BNSF in the Pacific NW | RailroadPhotosByChuck.com

BNSF in the Pacific Northwest

Chemult, Oregon

Chemult, about 60 miles south of Bend in central Oregon, is the junction point between the BNSF (former Great Northern, Oregon Trunk) line north to the Columbia River and the Union Pacific (former Southern Pacific) main line from California to Portland. In 2008, my friend Larry and I lucked out as a northbound BNSF barreled through town while we were passing through.

Chemult was quiet on this August 2002 morning. Looking north, the BNSF, former Oregon Trunk, splits to the right while the UP (former SP) Cascade line veers to the left.	The C44-9W #1087 was one of 8 units on the head end of this northbound freight at Chemult on a beautiful day in September 2008.	Deeper in the loco consist was a lone holdover from the Santa Fe days, a 2300 hp GP39-2 from EMD. It was a little unusual to see 4-axle units mixed in with the 6-axle and higher 4,400 horsepower units from GE.

Columbia River Gorge

The Columbia River Gorge is one of my favorite scenic spots in the Pacific Northwest, as the scenery changes dramatically from arid desert to evergreen forests as one travel westward. In September 2008, Larry, John, Rich and I left the Sumpter Valley RR in eastern Oregon and followed the north bank of the Columbia in Washington state to Portland. Here the BNSF (former Spokane, Portland and Seattle RR) was a raceway for eastbound stack trains and westbound grain trains.

The afternoon sun lit up the BNSF C44-9W 5079 and an EMD demonstrator, probably an SD60, as the stack/grain train heads east, paralleling Highway 14 near Roosevelt, WA.	Another C44-9W, BNSF 4693, leads a long string of grain covered hoppers heading west for the Pacific ports.	Another view of the WB grain train with BNSF 4693 on the point. The second unit, still in its original Santa Fe livery, is AT&SF 881, an older C40-8W GE built in 1993. This train also had a rear DPU helper, another C44-9W, BNSF 5525.	We were able to chase this WB train to capture this image. The blue water of the Columbia against the dark brown of the volcanic slopes and the long shadows provide a beautifully stark contrast.	In dwindling daylight I snapped this photo of BN GP39-2R idling in the Wishram, WA yard. This unit was originally a GN GP30 #3006, rebuilt in 1989-1990. The original BN logo below the cab window has been patched over. Lack of light prevented any more action photos on this day. At Wishram is the connection to the former Oregon Trunk, with a lift bridge spanning the center of the Columbia River.	Occasionally one gets a “calendar shot”. Here an eastbound BNSF freight emerges, in beautiful sunlight, from a tunnel as viewed from the Chamberlain Lake Rest Area on WA Hwy 14. The ubiquitous C44-9W BNSF 5259 leads another seven units on the point in BNSF, BN, and even Norfolk Southern livery.
Zooming out, one can see all 8 locomotives on the head end of this eastbound. The scenery here is spectacular, with the volcanic cliffs and partial forestation.	An eastbound rack train passes through Bingen, WA with BNSF C44-9W 4865 and 2 other units on the point.	Another eastbound from Vancouver rounds a tight curve between the river, highway and the wall of the gorge. Behind BNSF C44-9W 4542 is 8148, a 4,000 h.p. SD60M in green BNSF paint – originally BN 9248, built in 1990.

Some BNSF, some UP, and Some Amtrak at Vancouver, Washington

A great place to watch trains is the Amtrak depot platform at Vancouver, Washington. Positioned at the north end of the double track swing bridge across the Columbia at Portland, OR and at the junction of BNSF’s Seattle Sub and the former SP&S line (BNSF’s Fallbridge Sub) east into the Columbia River gorge, it provides almost constant rail activity.

A northbound UP manifest freight makes its way across the swing bridge, headed up by two SD70M units.	Idling near the Vancouver depot was a rebuilt GP30, now BNSF 2742, a GP39-2R or GP39-E as identified on the cab.	The northbound Amtrak Cascades, bound for Seattle, stops at the Vancouver WA depot. The head-end unit AMTK 90252, a rebuilt EMD F40PHR, is now a NPCU (non-powered control unit); the loco at the rear of the train, AMTK 468, an EMD F59PHI, provides the propulsion in push-mode.	A northbound UP stack train with two SD70Ms, 4606 and 4186, eases around the curve at the Vancouver depot.	A close-up of the northbound and UP 4186 as it encounters a red signal ahead and comes to a stop at the depot.	Two BNSF locomotives perform yard duties at the BNSF Vancouver Yard, north of the depot: #2976, a GP39V, rebuilt from GM&O GP35 #624, and # 2334, a GP38-2.
Another view of UP 4606, waiting for clearance to proceed.	The northbound has pulled ahead, and the swing bridge has opened for river traffic. This is very reminiscent of the swing bridge at Charlotte in my hometown of Rochester NY.	Here comes Amtrak #11, the southbound Coast Starlight, headed up by a GE-built P42DC, a 4,200 hp unit.	The Coast Starlight has to wait as the swing bridge realigns for rail traffic.	A worker walks the bridge to ensure all rails are in alignment before the southbound Coast Starlight proceeds. At the other end waits a high railer and a UP freight.	The high railer heads onto the former SP&S rails after the bridge is in alignment.
The northbound UP heads across the bridge, led by three of EMD’s newest SD9043MAC units, #8296, 8287 and 8266. These units were designed to use a new 6,000 hp diesel engine, but reliability issues led to substitution at delivery with the 4,300 hp engine instead – hence these were called “convertibles”. UP ultimately opted out of the conversion and kept the 4,300 hp prime mover instead.	Another southbound Amtrak Cascades approaches the swing bridge, with F59PHI #467 on the point and the NPCU 90340 on the rear.	Off the former SP&S line and onto the swing bridge headed for Portland runs a local freight with two units on the head end, BNSF 5517, a C44-9W, and an earlier AT&SF C40-8W, #800, in decrepit paint.

