieved such treatment as your photo shows. Glad you posted it, learn something new everyday. Sure miss those GP9's. Sure miss being able to work in Eugene too.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/11 14:26 by GN599.

In shot #7 I wonder what became of the 1961. 1992 is a late day for a BN GP-9.

I was surprised to see one of these old NP cabooses at Balmer year in Seattle 2 years ago. It was in BN paint and still in use.
Kevin

1977 has tightlock couplers, did SP&S use these as pitch hitters in Pass. service?

SD45X Wrote:
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> 1977 has tightlock couplers, did SP&S use these as
> pitch hitters in Pass. service?


Yes they did quite frequently as a matter of fact. The first four of six SP&S GP9's were boiler equipped. The SP&S GP9's were SP&S 150-155. The 1977 being the former SP&S 152. They could be found in passenger service on the mainline between Portland and Spokane, excursions on the O.E., O.T. and A-Line. They were used in road freight consists too and local freights as well. They were more like an every purpose locomotive for the SP&S.

GN599 Wrote:
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> SD45X Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 1977 has tightlock couplers, did SP&S use these
> as
> > pitch hitters in Pass. service?
>
>
> Yes they did quite frequently as a matter of fact.
> The first four of six SP&S GP9's were boiler
> equipped. The SP&S GP9's were SP&S 150-155. The
> 1977 being the former SP&S 152. They could be
> found in passenger service on the mainline between
> Portland and Spokane, excursions on the O.E., O.T.
> and A-Line. They were used in road freight
> consists too and local freights as well. They were
> more like an every purpose locomotive for the
> SP&S.


All of the SP&S GP9s were June 1956 graduates of the EMD assembly line class. The 151 was the only one to carry three numbers as its BN 1976 number got changed to the BN 1793 to free up the 1976 number for the BN SDP40 Bicentennial paint scheme. Only the 150-153 were used in passenger service but they were a regular part of the passenger power pool and not just pitch-hitters (to answer SD45X's question). IIRC the 154 and 155 had freight gearing as well as not being equipped with a pass-through steam line. When used as lead units the GP9s drove us crazy with their incessant electrical cabinet door rattling in Notch 2 which was generally the throttle notch needed to maintain 79 MPH with the usual two-unit assignments.

Sadly, the very last SP&S (BN) pre-Amtrak train departure was led by a GP9 rather than one of the six remaining Fs. Even better would have been having the lone SP&S E7 on the point. On April 30, 1971 the 153 (BN 1978) departed Spokane as #21 (former SP&S #1) with my father at the throttle but was quickly annulled at Fort Wright because it was not scheduled to arrive in Pasco prior to the then-current timetable being superseded by the new timetable which no longer listed any passenger trains on the SP&S Spokane - Portland line.

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Don't think those tracks exist anymore. That area has turned into a walking trail/wetlands/development area. There is now a new line/siding that parallels the mainline.

Jim700 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GN599 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > SD45X Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > 1977 has tightlock couplers, did SP&S use
> these
> > as
> > > pitch hitters in Pass. service?
> >
> >
> > Yes they did quite frequently as a matter of
> fact.
> > The first four of six SP&S GP9's were boiler
> > equipped. The SP&S GP9's were SP&S 150-155. The
> > 1977 being the former SP&S 152. They could be
> > found in passenger service on the mainline
> between
> > Portland and Spokane, excursions on the O.E.,
> O.T.
> > and A-Line. They were used in road freight
> > consists too and local freights as well. They
> were
> > more like an every purpose locomotive for the
> > SP&S.
>
>
> All of the SP&S GP9s were June 1956 graduates of
> the EMD assembly line class. The 151 was the only
> one to carry three numbers as its BN 1976 number
> got changed to the BN 1793 to free up the 1976
> number for the BN SDP40 Bicentennial paint scheme.
> Only the 150-153 were used in passenger service
> but they were a regular part of the passenger
> power pool and not just pitch-hitters (to answer
> SD45X's question). IIRC the 154 and 155 had
> freight gearing as well as not being equipped with
> a pass-through steam line. When used as lead
> units the GP9s drove us crazy with their incessant
> electrical cabinet door rattling in Notch 2 which
> was generally the throttle notch needed to
> maintain 79 MPH with the usual two-unit
> assignments.
>
> Sadly, the very last SP&S (BN) pre-Amtrak train
> departure was led by a GP9 rather than one of the
> six remaining Fs. Even better would have been
> having the lone SP&S E7 on the point. On April
> 30, 1971 the 153 (BN 1978) departed Spokane as #21
> (former SP&S #1) with my father at the throttle
> but was quickly annulled at Fort Wright because it
> was not scheduled to arrive in Pasco prior to the
> then-current timetable being superseded by the new
> timetable which no longer listed any passenger
> trains on the SP&S Spokane - Portland line.

And in the traditional SP&S fashion of long hood forward!

Larry Dodgion
Wilsonville, OR

A rock quarry in Missouri owns the SP&S 150 as their switcher. I sure would like to get my hands on it. Anyway I was hoping Jim700 would read this and chime in, as always he has great insight to all matters SP&S.

truxtrax Wrote:
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> And in the traditional SP&S fashion of long hood forward!

And for good reason, Larry! Engineer Elroy Prosch (F-05/11/42, E-06/01/55) was called at Pasco one day to return to Wishram. IIRC he left the roundhouse for the yard with a couple of Alco Century 424s or 425s or maybe one of each. After getting on the train he was called back to the roundhouse to add the GP9 154 which he came against upon arriving at the roundhouse. Normally he would have buried it in the consist but, to save time, he just kept it on the point. Upon passing through Maryhill he was very glad for his decision after meeting a rock that had rolled down from the cliff.

I was always glad for the SP&S' decision to order their first generation roadswitchers to run long hood forward. I much preferred the protection afforded by the boiler of a steamer or the long end forward of a diesel over the better forward vision of the short end forward diesels. I had far too many close calls at railroad crossings with log trucks, fire trucks and other large vehicles. My scariest encounter was hitting a tank truck and trailer loaded with aviation gas and having the trailer turn turtle. Fortunately for everyone in the vicinity, the trailer didn't rupture as it turned over and slid along the rocky ground.

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GN599 Wrote:
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> A rock quarry in Missouri owns the SP&S 150 as
> their switcher. I sure would like to get my hands
> on it. Anyway I was hoping Jim700 would read this
> and chime in, as always he has great insight to
> all matters SP&S.

Thanks for the info, Jim, I wasn't aware that the 150 is still in service. As I mentioned above, the geeps were not a favorite of mine because of the rattling and I absolutely hated working one of them backwards with their drum-style controller all night long on the Vancouver north end switcher. IMHO the Alco RSs were much easier to work backwards on a switch engine or local and, besides, I was and remain an Alco fan anyway.