Nostalgia & History > BN 8300, 01, 02 SD60's on Sidney Hill

With the addition of orange in the diagonal nose stripes that unknowingly foretold the color of the future, BN-painted 8300, 01 and 02 are laboring hard climbing Sidney Hill with a coal load near Lorenzo, NE at Milepost 81. These units were still owned by EMD and being tested by BN in this photo of August 5, 1986. BN proper did not purchase any more, but leased the 100 Oakway SD60's as the backbone of the coal fleet after these tests proved the SD60 to be superior to the beleaguered SD50 series. === === = === JLH

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The tiger stripes bring back good memories. I really liked the addition. Fantastic photo.

TIGER! TIGER! TIGER!

Great photo Jim. This was a far better variation of BN Cascade green/white than the subsequent "white face" abomination. IMHO. 

KC

Very nice

Good show.   I was surprised when these came out BN went back to the old style round beacon.
By the way, these units did not last that long on the BN.   They went back to EMD lease and spent a while with the SP.   The 8300-series clashed with SP's SD40T-2 snoots, so they (the SD60's) lost the "8."
Thanks for the pic.

They were very good looking motors for sure!!! Thx for the pic!!!

Outstanding catch!
JB

highgreengraphics Wrote:
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> With the addition of orange in the diagonal nose
> stripes that unknowingly foretold the color of
> the future, BN-painted 8300, 01 and 02 are
> laboring hard climbing Sidney Hill with a coal
> load near Lorenzo, NE at Milepost 81.

Out of curiosity what was considered a tougher climb, south out of Sidney toward Peetz or south out of Bridgeport toward Dalton?

TIA


Allen

GRNDMND Wrote:
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> Great photo Jim. This was a far better variation
> of BN Cascade green/white than the subsequent
> "white face" abomination. IMHO. 
>
> KC
Great photo . I think white face looks more balanaced but at least this broke the norm . IMHO
Andy

It's now CSXT 8787..........

Comparing the two grades, both were roughly equal, I think to Dalton is a bit longer, but the climb out of Sidney has more curves, and it seemed like a wind tunnel which provided more drag, especially with the steel bathtubs that had the big I-beam braces in a row on the outside. Might have been a mental thing, because by this time many miles were behind from Alliance or Guernsey, and tie-up at Sterling was tantalizingly close, but time and again, if there was a problem, this hill would get you. I only ran with DC traction, all 5 or 6 motors up front, and aluminum cars were only barely experimental then, and still waycars on the end, now with all the changes, especially DPU's, I don't know if train characteristics on either grade have changed. === === = === JLH