Portrait of an Endangered Species
UP AC60CW in the TXI Aggregates spur at Missouri City, TX on April 18, 2007 ©Robert Pierce
I know what you’re thinking: “A wide-cab GE is an endangered species? They’re on every stinking train! Surely you jest…”
Not to get too overly biological, but wide-cab GE would be the genus. They’re not endangered. The species, UP AC6000CW, or C60AC as the UP liked to call them, is another matter.
Beginning in mid-2007, the UP has been replacing the 6000 HP HDL prime movers in their AC6000CW fleet with 4400 HP FDL prime movers, effectively making them AC4400CW’s, albeit with a larger radiator than a stock AC4400CW.
UP encountered continual problems with the HDL motor, to the point that all 80 of their C60AC’s were assigned to rock-train service in Texas just so these units could stay close to the North Little Rock shops.
Numbered 7500-7579, upon conversion, they are being re-numbered into the 6888-6968 block, skipping 6936. That, of course, is the number of UP’s DDA40X.
As of late last year, about 60 had been converted, with the balance to be completed this year.
Sometimes You Get Sun,Sometimes the Sun Gets You
UP SD40-2 3714 with the KCIAT through Stafford, TX on March 7, 2007
It was going to be an awesome shot-an SD40-2 handling a UP stack train.
Setting up here at one of my favorite spots (it’s close to home) I could tell the sun was going to be hit or miss. As the train came around the curve in the distance, it was in bright sun.
Too bad, because I’m half a mile down the track, under a monster cloud. Out of disgust, I didn’t want to take the picture.
As you can see, I took the picture anyway. I did because it was cool seeing an SD40-2 on an intermodal. Looking back, I’m really glad I ignored my disgust.
Little did I know that what was uncommon in 2007 would become virtually impossible in 2010.
A Different Perspective From The Same Place
UP EB at Tower 87 in Houston, TX Jan. 20, 2008
I recently posted this shot from the east end of Englewood, looking east. It’s a medium telephoto view which didn’t give a good view of the overall area. Let’s look at the big picture…
CSXT 5288 crossing UP's Houston East Belt Sub on Jan. 29, 2009
We’re at the same location just over one year later. Shooting at 28mm gives a better view of the overall area. Note the new signals have been put in service.
The track in the left background takes you to the south end of Settegast (ex MP) yard. Background right is the incline leading to the Englewood hump.
PS-You’d think that I could get some UP power on either of these two UP trains….
Do You Know Who I Am?
BN 8002 leads a nice A-B-A set just south of Rosenberg, TX on Jan. 15, 1998
At first glance, BN 8002 looks like just one more BN SD40-2, but don’t be fooled. Note the engine number on the cab, and the BN logo on the long hood, opposite of standard practice.
Fact is, the 8002 is a celebrity of sorts. It was the only SD40-2 painted into BN’s short-lived “tiger stripe” scheme.
In the late 1980’s, BN was looking for ways to reduce grade crossing accidents. One idea was to increase the visibility of their power by adding orange and black (tiger) stripes to the nose of locomotives.
The 8002 and GP38-2 2112 were re-painted into 2 variations of this scheme, shortly after which BN received several orders of GP50’s in this scheme.
Apparently BN didn’t feel that this scheme improved visibility enough to adopt the scheme for the fleet, as no other units were painted into this scheme.
Santa Fe – Eisenhower Passenger Special
Santa Fe Passenger Special being turned at Solomon, KS on Oct. 14, 1990
The City of Abilene, Kansas commemorated the Centennial of Dwight Eisenhower’s birth in October of 1990. The BN, UP and Santa Fe operated special trains from Kansas City to Abilene to transport invited guests.
We’re looking at Santa Fe’s handsome Budd-built business car 50, “Santa Fe” as it passes by en route to Solomon, Kansas where the train will be wyed for its return to Kansas City.
Only two business cars were built by Budd, this one for the Santa Fe and one for the Burlington.
Pull My Throttle and See What Happens
SP B30-7 7838 with 2 SD45's at Hardy Street in Houston, TX on Oct. 23, 1983
SP B30-7 7838 displays the typical behavior of GE locomotives when accelerating quickly – lots of smoke as the turbocharger can’t spool up quick enough to keep up with the increased RPM’s.
The lead unit has all the appurtenances that gave SP locomotives their uniqueness: L shaped engineer’s windshield, gyralite, and the oscillating red light. Note the class lights also.
Y2K x 2
Once KCS had acquired a North-South route from the mid-west U.S. all the way to the interior of Mexico in the late 1990’s, they began marketing the company as the NAFTA Railway.
To commemorate the campaign, the KCS painted SD50 712 into the then-current gray scheme and re-numbered the unit to 2000. They also applied the logos of their 5 companies: KCS/Tex-Mex/TFM/GWWR/Panama Canal Rwy.
