Western Railroad Discussion > G.N. Railcar still surviving on BNSF in 2021!

I had been meaning to photo this for some time, but never the opportunity. Finally in the daylight hours recently, fate brought us to-gether.

This car has been rotting in the "Ladder" tracks at Goldbar, WA for at least the 13 years that I've worked here...most likely even longer than that.

It's a BIrminghammer B225/300 Mark 2 Pile-Driver attachment mounted to a G.N. crane support car. Not sure if that's what the car's proper designation is?

There is a 1958 date on the Pile-Driver assembly, and the car is 1960, BN 959310.

In the wooden tool crib, there are all sorts of various relics, ranging from portable derails, to cables, hooks, jacks, drills, random gear that I dont know about, and a HUGE Acme grapple. Also a piece of gear built by the Kiernan Terry Drill Co. Not sure what a Terry Drill is?

Really interesting is that I was able to find a faded Great Northern still visible on the car.


Handwritten with a paint stencil pen was, BNX-975405. I believe that this was the crane associated with this Pile-Driver. I believe this crane might have been prior SP&S crane X-35, built by the Wellman co. in 1958 also....retired and I'm sure scrapped by now....I can't find it on the roster.

Either way....enjoy some G.N. history still floating around the BNSF.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/08/21 23:07 by Texican65.

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Additional pics...

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Pretty cool to see something with Great Northern written on it still....

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Thanks for sharing your photos!!!

GN 61502 became BN 969310 in December 1974 - see page 7 of BN Maintenance of Way Equipment - 959000 - 959999 - Car Register Sheets.pdf (nprha.org)

SP&S X-35 became BN 975405 in February 1974 - See page 7 of BN Maintenance of Way Equipment - 975000 - 975999 - Car Register Sheets.pdf (nprha.org)

Looks like some other interesting relics on that team track as well.

Interesting what survives. Last week in the KC area, a CBQ three bay hopper car, along with some other vintage hoppers, was spotted on a siding in Lenexa. In company service? No photos, seriously backlit.

I've generally heard that sort of car referred to as an "idler car" or a "boom car."

Doesnt look like a normal crane boom more like a vertical pile driver style.

Thanks…glad you all appreciate it. Interesting to see the old cars former number, I was hoping somebody would chime in with that. And happy that my suspicions about the SP&S crane were right. Too bad I can’t find any photos of it.

Posted from iPhone

WJEX Wrote:
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> Looks like some other interesting relics on that
> team track as well.

Yes there are. Former G.N. sand cars from the 50’s with the tops cut off. Wonder if they were used for hauling ties or something?

The other boxcars and the bulkhead flat are all custom rigged for work in the Cascade tunnel, however many decades ago when they installed a bunch of cable for radio and DP communication purposes.

Funny…they are up there again doing that now, and I bet nobody on the crew has any idea about those special cars that were retrofitted just for that years ago.

Posted from iPhone

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
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> I've generally heard that sort of car referred to
> as an "idler car" or a "boom car."

You’re right Evan! “Boom Car” is the proper term. Don’t know why I couldn’t think of that. You’ve had to have photographed all this gear up here over the years I would
think.

Posted from iPhone

BAB Wrote:
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> Doesnt look like a normal crane boom more like a
> vertical pile driver style.

Correct. It’s a Pile-Driver assembly. Probably the type that would hook up to a crane that had the capability to convert to a pile driver. Wish we could find some pics of the SP&S X-35. There were two I believe…a 1920’s and a 1950’s X-35.

Posted from iPhone

In 2014, there was discussion on TrainBoard about X-35. SPS Historical Society evidently has researched the MOW equipment/

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X-35 model 30 gas 7 1/2 ton new 6/34 sold 4/51 oper with X-19 mount car, X-411 outfit car former bussiness car B-500 ( does'nt match 1952 roster)
This probably was the first one you referred to