VACATION JOURNEY - SPOKANE TO MINNEAPOLIS _________________________________________ MONTANA RAIL LINK BURLINGTON NORTHERN DAKOTA MINNESOTA & EASTERN Spokane - Sandpoint - MRL - Gillette - DME I've recently completed a railfan based vacation, travelling from Spokane to Minneapolis over two weeks. As I am UK based, this is probably a once in a lifetime trip. I do without a scanner, as it would be of no use except in the USA, so I have to wait the hard way, and I claim no local knowledge of the area except in Minnesota, although once beyond Spokane it was hard to lose one's way. I thought it would be a good idea to share a summary of the more interesting trains and locations. Spokane - 13th June ___________________ Spokane seemed very quiet, one train being seen in the morning heading west including MPI SD40M-2 and an SD9. This immediately reflected to me that BN power continued to be short, and this was on ongoing flavour over the next two weeks. The reason for the quietness was partially found when I arrived at the High Bridge at Latah Jct. which was occupied by a rail grinding train. The only trains seen after this moved on were one BN and one UP, the latter being 911 + 2027 + 2030. Athol and Sandpoint - 14th June _______________________________ A bit quiet again, and that grinding train rolled past heading towards Sandpoint. After that two BN westbound double stacks rolled through with standard SD40-2 power; 7106 + 7030 + 6816, 6776 + 7058. Moving on to Sandpoint, I saw EMD 6311 (ex MILW, SOO SD40-2) sandiched between BN SD40-2's 7938 and 8015 on an eastbound, followed by 6361 + MPI 9028 (SD40M-2 in SD45 body) on the following eastbound. Trains tend to come in waves of eastbounds and westbounds here. The first westbound was BN 7837 + CSX 8432 (SD40-2) + MK 9047 (SD40M-2 in SD40 body) +7916 on a double stack, followed by 3119 + 3159, then 6706 + 3143 + LMX 8506. The next eastbound was 6803 + MK 9035 (SD40M-2 in SD45 body) + 7848 + 6821 on the eastbound #6, but the light was then beginning to fail, so I went back to my tent. Sandpoint to Thompson Falls 15th June _____________________________________ In the morning UP GP38-2 2037 was switching at Sandpoint, the engineer proudly wearing a stetson hat. Running down the shore of Lake Pend Oreille, I found several of the NP semaphore signals, which are a fast diminishing feature of this area. The trains at Thompson Falls again tended to come in waves, the first observed being BN 3157 + 4102 + LMX 8530 on a train including two Boeing cockpit subassemblies, one for a 757PF (freighter). Thompson Falls to Missoula 16th June ____________________________________ I still had not seen an MRL locomotive, but was finally satisfied at Paradise by GP9's 123 + 127 with a local to Thompson Falls. It then rained heavily, and I routed to Missoula via Dixon, not realising that the preferred route is via St. Regis. Missoula is really a very attractive location, situated on a drained river bed underneath rolling hills. The first train seen was a BN with LMX 8515 + 4053. The resident MRL switchers were SD9 610 and GP9 128, the latter a recent roster introduction with a chopped nose. At the stabling and refuelling area were MRL 261 + 359 + 251, the 359 being an SD45 still in yellow and black NYSW colours. 251 and 261 are SD40-2XR rebuilds. Also present were GP9 118, 41 year old SD9 607, and SD35 705. The depot at Missoula is now a micro-brewery and it's possible to sit out and watch the trains go by. Outside the depot is NP 4-6-0 1356 with two semaphore signals, but photographic angles are very poor. The Milwaukee depot still exists, and the track bed is a walk way. Back at the depot in the evening, I saw BN 3113 + 4032 + 8058 + 4035 on an eastbound, followed by EMD SD60 8302 + MK SD40M-2 9044 + Oakway SD60 9073 on a coal train. 