Western Railroad Discussion > Dash 8's Doing Interchange Work

Throughout the 1990s, Santa Fe's fleet of B40-8W's ruled the rails. Typically assigned to hotshot freights and intermodal movements, the four-axle model easily handled the trackage between Los Angeles, CA and Chicago, IL. By the early-2000s, many of the locomotives transitioned to local and transfer service, less likely to be seen on big-time main line freights. With the economic downturn a couple years later, a number of the former ATSF Dash 8's ended up in deadlines and were stashed away in various yards. But beginning in 2017, a handful of the 500-series units were rebuilt in Texas, refurbished for a new lease on life across the BNSF system. The initiative was deemed successful and dozens were cycled through the program, earning a new look and fresh paint in the process.

Numerous BNSF Dash 8's have reclaimed California, with some positioned as far west as Richmond and others near the CA/AZ border. Mormon Yard in Stockton, CA has become a hub for Dash 8's, handling the Sacramento Local, turns between Riverbank and Stockton, and transfer jobs for area shortlines.

The video clips featured show a few of the freshened up Dash 8's operating along the Central California Traction Company (both the Port of Stockton and the Lodi Line) taking care of the interchange work in Stockton.

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Quite rare…as BNSF does not favor these old veterans anymore. Pretty awesome that they were completely refurbished…I appreciate seeing that.

We had a good one up here in the PNW a few years ago…the 505. It had some sort of turbo failure, and was put in storage…I think it’s for sale now.

Thanks for sharing

Posted from iPhone

Great video of their reemergence in California.  I haven't yet seen them on BNSF SoCal locals - which seem to be the domain of GP60M-3s and GP60s.

Rich

What I just noticed…which is absolutely rediculous…but…both of those units are “remote” units! I’ve never heard of or seen a GE remote.

Anybody else?

Posted from iPhone

Texican65 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What I just noticed…which is absolutely
> rediculous…but…both of those units are
> “remote” units! I’ve never heard of or seen
> a GE remote.
>
> Anybody else?

There are a handful of RCL 600-series Dash 9s, too!

Nice to hear that 511 still has a Leslie S-3L.  That once ubiquitous horn is getting pretty scarce on Class 1's now.  In the Santa Fe Superfleet era, the EMD's had K3LA's and the GE's had S-3L's.  I was very disappointed when the red and silver BNSF 700-series Dash 9's showed up with "EMD horns!"  The railroad never went back to Leslie again.

Thanks for your on-going coverage of the Stockton area.

TJY

Texican65 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What I just noticed…which is absolutely
> rediculous…but…both of those units are
> “remote” units! I’ve never heard of or seen
> a GE remote.
>
> Anybody else?
>
> Posted from iPhone

I've seen a couple but have never seen them used in Remote mode.

Sounds more like an ex BN S3K to me...

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice to hear that 511 still has a Leslie S-3L. 
> That once ubiquitous horn is getting pretty scarce
> on Class 1's now.  In the Santa Fe Superfleet
> era, the EMD's had K3LA's and the GE's had
> S-3L's.  I was very disappointed when the red and
> silver BNSF 700-series Dash 9's showed up with
> "EMD horns!"  The railroad never went back to
> Leslie again.

sp8192 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sounds more like an ex BN S3K to me...

The horn atop the 556 is definitely a fouled RS3K while the horn mounted on No. 511 is for sure a Leslie RS3L.

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice to hear that 511 still has a Leslie S-3L. 
> That once ubiquitous horn is getting pretty scarce
> on Class 1's now.  In the Santa Fe Superfleet
> era, the EMD's had K3LA's and the GE's had
> S-3L's.  I was very disappointed when the red and
> silver BNSF 700-series Dash 9's showed up with
> "EMD horns!"  The railroad never went back to
> Leslie again.

That Leslie was one horn that I remember meant "GET OUT OF THE WAY, COMIN' THROUGH!!" Especially when they ran their hot freights back in the 90s!