Western Railroad Discussion > SD60M Invasion in Kansas

Just when I thought things couldn't get any more boring here on the BNSF in Kansas, the lineup today showed a good number of westbounds within a couple of hours of each other and only ONE train with an orange GE leading. The highlights (for me at least) were two sets of former BN SD60Ms leading manifests. Last night a four unit set of BN SD60Ms brought a shuttle train into Emporia but unfortunately the power returned to KC late this morning before I had a chance to grab a shot of it. I must admit I never thought I'd ever see 10 SD60Ms within 24 hours of one another in 2012...anyway on to the pics.

1. A "triclops" SD60M, plus two sisters, ease this Kansas City, KS to Amarillo, TX shuttle train into Emporia. This power returned to Kansas City this afternoon on the M EMPKCK.
2. Right behind the shuttle train, the daily M KCKHUT rolls west through town with the 8177 leading two sisters.
3. The next westbound in the parade is the westbound Q KCKSAG roadrailer with two NS C40-9Ws.

---

---

---

4. Next up is a Red Rock, OK coal load with a GEVO leading an SD70MAC with another SD70MAC and SD70ACe on the rear.
5. And last but not least a H KCKGAT1 21A with a former Conrail C40-8W sandwiched between two NS C40-9Ws.

Thanks for looking!

---

---

Send some of these puppies west! I'm tired of the UP ones! Great shots!

Sweet!! Love the 60Ms, especially the triclops still in BN green.

You had a better day than you thought! The 8177 is the ONLY 60M in the H-1 paint, a mistake as all wide cabs got H-2 and only standard cabs were supposed to get the H-1. What a great catch and VERY clean on top of it all. A great bunch of shots in excellent light. Wow.
JB



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/12 17:20 by 3rdswitch.

Yeah, thanks for calling me... Punk. That 8177 was outside of the Topeka shops of week or two ago. Those things look awfully good in the H1 paint.

- Jeff

Posted from iPhone

Agreed, that 8177 is awesome. H-1 is such a great paint job on the M's!

~RGDave

Why are the RR's putting in new signal bridges when everywhere else (think BNSF transcon) they are taking them down and putting in side mast signals??

Great to see that they're back on the road. Hope they're still out and about when I come across the big pond next Spring.

I think anything looks great in H1 paint compared to H2 and the god awful wedgie...

If the SD60Ms stay active past January I'll be surprised, at least if you listen to the way the officials talk about how slow biz will be come the first of the year.

Nice seeing them in sets of three like that. They do look nice. The coal trains they ran on mostly in BN years seemed to be a pair of SD60M's and an SD40-2 or C30-7 in the consist from what I remember. After BNSF you'd see them in sets of 4 from time to time. I hope they last awhile longer in regular service. They do look classy compared to todays modern power. Glad you were able to photograph them.

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA

SUPER pics!!!! Thanks for sharing.