Stored engines @ Northtown

[tunnel88]

Take a look-
http://www.qstation.org/bnsfpix/Northtown_Stored_Engines.jpg

[Alan]

A spledid photograph of a sad sight http://www.trainboard.com/frown.gif
I have seen this posted earlier, and would love to be able to wander amongst them, with my camera and LOTS of film http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

SD40-2's are one of my favourite locomotive types, so I would be in heaven. But it would be better if they were employed hauling trains http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

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Alan

The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale!

www.ac-models.com (http://www.ac-models.com)
Andersley Western Railroad (http://Andersley.homestead.com)
Alan's American Gallery (http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com)
Alan's European Gallery (http://eurogallery.homestead.com)
Alan's British Steam Gallery (http://britishsteamgallery.homestead.com)

[tunnel88]

I wouldn't mind wandering around them either...

There's one BN with the nose headlight and at least 3 pumpkins.

[Patrick]

I have never seen a group like that before and I agree with Alan that it's a sad sight to see all of that equipment just sitting there http://www.trainboard.com/frown.gif.

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Residing in BNSF's St. Croix Subdivision near Trempealeau, WI

[Gats]

How long ago was this photo taken?

Gary.

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Gary A. Rose
The Unofficial TC&W page (http://www.pnc.com.au/~audiosat/)
N to the Nth degree!

[tunnel88]

I found the photo at http://www.qstation.org/ and it doesn't have a "New" tag so i'm guessing it's at least a month old...

Qstation is a great info source btw.

[Gats]

Thanks, 88.

I thought it was a few weeks old. I recall seeing it on the Jack Marshall's site. The photo was taken on May 19.
Refer to http://www.trainboard.com/Forum25/HTML/000034.html for the last news I got of them.

Gary.

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Gary A. Rose
The Unofficial TC&W page (http://www.pnc.com.au/~audiosat/)
N to the Nth degree!

[mtaylor]

I live about 8 or so miles from Northtown yard. These enbines started showing up back in March and April. At least that is when I started to notice them.

Matt

[Gats]

Latest news hot off the NMRail press - used without permission.

A resurgence of traffic, coupled with lower fuel prices(?), has prompted BNSF to return most of the EMD Dash Two fleet to active service. What has been particularly noticeable, is the appearance of pure sets of SD40-2s on various trains on the Northern Corridor. To wit, I spotted three trains yesterday here in Coon Rapids, all of which were powered by pure trios of Dash Twos
(M-SUPKCK1-29, Z-CHCLAU9-28 and S-SEANYC1-26). The storage line at Northtown
has now dwindled to 13 each of the SD40-2 and SD45-2 models.

Karl Rasmussen
Coon Rapids, Minnesota

Gary.


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Gary A. Rose
The Unofficial TC&W page (http://www.pnc.com.au/~audiosat/)
N to the Nth degree!

[Alan]

Excellent news. Let us hope the traffic stays at high levels, so these units are not returned to storage for a while yet http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

------------------
Alan

The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale!

www.ac-models.com (http://www.ac-models.com)
Andersley Western Railroad (http://Andersley.homestead.com)
Alan's American Gallery (http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com)
Alan's European Gallery (http://eurogallery.homestead.com)
Alan's British Steam Gallery (http://britishsteamgallery.homestead.com)

[tunnel88]

I wonder how many of those units have filtered down here. I'll have to keep my eyes open.

[BN4EVR]

As of 08/05/2000, the following units are still stored at Northtown. All are model SD45-2, in blue/yellow warbonnet, and relettered BNSF except one, painted in H1

6450
6463
6472
6477
6480
6481-painted in H1
6482
6483
6486
6495
6502
6504
6509
6513
6514
6515

Not much has been done to these locomotives except that the battery box doors are missing, as the batteries have been removed.
(Die Warbonnet, Die!!! J/K)

[tunnel88]

Yeah, i know how you feel about the SF!

http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif


I was kinda sad to see the end of the big green machine too...

[Alan]

http://www.trainboard.com/tongue.gif <font color="3333ff" size="3">I will ignore the last two remarks http://www.trainboard.com/tongue.gif</font>

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Alan

The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale!

www.ac-models.com (http://www.ac-models.com)
Andersley Western Railroad (http://Andersley.homestead.com)
Alan's American Gallery (http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com)
Alan's European Gallery (http://eurogallery.homestead.com)
Alan's British Steam Gallery (http://britishsteamgallery.homestead.com)

[mtaylor]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Alan:
http://www.trainboard.com/tongue.gif <font color="3333ff" size="3">I will ignore the last two remarks http://www.trainboard.com/tongue.gif</font>

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Being that I was hatched here in Minnesota, I am sad to see the "Green Machines" fade away. The Burlington Northern has a very interesting history (with a personal interest in the Northern Pacific and te Great Northern). But I have always been fond of the Santa Fe as well. I don't mind the two merging. I just hate to see the Green Machines and the warbonnets go away. What we need is the BNSF colors, BN Green, and the warbonnets..........I like it all http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif

It's all in the name.....Burlington Northern Santa Fe........not Santa Fe Burlington Northern. It's clear that the BN part is superior (had to throw that part in to cause trouble http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif)

Matt
Hatched in BN Country!!!!

