Western Railroad Discussion > Some Light Mid-Week Action On The BNSF--A Bit Of Traction & Some

It was a smoke haze day in Ritzville, WA on the BNSF Lakeside Sub on the Northern Transcon The high-low was a pleasent 77-51. Here's hoping the best for all the railroad workers, you deserve it! Traffic is at 16 trains with more on the way. Here are some trains from today and the last couple of days, Traffic has picked up today,

9/13/2029

1. EB 329pm manifest with BNSF 7569-sticker 6917 on the point with DPU.
2. Long string of reefers rolling in same train.

9/14/2022

3. Grab shot of the end of WB 902am geometry train.

 

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4. EB 940am empty coal with BNSF 7828-7401-7326 on the pull with DPU.
5. DPU BNSF 6595 on same train.
6. WB 116am "Z" with BNSF 5864-5486-3779-7139 on the point with no DPU.

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7. TOFC on the roll in same train.
8. EB 101pm "V" with BNSF 8441-3783-4740 on the pull with no DPU.
9. Grab shot of EB 118pm manifest with BNSF 7332-9893-7363-4013 on the point with no DPU.

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10. Another shot of BNSF 70MAC 9893 on same train. Nice to see 9893 still out and about.

9/15/2022

11. EB 1126am grain with BNSF 7929-7218 on the pull with DPU.
12. DPU BNSF 5029 on same train.

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13. EB 1228pm manifest with BNSF 7929-7218 on the point with DPU and  a friendly toot-toot-wave from thee hogger.
14. DPU BNSF 7895 on same train.
15. Grab shot of EB 111pm "Z" with BNSF Orange 3 units of GE on the pull with no DPU.

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16. Stacks and TOFC on the roll in same "Z"
17. More TOFC rolling in same train.

Now for a bit of Traction from the Andy Goddard collection.

18. Pacific Electric 717 at Perris, CA museum in the 1960's. First time to see that paint scheme. Jerry Squier photo. Any info welcomed.

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19. Pacific Electric 423 heading for either Los Angeles or Long Beach in Oct. 1952. Need help on this Charlie. Charles Thorpe photo.
20. Vancouver B.C, trolley buses in 1992. Any info welcomed. Unknown photographer.
21. OT--LA RTD bus 6410 in the 1960's. The lady better hurry. Information help welcomed. Jerry Squier photo.

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22. OT--Another back end shot this time of San Jose, CA Transit bus 6637 in 1960's. Any info welcomed. Jerry Squier photo.

That's it for today. Hope everyone has a great evening and tomorrow. Thank you so much for looking!

Larry
Ritzville, WA

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I see you caught BNSF 42 "Skagit River" on the rear of the geometry train.  That was home territory for me a few years ago:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5542176

mike woodruff
spokane

Nice shot Mike of the train rolling over the Skagit River.

Larry

No 18 shows a Hollywood Car, 717, as it was displayed in operation at the Southern California Railway Museum
in Perris. A bit of 'artistic license' is at play here as the red and cream paint scheme was applied by the museum
in the 1960's to car 717 to replicate the paint scheme Pacific Electric applied in 1938 to a group of 15 suburban cars,
735-749, as part of a program to replace the 800 class cars then being retired from from PE's Subway Terminal to
Van Nuys run. To be clear, PE 717 was never a part of a 1938 upgrade creating the so-called "Valley Seven" class.

A major part of the 1938 upgrade included rewinding their traction motors to increase their top speed from 28 mph to
45 mph, installation of roof mounted destination signs and the distinctly different paint scheme seen here.
The 15 cars were immediately dubbed "Valley Sevens" but their distinctive appearance was short lived as the remainder
of the 600 class underwent a similar modernization in 1940 which brought them up to the same performance level as well
as the two-toned PE Red and Orange paint scheme with stripes and wings the entire class of Hollywood Cars wore through
to retirement in the 1950's and 1960's. Car 717 and sisters 716, 637, 635 and 626 were purchased by the late
Walter Abbenseth in 1960 and came to Perris on permanent loan. 717 was given the "Valley Seven" paint scheme and the
skirting along the bottom of the sides was removed at Perris. There may have been other details that were removed in an
effort to return its appearance to that of 1938-40. It was used extensively at Perris until the 1990's until a full restoration was
performed including repainting to it's present ''Electric Lines Red #1". 

