Western Railroad Discussion > The Last of Progress Rail Tacoma's Derelict Locomotives

The last of the derelict Progress Rail Tacoma locomotives to leave Tacoma is one that had been working in Tacoma for a long time.   PRL 217, Pacific Rail Services an SW1200.    

Not sure where it’s going, but Tacoma Rail held on to it for a couple days and then on Thursday 4/8/21 they delivered it to the BNSF across the river, along with 2500’ of commercial cars.   

Here’s a little bit of its journey, featuring Tacoma Rail working in the main line plant at CP 21st St, on the BNSF Seattle Sub.   

1) TR 1521, which just got back in service after a little down time, has hold of the PRL 217.  In a few minutes TR Job 204 will couple the 1521 to the 1524, glass out style and they’ll pull their train out of a yard track 

2) The cut is 2500’ so they need all the way out to the SIM yard for head room. 

3) Shoving back across the Lincoln Ave Wye.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/21 01:37 by DelMonteX.

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4) Crossing the Puyallup River on the BNSF Hill bridge.

5) They rolled all the way through the BNSF Tacoma yard and out the west end, on the Dock lead at Head Of Bay curve.   Next door is a BNSF Stack train that is getting ready to cross the Hill Bridge to hand over the train to Tacoma Rail.   Job 204 will have to wait a bit for this to clear. 

6) All the way out in to the 21st St Plant and past the iconic Glass Museum.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/21 01:38 by DelMonteX.

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7) Shoving back in to a second track and a grain train shows up.

 8) One more shot with the Tacoma Dome in the background at Head Of Bay Curve.  The wind really picked up, so I was done for the day.

  If anyone knows the future for the 217, I’d like to know!

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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Excellent photo story/journey!  

 

Thanks!

In case anyone is interested the PRL 217 is being shipped to a Progress Rail Services facility in Mayfield Kentucky. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

Beautiful photos!  Amazing what is possible with a drone.
I would try drone photography but I have this funny feeling the process would end with a couple thousand dollars worth of drone and cameras crashing down in some inaccessible part of a railroad yard, surrounding terrain, waterway, or worse.
BTW when you are flying that thing, what is the communication between drone and your controller that lets you have a "viewfinder".  Its gotta too far for Bluetooth, so I'm curious what mode those setups use?
 

Very nice..!!