Nostalgia & History > Hinkle Photos from Days Gone By

I spent several years in the employ of UPRR Locomotive Dept. at Hinkle, Oregon (Jan 1998-Sept 2003). During that timeframe, we moved from the old (1951) enginehouse and service track into the current (1998) shop and adjoining service track. I seldom took photos except when necessary (the first thing the CMO asked me in my job interview was whether or not I was pursuing the position merely to take photographs) so I have relatively few photos of the period. These are some of those photos (including some I salvaged from the old shop literally minutes prior to demolition). Note: some photos were taken with an early (low resolution) digital camera.

1) Enginehouse Foreman John Spinden is in the cab of the #4204 which is pushing the first locomotive (CNW#8682) into Track #3 of the new Hinkle Locomotive Shop (August 1998). John is a veritable walking encyclopedia of information on Hinkle and the past 40/50 years of the UPRR Loco Dept. He can be found most Saturdays at the Maxwell Siding Railroad Museum in Hermiston.

2) The first locomotive inside the new shop: CNW#8682 for a QM (92 Day) inspection. It was hurriedly hostled into the shop by John Spinden and Joe McCrow. Once inside, however, we quickly realized it needed to be inbounded...so as quickly as it was spotted in the shop, it was pulled out for a once over by a machinist and electrician.

3) Day-Shift Hinkleodians in the old enginehouse doing their morning stretches! From left: John Burnett, Mike Briggs, Craig Doles, Tony McClenahen and Al Spruell. (May 1995)

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1) John Burnett, Joe McCrow and Johnny Walker cleaning up the pads around the mainline fuel risers.

2) Looking west from the old service track. The pumphouse it to the right; the old shop is in the background.

3) The east end of the old enginehouse. The sign was made in-house; the company logo is actually a decal created for the 6900s.

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1) A view of the east end of the new shop under construction. Rail is going in along with the overhead cranes at this time.

2) How do you replace a defective king pin liner if you don't have a truck pit? You place a call to the car department!

3) CNW#8691 gets a lift from the Hinkle Mantis.

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1) The front truck is out; time to replace the liner and assess the damage.

2) The new liner.

3) This is what happens when a kingpin liner falls apart. The truck proceeds to chew up the kingpin. Can't fix that at Hinkle; it will be sent to CEECO for warranty work courtesy of the 12 year coupler-to-coupler warranty that GE gave the CNW as an incentive to go GE.

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I got the proverbial cart ahead of the horse earlier. Here are another three photos related to the first locomotive in the new shop.

1) CNW#8682 is being shoved into the new shop on Track #3 by the UP#4204. John Spinden is at the throttle, Joe McCrow is working the ground.

2) Looking west through the door on Track#3 at the UP#4204.

3) The CNW#8682 on Track#3 shortly before being pulled out for inbounds.

That's it for now!

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