8302 now sports a new red, silver and grey EMD scheme. Missoula - Helena 17th June ___________________________ In the morning I saw a westbound double-stack train with BN 3149 + 4058 + NS GP50 7020. MRL SD45 357 + SD40 206 were seen on a ballast train at a loop east of Missoula. At Garrison, a westbound grain train passed with BN 7179 + 4112 + 7105 + 6792 + 8064. Unfortunately from this point and for a few days, sunlight was so bright that photographic results were not excellent, in particular with the MRL colour scheme and trucks in general. A side trip to Deer Lodge found MILW Little Joe E70 after it's recent move across town. The external finish on this locomotive is very fine, and made a good picture with snow capped peaks in the distance. At Helena, NP 4-6-0 1382 is parked close to the depot, and appears to be the same design as 1356 at Missoula. MRL GP9 115 was switching at Helena. This chop-nosed GP9 would turn up gain later in my trip at Livingston. There was a heavily battered dome car in Amtrak colours in the yard. At the stabling point unique MRL G19-1 151 was lined up next to SD19-1's 651 and 652, possibly all of these rebuilds in one row. Also present was SD45-2 306 and 362, a former NYSW SD45 still in BN green. Some of these must been on helper duties. Later in the day these had been joined by SD45-2 307 and SD40-2XR 259, and a BN train to Great Falls passed with LMX 8521 + 8522. Helena 18th June ________________ At Helena in the early morning were MRL SD45-2 301 and recent rebuild SD40-2XR 262. Livingston - Big Timber 20th June _________________________________ Immediately upon arrival at Livingston from deepest Yellowstone, I saw MRL SD45 356 + SD40 223 + SD40 204 on a westbound, which I believe may have been "LM" Laurel - Missoula. There is an interesting railroad museum at the Livingston depot. About 20 stored CNW locomotives moved from Oelwein for LRC some years ago were parked close to the main street. These included; SD40 868 SD40 880 SD40 881 SD40 890 SD40 895 GP7 4345 GP7 4346 GP7 4347 GP7 4362 GP7 4448 GP9 4516 GP9 4519 GP9 4520 GP9 4524 Close by were SD40's, 894 and 876, the latter with hood cut above the underframe from the air filters to the back. There was a lot of MRL power at the depot, and between the depot and LRC I saw all three former WSOR F45's and the NYSW F45, although two of these were in LRC and one of two WSOR F45's was obscured at the depot. In the depot area were: NW2u 11, GP9's 115, 116, 119, SD40 213, SD40-2XR's 253, 265 (recent rebuild), F45 392, SD35's 702, 703, GP38E EMD 786 GP9 119 was switching, and 125 + 126 arrived with 1 car from the west. At the LRC EMD GP40 192 was turning over very smokily outside. ALso in the yards were Bonneville Transloaders 204 and the hood of a BN U30C. Seen passing in the middle of a BN power consist was GATX SD40-2 7376. Back on the open road of I-90, SD40 209 was passed, with what appeared to be a ballast train. At Big Timber SD40-2XR 251 + SD45 359 + SD40-2XR passed eastbound and MPI SD40M-2 9041 was at the point of a westbound. Laurel and Billings 21st June _____________________________ At Laurel, switching duties were in the hands of SD9 600, and SW1200's 12 and 14. At the depot were MRL SD9's 604 and 606. Also present were two rare BN U30C's 5382 and 5389. It was 93F and a bit hazy on arrival at Billings, and photography was not the best. MRL SW9 16 and GP9 121 were resident, at this almost the eastern outpost of MRL. A BN eastbound pig train was in the hands of SD40-2 6821 + U30C 5382, the latter seen earlier at Laurel. A westbound arrived in the hands of CSX SD40-2 and MRL SD40-2XR 258. Billings to Sheridan, WY 22nd June __________________________________ This leg started taking me towards BN's coal country. At Huntley a BN eastbound was seen with 3115 + LMX 8521 + 4029 + 4045. Stopping off at Hardin, EMD SD40-2 6047 was parked outside the elevator. Sheridan has two historic depots, both surviving, an