Does anyone know of a current source for a Porltand and Western train schedule. The trainorders page hasn't been updated in years and I don't believe, now that WES is around that the schedule is the same. If nothing else, I noticed that there are no longer cars and engines at St. Marys So I'm assuming trains are being called from somewhere else and being run at night which makes easy railfanning on my part a bit more difficult.
On the way into work this morning I caught a GP40 in Susquehenna Yellow and Black with a P&W logo slapped on crossing I5 with a single procor tank car. That's a unit I'd never seen before, so that was cool.
Your post yesterday had me digging. I have not seen my P&W ETT #1 in ages. And after frantic searching, it seems to be missing. It's been a while since my last railfanning around there. Hope you can update us with some current scenes. Boxcab E50
Sure thing, the single wide trailer at St Mary has actually been expanded with another trailer and chainlink fence, so something is still going on there, but I'm betting it is all in the early AM times when WES doesn't run. So I'll have to move elsewhere to get daytime shots.
The schedule seems to have changed a lot with the economic downturn. If you go out the A-line or drive by and beyond Banks toward the coast you will see absolutely MILES of empty cars set out waiting for the next up-turn. The frequency of trains has slowed quite a bit. There are only three ways that I know anything anymore. The first is that I often see the 663/664 on my way to and from work. This is a job where P&W MUs four or five locos, usually mostly GP39-2s, and they run a long string of cars from somewhere south (I am not sure how far) all the way up through Portland, by Union Station, through Willbridge, across the Willamette, across North Portland, across the Columbia, and into Washington, and then back again. I can never remener which job is which. One is southbound and the other northbound. The other way I know anything is that one of our bookstore's customers works for P&W. I ask him some questions. He has confirmed my sense that a lot of business has dropped off. It has, he says. The last is that I hear a bit through the yahoo group. Send me a PM for more information on that if you would like. The biggest thing is that business has slowed down quite a bit, so there aren't as many trains to see.
IIRC, that yellow & black GP40 came from the St. Lawrence & Atlantic, which is another G&W property in Maine. If you ever get a chance, drive up to Albany to the PNWR yard & catch the ex-SP SD7 they use as a yard switcher.
I've seen that SD back when I last lived here. Unfortunately, I've never been in Albany when anything was happening. Though I do have a picture of Doyle's OTHER PA parts unit sitting there.
With luck, you may even catch the sole remaining SDP40F still in service- the former Santa Fe "Maersk" unit.
It looks like the best bet for catching action on the line to Hillsboro line is going to be the Harbor Turn which it sounds like it runs pretty much on a large portion of the track in the area during daylight and on Saturday including down the line over Cornelius Pass. There's one other run that is daylight, but monday through Friday. Also, they've pretty much shut down St. Mary and have moved everything to the new Yard in Tigard.
On Sunday I had a chance to investigate the "new" yard at Tigard. It's a much nicer facility in terms of size than St. MAry, but it's less accessible to a fan. It was also interesting that there was a realignment of the tracks through tigard and you can see the original right of way was a much more bucolic route whereas the new route is mostly fenced off. In addition it was interesting to see the original tracks through the yard which are now secondary. The ties are falling apart and my weight could cause some of them to sink into waterfilled ruts in the ballast. These tracks appear to be used on occasion still, though obviously no longer the main. In addition, there was obvious car storage in the area including about 20 TOFC spine cars sitting on a long industrial lead along with an old passenger car that had it's windows busted out and tagging all over it. Pictures to follow when I get a better internet connection.
OK, I'm horrible, there was no good reason for me to take this long to get these uploaded. There are more, but these are the best. A Brace of former ATSF GP39-2s These were part of the original Willamette and Pacific and still have W&P logos on them though they are fading. 2 more shots
IIRC, the St. Lawrence & Atlantic (another G&W property) also had the color scheme of black over yellow, before they went to the G&W orange & black. I'm guessing this diesel was moved from the StL&A to the PNWR. The Portland & Western group on Yahoo should be able to verify this unit's origin (or call me nuts, one ) (AFTER RUMMAGING THRU PICS) Ah, here's an example- StL&A power in both the B/Y and O/B near Lewiston, ME: Hope this helps to explain the paint scheme. BTW, I like your pics- I miss chasing that railroad.............
All the PNWR folks I have met have been really nice. One of them is a frequent customer at our bookstore. I am not sure when PNWR last painted anything over, but I think it's been quite a while. There are all manner of locomotives with the old name simply rattled-canned out and the P&W sticker slapped on the side. It's sure a plucky little operation.
We'll I think with the Warbonnets it must be intentional, because they've done a lot of painting since the 90s when they were first done up. Bob, I'm sure you're right on the heritage of the GP40. I'm on the Yahoo group, so I might ask. I'm thinking based on the bell placement that it is originally of Canadian Heritage. I caught an SD45 in the yard at Tigard this morning as I shot by on the WES. It was in a gray primer like color with P&W sticker on the side. Lighter than SP gray. I may have to ask the yahoo group what it's doing there, because I thought all SD45s were off the roster and back east as of a couple years ago.
There's at least one. I think it's number 3003, but I'd have to look it up to know for sure. It looks kind of like a painted out KCS scheme, but I don't know if that's what it was before.
