Western Railroad Discussion > The End for Progress Rail Tacoma

The curtain has fallen on the once well-respected Coast Engine and Equipment (CEECO) of Tacoma. Well actually it fell on CEECO some 12 years ago, with Progress Rail taking over the business. This time it doesn't bode well for the 14 acres owned by the Port of Tacoma. Likely there will be no rail-based facility there in the future.T

he last 5 locomotives were setup on the outbound track for Tacoma Rail to pick up on Wednesday 3/31/21, probably already gone. That included Tacoma Rails 1525, an MP15AC in the newest paint scheme. The remaining 4, includes: Pacific Rail Services 217, and SW1200 (I believe); PRLX 1121 an SW1500, belonging to Progress Rail; an ex-SP SW1500, most recently known as UP 1147; lastly a SD40 - PRLX 100020. It will be interesting to see where those end up.

Site clean up has been underway for a month or so. The "doors" were supposed to close on 3/31/2021 and that's exactly what happened.

CEECO started out in 1947 serving the marine and fishing industry transitioning in to the railroad industry in the 1970s. Around 1988 it was bought by the Washington Company. Not sure when it moved in to the site alongside SR509. That location was used in the construction of the Alaska Pipeline, with the giant oven used to bake on the glass lining of the pipe. Having achieved a certain reputation for excellent work, especially paint jobs, CEECO was no longer considered viable by the Washington Company in 2009, due in large part to the poor economy.

I'm not aware of how exactly Progress Rail came to take over operations, but they gave it a 12 year (or so) run, with perhaps not quite the same reputation CEECO had.

Nonetheless, it's a shame to see it close. Sorry for those who lost their jobs. Wondering what the future holds for location.Here are some images of the last day.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/21 14:44 by DelMonteX.

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One more, showing the entire site. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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It is such a loss to lose quality companies (CEECO) to mediocre outifts that take over.  In the end, everyone loses.  Can't stand such management!

Great  series of photos. Thank you for posting them. Chris

coach Wrote:
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> It is such a loss to lose quality companies
> (CEECO) to mediocre outifts that take over.  In
> the end, everyone loses.  Can't stand such
> management!

Some customers will pay for quality work, others demand "good enough" at lower cost.

Posted from Android

Disappointing to see something like that go under. Nice arrivals of the faculty Steve.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone

That might make a nice location for a railroad museum.  There's shop space for restoration work and tracks for static displays.

NWRail Wrote:
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> That might make a nice location for a railroad
> museum.  There's shop space for restoration work
> and tracks for static displays.

The land is owned by the Port of Tacoma.   Seems unlikely they would take anything less than top dollar, which museums frequently don't have. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

Any TOs know what that tubular over a track is? A washer?  

RRBaron Wrote:
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> Any TOs know what that tubular over a track is? A
> washer?  

Probabaly a paint booth...

Railroad car and locomotive-oriented facilities--because they work on equipment that moves--can fairly easily locate in areas with favorable labor and tax climates--witness GE's re-centering of a lot of its locomotive building and rebuilding operations to favorable labor and tax climate Texas a few years ago.  Washington state--even before all the nonsense in Seattle of late--has a labor and regulatory environment that is not very friendly to heavy industrial-type operations.  So, I expect that there will be more closings like this in Washington state in the future.  Washington state, Oregon, and California seem to be in a race to see which state can have the most miserable business climate for industrial operations.  Politicians in those states love to crow about how big their economies are, but they forget that the Rust Belt used to brag in the same way--until the Rust Belt states' business climate went sour and industry packed up and left.  I remember what an economics professor said way back in my college days, "Population growth without economic growth will always lead to eventual disaster."

The original poster DelMonteX mentioned the giant oven for the baked in glass lining of pipes for the Alaskan Pipeline. So I believe that is a "giant oven".
​Go

Gonut1 Wrote:
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> The original poster DelMonteX mentioned the giant
> oven for the baked in glass lining of pipes for
> the Alaskan Pipeline. So I believe that is a
> "giant oven".
> ​Go
I agree as paint booths are not round like that.

WW Wrote:
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> Railroad car and locomotive-oriented
> facilities--because they work on equipment that
> moves--can fairly easily locate in areas with
> favorable labor and tax climates--witness GE's
> re-centering of a lot of its locomotive building
> and rebuilding operations to favorable labor and
> tax climate Texas a few years ago.  Washington
> state--even before all the nonsense in Seattle of
> late--has a labor and regulatory environment that
> is not very friendly to heavy industrial-type
> operations.  So, I expect that there will be more
> closings like this in Washington state in the
> future.  Washington state, Oregon, and California
> seem to be in a race to see which state can have
> the most miserable business climate for industrial
> operations.  Politicians in those states love to
> crow about how big their economies are, but they
> forget that the Rust Belt used to brag in the same
> way--until the Rust Belt states' business climate
> went sour and industry packed up and left.  I
> remember what an economics professor said way back
> in my college days, "Population growth without
> economic growth will always lead to eventual
> disaster."

Good points.  But population growth without educational and technical training growth will also lead to failure.  Skills like welding, pipe fitting, electrician, plumbing, digital drafting, etc fit right in with physics, chemistry, and various medical sub-sections.  Basic reading, math, and critical thinking skills are often in short supply.

Cutting back on education to keep your labor force low skilled and docile is rarely a good long term strategy.

Tubular structure looks like an autoclave.  Just a guess.

When the state of California sent there fleet of F59PHI'S up there to be rebuilt they did a really shitty job. Those 15 motors had more problems when they came back. Warranty work was constantly being done on them. One rebuilt had its turbocharger explode on its maiden voyage back from rebuild. It's was sitting in the Emeryville station in idle when it happened.

Posted from Android

Proud Foamer
OAKLEY, CA

> Any TOs know what that tubular over a track is?

It was CEECO's paint booth. it was used to hold a slight negative pressure to allow the fumes to be collected in a filter system rather than escape outdoors.

steeplecab Wrote:
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> It was CEECO's paint booth. it was used to hold a
> slight negative pressure to allow the fumes to be
> collected in a filter system rather than escape
> outdoors.

I've only known it to be an open-air structure.  The tube doesn't go down to ground level.
2004 picture:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=393255
2008 picture:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2655100