unrestored vintage train and CB&Q 4-8-4 5631. BN SW15 305 was switching. Coal trains were in the hands of 9287 + 9228 + 7930, 7849 + 7885 + 9267 + 9231, and helper sets seen with fuel tenders were 8168 + 7236, 7249 + 7286. Sheridan to Newcastle 23rd June _______________________________ Another coal train seen at Sheridan before departure was 9283 + 9268 + 5595. By the time I arrived at Gillette the sun was high in the sky and although there was a coal train just outside of town, it remained there for two hours. Going further east further stationary trains were seen, and it appears that the middle of the day is used for maintenance. Idling at Gillette were GP20 2057 and GP38-2 2348. EMD (ex MILW, SOO) SD40-2 6302 + 4023 arrived with a maintenance train. Out on the road east, I found 6364 + 6362 + 4078 with another maintenance train, which was reversed many miles into Newcastle, where I saw it later in the day. On coal trains; 7230 + 7015 + 5519 + 8094 + 7243 (very fast) 5525 + UP 2501 + 5520 + 8117 + 5050 7274 + 8106 + 5006 + HELM (ex BN) 5503 + 7021 9415 + 9441 + 9447 (all SD70MAC) These were the first SD70MAC's that I have seen and the alternatively flashing ditch lights cannot be missed. Keystone, SD - Huron 24th June ______________________________ At Keystone, Black Hills Central RR 2-6-2 #7 was in action with the tourist train. There was no train visible at Rapid City, but I caught up with the DME eastbound before Wall. This was SD9 6621 (CNW paint) + SD10 553 (MILW blackpatch) + SD9 6618 (CNW paint) + GP9 1471 (DME "City of Watertown") + SD10 556 (MILW blackpatch) + CNW SD40-2 6846. Working across South Dakota, I saw F7 103C marked South Dakota Central (is this ex MILW?) very close to I-90. Stopping at Chamberlain, I saw Dakota Southern SD7 512, and ex-UP DDA40X 6925 continues to slumber alongside the elevator. Two Michigan Northern GP7/9's seen at this location in 1990 have moved on. Huron is the engineering headquarters of DME and yielded the following observations. 557 SD10 (MILW blackpatch) 560 SD10 (MILW blackpatch) 3800 GP38 (ES paint) 4001 GP40 "City of Wall" (DME paint) - new acquisition 6359 SD40-2 "Mount Rushmore" (DME paint) 6362 SD40-2 "City of Lamberton" (DME paint) 6387 SD40-2 "City of Winona" (DME paint) 6605 SD9 (CNW paint) 6611 SD9 (CNW paint) 6614 SD9 (CNW paint) 6615 SD9 "City of Rapid City" (DME paint) 6616 SD9 (CNW paint) 6617 SD9 "City of Sanborn" (DME paint) Huron - Rochester, MN 25th June _______________________________ The morning lineup at Huron was a rearrangement of that seen the previous evening, and I headed east on US14 finding a "DME" 0-6-0 #9 at Tracy, MN. This is believed to be a C&NW 0-6-0 that used to be located at Rochester, MN. A DME eastbound was found at Sleepy Eye, MN and the absence of crew suggested that they had run out of time. GP38 3802 (ES paint) + SD9 6613 (CNW paint) + SD10 550 "Larry Pressler" (DME paint) + GP9 1484 "City of Tracy" (DME paint). There were locomotives for three trains at Waseca, a place I am familiar with, but seldom quite as busy. 544 SD10 (MILW blackpatch) 546 SD10 (MILW blackpatch) 1471 GP9 "City of Aberdeen" (DME paint) 3801 GP38 (ES paint) 6360 SD40-2 "City of Mankato" (DME paint) - not in 4/94 Pacific Rail News roster in error 6384 SD40-2 "City of New Ulm" (DME paint) 6386 SD40-2 (DME paint) 6606 SD9 (CNW paint) 6612 SD9 "City of Pierre" (DME paint) 6620 SD9 (CNW paint) A Westbound in the Dodge area had 6361 + 6610 + 1483. In the space of just over a day I drove the length of DME and saw most of the locomotive roster. Rochester - Minneapolis 27th June _________________________________ I returned to England from Minneapolis on 27th June, and saw CNW SD18 6627 south of Minneapolis close to US 52. A good way to end a train orientated vacation. Yes, I am single, so can do things like this my way. Uploaded by Andrew Cameron, 100407,1326 17th July 1994