Up till Amtrak it was an SDP40, these had 985x numbers till they ceased to be passenger machines when Amtrak took over. This pic probably dates from 1970 or early 71, and shows it got big sky blue before the BN merger. http://archive.trainpix.com/BN/EMDORIG/SDP40/9852.HTM
additional: As far as I can make out, these got renumbered out of the 9xxx passenger series into the freight series (6394-6399) when Amtrak started, BN leased it's old passenger F units to run Amtrak passenger trains, and moved the nearly new ex-GN SDP40 and SDP45 fleets to freight use.
Martyn- Here is the item that caused me to wonder- It's dated on the very first day of Amtrak. And being a passenger engine, I am wondering if it is actually leading the Empire Builder at this station. Boxcab E50
Interesting stuff! Would the E.B. have run through Hillyard back then? I know that BN fiddled around a lot with the Spokane trackage but i'm a little hazy on what went where and when! Would the E.B. be classed as an extra though? If those are yes's, it may be the last westbound BN Empire Builder, as it would have left Chicago the day before presumably? Even if not, it's a cool document, interesting to see that they were still using up old stationery after a year! I've got a bunch of questions on these machines though. The passenger F's and E's got a white hockey stick stripe, don't know if these did during the brief period they were painted green with passenger numbers though. I'd like to know when they were re-numbered as well, I haven't seen any evidence of them working passenger (except office car) trains post-Amtrak, so assume the renumbering was about then... Anyone know?
Martyn- This is indeed my theory. That this may be the last westward EB. And when A-Day came, (May 1, 1971), it was finished out as an extra west. I would need to compare BN train numbers to those adopted by Amtrak. If there was a difference, that could explain it. I'm not a fan of BN at all. So am hoping somebody else has info collected that could be explored for an answer. Yes. They did continue to use up old stationery. In fact, where supplies were excess, they shipped to points that never saw those RR names. For instance, I have examples from Whitefish, Montana, and Edmonds, Washington. Both on the former Great Northern RY. But the orders were copied on CB&Q flimsies. Boxcab E50
Spokane was a mess of railroads untill the '74 worlds fair, when BN built the huge overpass over Latah Creek, etc. Would the 'Builder have been referred to as an 'Extra' train? Even in the BN era?
I was able to track down a former BN dispatcher I'd known. He had worked this territory. Sent him a jpg of the train order. He immediately recognized it. And remembered the operator who copied the flimsy. Indeed, this was the last westbound BN version of the Empire Builder. It was already enroute, when "A-Day" came about. On May 1, 1971, this train did become an extra west for the remainder of it's run. Boxcab E50
Well, I can post more train orders to look at.... I have examples from about 12,500 offices, well over 550 RR's around the world. My favorite place on a RR to visit was the depot. Although I never worked for a RR, I did spend some years in the "support" industry. Growing up in a heavily RR, (a lot of Milwaukee Road), family, I was lucky to make a few RR friends. One of them gave me a fist full of train orders back in the 1970's. I'd seen, but never paid any attention to flimsies. Well, I have been hooked ever since! Boxcab E50