[Maxwell Plant]

BNSF has and always will stand for BIG NEW SANTA FE! The BN logo is all but gone but the SANTA FE Cross still lives! SLSF stands for SEEMS LIKE SANTA FE! (Had to add that Charlie http://www.trainboard.com/wink.gif!)

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BNSF RAILFAN-TO-THE-MAX!
Brent Tidaback, Member #234 and a N-Scaler to boot!

[tunnel88]

You SF fans are just lucky you didn't get stuck in that SPSF debacle back in 84'!

Let me make a few points, i grew up around BN so that has always been my favorite road. But i always liked the warbonnet. So while i was sad to see BN go the way of merger, i was glad to see the name carry on... And the end result was a RR with a ton of loco types too!

Now if BNSF would just get rid of all those useless ex SF SD45s and 567 powered units! http://www.trainboard.com/wink.gif

[Alan]

<font color="3333cc">I too, love the BN, as well as Santa Fe http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif The ideal situation for me, would be to keep all the paint schemes which are around at the moment, sad to see any of them dissappear.</font>

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Alan

The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale!

www.ac-models.com (http://www.ac-models.com)
Andersley Western Railroad (http://Andersley.homestead.com)
Alan's American Gallery (http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com)
Alan's European Gallery (http://eurogallery.homestead.com)
Alan's British Steam Gallery (http://britishsteamgallery.homestead.com)

[Ron Carlisle]

Although I am a Rio Grande Fan, I must admit to a fondness of both the old Burlington Northern livery and also the Santa Fe Warbonnets, the Silver/red and the blue/yellow and will be sad to see the demise of them all.
Can somebody tell me, how come those units stored in Northtown in the photo, are cleaner than most units working normally around Denver. (SP/UP). I know the tunnels don't help much, but are there any loco washing plants in the area?

[tunnel88]

I don't know about Alliance, but Denver doesn't have a huge wash rack so cleaning locomotives probably isn't a big priority around here. That's regarding BNSF.

UP i don't know. Maybe just inheriting SP stuff means dirty units! http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif

[jrhmem]

I've been working in Corwith yard Chicago since February. There is a brand new wash rack here that has "not" been used. People around for a while say the facility has "never" been. In the last 2 1/2 years the only clean locomotives I've seen are new ones and repaints. Guess Mr. Krebs doesn't want to spend the money for soap and water!

[jrhmem]

Have a buddy working in Alliance on the hostler board and he's never seen a unit washed in there. The power is taken off the trains and serviced, then placed back out on the ready tracks for assignment. Through freight power is usually not touched untill Lincoln.

[tunnel88]

Getting back to the original topic, Gats posted a note about the units going back into service and i must say i've seen a lot of solid large SD40-2 sets in the past week... One SD45-2 for good measure as well! http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif I don't know where the source is but they're out there.

[BN4EVR]

Of course, J/K stands for Just Kidding. I don't mind the Santa Fe. In fact, I even have an ATSF book on my shelf. However, I have been known to bleed Cascade Green on occasion. I was there at Northtown that day and wrote all those numbers down for everyone's reference.

[mtaylor]

Just a FYI (might even be old news)

There are no more locos sitting in storage at Northtown. http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

[Colonel]

It amazes me how so many locomotives can be taken out of service yet the railroad still functions. I was in awe of the site of so many locomitves laying idol I suppose it has to do with the fact that here in Australia our railways are small branch line compared to USA. Although our continent is 80% the size of USA our continent caters for 19 million people compared to 200 million or so in USA. great to see the SD40's back in service but for how long?

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Paul Cassar-# Member number 50
ICQ 61198217
http://users.bigpond.net.au/railroad2000

[mtaylor]

Well, I was out yesterday again, and there are locos parked here again. This time there are about a dozen locos parked here. Mostly Santa Fe SD45 locos with a few BNSF and BN SD40-2 locos. One strange thing, I have seen lots of leased equipment lately. I wonder why they are using lease equipment instead of their own?

Matt

[tunnel88]

Perhaps cost? I have seen a few leased units as well...

Here's a shot of Denver's facility and you can see one ?(can't remember the name!) unit- http://clem.mscd.edu/~jimenez/Stuff/Denver.JPG
It's not a great shot, but you can get an idea of the facility. This was on Saturday.

I haven't been able to really take any train pics, too busy, but i'll keep trying...