No 19 is at Watts, or more correctly just south of Watts on Pacific Electric's Southern District. From left to right
we see: "8" on the pole indicating miles from PE headquarters at 6th & Main Sts in Los Angeles. Interestingly,
the mile post location in PE employee timetables for Watts varied throughout the years as PE's system began to shrink.
After 1960, "Watts" became MP 6.2 when 8th St yard became 'Los Angeles'. In January 1963 "Watts" became
MP 5.3 when Butte St yard, PE's largest, assumed the mantle of 'Los Angeles'. The first two SP employee timetables
issued after August 13, 1965 (the date of PE's incorporation in to SP) that included, by-then, former PE tracks didn't even
show mileages for any of the newly acquired trackage. Not until March, 1969--almost 4 years after the official demise of
Pacific Electric as a separate entity did SP timetables integrate former PE stations into SP's 'system' by applying mileages
from San Francisco as was their practice from time immemorial. 

Some other details in photo 19 are, of course, the four-track main line which ended just behind the photographer,
separating into three general directions; southeast to Santa Ana, south to Newport, Long Beach and San Pedro and
southwest to El Segundo and Torrance. The tracks in the photo are L-R: Outbound Local, Outbound Main, Inbound Main,
Inbound Local and team track. All electric switches seen here were controlled by the Watts Tower Interlocking, out of
sight to the left of the Outbound Local track. To the right of the two-car blimp train can be seen the PE Freight station
which also served as the 103rd St passenger stop at Watts and the large brick Watts electric sub-station.
At the extreme right can be seen a portion of the team track loading dock.

Lots of details.

Charlie






 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/22 21:21 by cewherry.

Ritzville Action
Pleasant weather and lots os action are a great combination.
A real variety of train consists with intermodal being the most colorful.
Grab shot of geometry train was a nice catch.
Unit Of The Day is BNSF #9893.

Historic Traction
19 - Very nice heavy interurban action scene
20 - #2416 is a CCF Brill Model T48A 
       #2797 is a Flyer Model E902
       #2713 is a Flyer Model E902
21 - #6140 is a GM Model TDH5103
22 - #6637 is a GM Model TD3609 built 1946; the only example of this model on the roster

Thanks for another super interesting posting and all the work that goes into it.

ALLEN

Thanks Charlie for a very comprehensive and busy classroom tonight. Lots of topics to discuss, much appreciated. Thanks Allen alwasy interesting review and your classroom on bus models, always appreciated.

Larry

To add to Allen's comments Larry, great postings by you thru the Summer heat
The picture taken is at the Oakridge Transit Center on 41 Ave in Vancouver. It was the first yard and shops built by the BCER at the start of trolley service after WW2 at the beginning of the end of the street railway system. It was replaced about 20 years ago by a new yard on Hudson St in Vancouver's Marpole area

Enjoyed seeing these, especially the traction stuff.  Added note: I shot the 9893, also trailing. on a westbound manifest last Friday in Polo, IL.   This is the C&I line to the Twin Cities.  Unit gets around, that's for sure.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Thanks "BoxcarBruce" For your interesting added info on the Vancouver B.C. Trolley Buses, much appreciated. Thanks Nick for your interesting comments on the 9893, it sure does get around. Nice to see a 70MAC on the roll.

Larry

Here is second hand Tri-Met bus aquired from Denver in 1979

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Nice pictures Larry. Good to see the weather is getting better. Here we had some cold days, with a bit of rain yeasterday.

Posted from Android

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

Thanks 830-east and Pedro!

Larry