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BNSF in the Pacific Northwest

Chemult was quiet on this August 2002 morning. Looking north, the BNSF, former Oregon Trunk, splits to the right while the UP (former SP) Cascade line veers to the left.

The C44-9W #1087 was one of 8 units on the head end of this northbound freight at Chemult on a beautiful day in September 2008.

Deeper in the loco consist was a lone holdover from the Santa Fe days, a 2300 hp GP39-2 from EMD. It was a little unusual to see 4-axle units mixed in with the 6-axle and higher 4,400 horsepower units from GE.

The afternoon sun lit up the BNSF C44-9W 5079 and an EMD demonstrator, probably an SD60, as the stack/grain train heads east, paralleling Highway 14 near Roosevelt, WA.

Another C44-9W, BNSF 4693, leads a long string of grain covered hoppers heading west for the Pacific ports.

Another view of the WB grain train with BNSF 4693 on the point. The second unit, still in its original Santa Fe livery, is AT&SF 881, an older C40-8W GE built in 1993. This train also had a rear DPU helper, another C44-9W, BNSF 5525.

We were able to chase this WB train to capture this image. The blue water of the Columbia against the dark brown of the volcanic slopes and the long shadows provide a beautifully stark contrast.

Occasionally one gets a “calendar shot”. Here an eastbound BNSF freight emerges, in beautiful sunlight, from a tunnel as viewed from the Chamberlain Lake Rest Area on WA Hwy 14. The ubiquitous C44-9W BNSF 5259 leads another seven units on the point in BNSF, BN, and even Norfolk Southern livery.

Zooming out, one can see all 8 locomotives on the head end of this eastbound. The scenery here is spectacular, with the volcanic cliffs and partial forestation.

An eastbound rack train passes through Bingen, WA with BNSF C44-9W 4865 and 2 other units on the point.

Another eastbound from Vancouver rounds a tight curve between the river, highway and the wall of the gorge. Behind BNSF C44-9W 4542 is 8148, a 4,000 h.p. SD60M in green BNSF paint – originally BN 9248, built in 1990.

A northbound UP manifest freight makes its way across the swing bridge, headed up by two SD70M units.

Idling near the Vancouver depot was a rebuilt GP30, now BNSF 2742, a GP39-2R or GP39-E as identified on the cab.

The northbound Amtrak Cascades, bound for Seattle, stops at the Vancouver WA depot. The head-end unit AMTK 90252, a rebuilt EMD F40PHR, is now a NPCU (non-powered control unit); the loco at the rear of the train, AMTK 468, an EMD F59PHI, provides the propulsion in push-mode.

A northbound UP stack train with two SD70Ms, 4606 and 4186, eases around the curve at the Vancouver depot.

A close-up of the northbound and UP 4186 as it encounters a red signal ahead and comes to a stop at the depot.

Two BNSF locomotives perform yard duties at the BNSF Vancouver Yard, north of the depot: #2976, a GP39V, rebuilt from GM&O GP35 #624, and # 2334, a GP38-2.

Another view of UP 4606, waiting for clearance to proceed.

The northbound has pulled ahead, and the swing bridge has opened for river traffic. This is very reminiscent of the swing bridge at Charlotte in my hometown of Rochester NY.

Here comes Amtrak #11, the southbound Coast Starlight, headed up by a GE-built P42DC, a 4,200 hp unit.

The Coast Starlight has to wait as the swing bridge realigns for rail traffic.

A worker walks the bridge to ensure all rails are in alignment before the southbound Coast Starlight proceeds. At the other end waits a high railer and a UP freight.

The high railer heads onto the former SP&S rails after the bridge is in alignment.

Another southbound Amtrak Cascades approaches the swing bridge, with F59PHI #467 on the point and the NPCU 90340 on the rear.

Off the former SP&S line and onto the swing bridge headed for Portland runs a local freight with two units on the head end, BNSF 5517, a C44-9W, and an earlier AT&SF C40-8W, #800, in decrepit paint.