KCS first NAFTA unit, SD50 712 at Knoche Yard in Kansas City, MO on Oct. 14, 1999
This unit was re-numbered back to its original number of 712 shortly after the above photo was taken when a “new and improved” 2000 arrived.
The second KCS NAFTA unit, AC4400CW 2000 at Kansas City on Jan. 29, 2001
The AC4400CW has since been re-numbered to KCS 4575, but it still has its special paint scheme.
Kansas City…Baby (Boat) – Pic of the Day
UP B30-7A 248 passing Armstrong Yard in Kansas City, KS on Jan. 14, 1990 ©Fred Krause
The Kansas City skyline accents this view of a westbound manifest pulled by UP (ex MP) B30-7A 248 and 2 CSXT units, SD40-2 8112 and GP40-2 6746 on Jan. 14, 1990.
The B30-7A was only purchased by the MP*, receiving 55 of them between November 1981 and February of 1982. The B30-7A was able to generate its 3000 HP with a 12 cylinder engine, compared to the 16 cylinder engine used in the B30-7.
*The BN received 120 B30-7AB’s, cabless versions of the B30-7A.
Hey Bulldog!
KCS F9A "Meridian" at Kendleton, TX on July, 15, 2009
Bulldog nose. That’s the nickname given to the nose design of EMD F-units (E8 and E9’s also).
Why would anyone nickname the graceful, curved lines of the nose of this classic locomotive “bulldog nose”?
Well, I guess that answers that question….
PS – Apologies to The Beatles…
On The Border
UP 4849 West approaches the bridge over Amistad Reservoir on May 11, 2006
UP’s Sunset Route has close calls with the U.S.-Mexico border at 6 points during its trek across the Southwest U.S. The above westbound nears the first of these points, the bridge crossing Lake Amistad Reservoir just west of Del Rio, Texas on May 11, 2006. The border at this point is 2 miles south of the UP right-of-way.
The other 5 close calls:
- Shumla, Texas – 1/2 mile away
- Langtry, TX – 1500′ away
- Just west of downtown El Paso, TX – 300′
- Anapra, NM – 30′ away (yes, 30 feet!)
- Yuma, AZ- 1.5 miles
The UP Sunset Route at Anapra, NM, its closest brush with the U.S.-Mexico border
Clicking on the image will allow you just how close the UP track is to the border in Anapra-about the width of a narrow street in mexico.
The Right Place At The Right Time
We’re at Bringhurst, CP LF363 on UP’s Terminal sub, just west of the Englewood ramp. The MEWFO (Manifest Englewood-Formosa Chemical Plant in Point Comfort, TX) has just been re-crewed.
NS SD60I on UP symbol MEWFO in Houston, TX, Feb 17, 2008
This is one of few open spots in this area where a decent photo is possible. But an ex-Conrail SD60I is on the point, so another photo is necessary. This being a Sunday afternoon, traffic shouldn’t be too bad on the US 59 frontage road overpass, about a mile west of here.
UP manifest MEWFO about to pass under US 59 in Houston, TX on Feb. 17, 2008
All of the brush mandated a head-on shot of the train from the overpass, but it does provide a good view of the conductor’s desk-top. On the same track as the MEWFO, in the background, you can see the headlight of the KCS grain train that I posted yesterday.
Getting into the car, I hear the KCS 4687 departing Englewood, so staying put was the best option for a shot of the grain train. The only problem was that it might be a while, as he was on the same track as the MEWFO. And I’m parked in the emergency lane of an overpass where cars are flying by at 50 mph.
KCS 4687, along with a rear DPU, just west of Englewood Yard on Feb. 17, 2008
Fortunately, he got to my location quickly, allowing me to get off the overpass.
I’d like to think that the DS knew my situation and chose to cross the KCS 4687 over to main one to minimize the time I’d have to wait to get this shot. Thank you dispatcher.
A First Time for Everything
I would think that after some 3 decades plus of being around trains, I would have pretty much seen any and every type of rolling stock. Then again, I would be wrong.
KCS 7002, with a Laredo-bound manifest, at track speed through Stafford, TX on Oct. 4, 2006
KCS bulkhead flatcars modified with stakes for hauling timber lengthwise
I’ve seen plenty of bulkhead flatcars, but I can’t say I’ve ever seen them modified with stakes, much less stakes that are a good 2-3 feet taller than the bulkhead. I’m guessing that the KCS modified the cars to permit the loading of timbers lengthwise.
I imagine that cars like this don’t stray much from the forests of Arkansas and Missouri. I suspect these 50′ logs are en route to being converted into utility poles in Mexico, so I get a chance to see something different passing through my neck of the woods. (I know, I know, that was a horrible pun…)
RailCarPhotos.com has a picture of another KCS car like this one, loaded with shorter timbers.
Southwest Rails 