Western Railroad Discussion > Variety on the Brooklyn Sub

Sunday the 7th. I caught a couple of unusual consists at Ayers Road between Junction City and Harrisburg, Oregon.

1. Amtrak 11 has a 8-32BWH AMTK 507 in the lead instead of the usual P42DC.

2-3. Four WRIX leaser units in four paint schemes in consist of southbound freight train at the same location.

Anyone know where the leasers may have been headed?  I assume they have arrived at this point.

Tom Trent
Eugene, OR

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A little bit more info from Western Rail's facebook page: (One of the more interesting rail-related facebook follows)

"This Motley crew of loci's headed through Oregon to help out a start-up railroad until we are done with the Dash 3 locomotives we are rebuilding. They will be replaced one by one over the next 7 months. One GMD1 #1415, one already rebuilt(but wrong color) MP15 #1360, One to be rebuilt MP15dc #1384, and one GP20 #3043(otherwise know as ole Ms. Reliable). She has been our go-to short-term lessor unit to help out local railroads for the last 5 years we have owned her."

Heading to new operator of Coos Bay line I am told.

Dick Samuels
Oregon Pacific Railroad

The things I miss by not being on Facebook.  That is interesting if they are going to Coos Bay if true - they have a pretty decent fleet of GP30s and 38s active on the Eastern part of the line but they must need switching help elsewhere.  I have not heard about the ownership change of Coos Bay Rail.  Been too busy to follow everything I guess.

Tom Trent
Eugene, OR

Also interesting to see a second GMD1 working in western Oregon.

The only info I've seen about Coos Bay changes was an article linked on Altamont Press discussion site. Something about the cost of maintaining the bridges is causing a split in the responsibility in operating the whole route, or something like that, any additional info would be interesting to hear. It is an operation that I'd like to check out if I could figure out the operating times. Any shortline hauling raw logs these days is something to see... in a good way of course.

From the rumors I've heard the Port of Coos Bay has ousted the "Coos Bay Rail Link" contractor and are going to try to run it in-house. Hopefully the four switchers will all mu and be able to handle the traffic or there willl be some very unhappy shippers.

Not a good "sign of the times" as they say and only hope them the best but generally a publiclally operated rail line doesn't fare well!

Dick Samuels
Oregon Pacific Railcorp

djd83 forwarded:

> "...one GP20 #3043(otherwise know as ole
> Ms. Reliable). She has been our go-to short-term
> lessor unit to help out local railroads for the
> last 5 years we have owned her."

Amazing to hear a GP20 described that way.  Even Santa Fe's rebuilds (WRIX 3043 is ex-ATSF, same number) were reportedly rather unreliable in the electrical department.