Western Railroad Discussion > 90th Anniversary Empire Builder and other stuff

On 6-11-29 Great Northern's Empire Builder made its first run east out of Seattle, WA. So since this is the 90th Anniversary date I had a goal of photographing the Empire Builder leaving Seattle after work tonight. I'd wanted to get to the waterfront but only made it as far as Interbay when I noted it had already left King Street Station and was headed my way. So I waited at the north end of the ex-GN Interbay yard for the Amtrak Empire Builder.

1)  The train passed by at 4:58PM behind GE 206. (I am guessing that the first Empire Builder also had just one locomotive out of Seattle but it was steam) Note there is no baggage car. The Builder still runs with a baggage car doesn't it?

2)  After the Builder passed I headed down to the grain yard at the overpass hoping to see  BNSF train or two.  A switch crew made its way down to me and turned on the lights to make it look like it was really a train!  Note GP40X 3035 is leading.

3)  After the switch crew backed into the yard I saw headlights to the south and was pleased to see it was the Renton Rocket headed back to Interbay from Renton with a couple of geeps including this green one leading.

This is the best part about work.  Going home afterwards!

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA

---

---

---

Very interesting and enjoyable series!

Larry

usually has a bagg to seattle
 

My favorite is Pic 3!!

Yes, that is a shortened #8? What’s up?


 

CM80-46 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, that is a shortened #8? What’s up?
>

Other than the missing baggage car, that is the normal Seattle summer consist, transition dorm, 2 sleeping cars, dining car, and 2 coaches.

Posted from iPhone

Nice series!

Posted from iPhone

"Oh how the mighty have fallen"--still you can see basically the same countryside.  

The baggage car was on today's #8 leaving Seattle, so the lack of one yesterday must have been an aberation.  They have actually added one sleeping car to the Portland section this summer, so east of Spokane the Builder is running with 12 cars instead of 11 that has been standard summer consist for many years now.