Washington Shortlines & Industrials

EMD SW1 #RE-504
(10119, 1/50)

Ex-BN #81, nee GN #81

GE 45-ton #52

EMD SW1200 #185

CEECO SW1200 #185 working at the Sea-Land terminal in Tacoma, WA, with "Port of Tacoma" logo on hood and lettering on cab.

EMD SW1200 #217

I believe CEECO was contracted to perform switching at Sea-Land's terminal in Tacoma. This unit or CEECO 185 (also an SW1200) were the switchers here between 1988 and 1994.

Plymouth ML8
(4506, 7/43)

US Army #7625
US Atomic Energy Comm. (Albuquerque, NM) #44?-65
US Dept. of Energy (Kirkland AFB, Albuquerque, NM)
Acquired in 1991 by Coastal Transportation.

I have no idea what Coastal Transportation is, or what they use (or used) this little locomotive for, but I found it in Seattle just north and a little east of BN's Interbay Yard, along the former NP line that headed up and around Lake Washington.

Thanks to jdb for info on this unit.

F-M H-12-44 #700
(12L1025, 10/56)

Originally Columbia & Cowlitz #D-2.
Re# 700 in 1969.
Scrapped?

Alco C-415 #701

Alco C415 #701 and slug #701B

Columbia and Cowlitz Alco C415 and slug working on BN main just north of Kelso, WA. - Don Hall

Alco C415 #701 and Fairbanks-Morse H-12-44 #700

Columbia and Cowlitz had unique motive power. Here, their FM switcher and Alco C415 pull cars off the interchange track at Rocky Point, WA. - Don Hall

GE 80-ton #102
(32413, 2/56)

Acquired new by The Pacific Lumber Co. (Scotia, CA) as their #102.
TPL shut down in 1977, and #102 stored at Eureka, CA.
Sold to (dealer) Dick Samuels in late 1994.
To the Columbia Industrial Center (as reported by X2200 South magazine #106) in Vancouver, WA.

GE 25-ton
(15681, 4/42)

GE 25-ton #103

80-ton Whitcomb no#?
(60390, 7/44)

Originally US Navy Ammunition Depot McAlester, OK.
Sold 9/47 to Weyerhaeuser (Longview, WA), re# 112. Later re# 304 (1st).
Sold to Longview Fibre Co. (Longview, WA), re# 7011.
Sold 3/66 to D.C. Southland (dealer).
Sold to Vinnell Construction Co. (Starbuck, WA), re# 652-1 (there in 1968).
Sold to Lampson Railroad Contractors (Pasco, WA).
Acquired in 1973 by Columbia Industrial Park (Vancouver, WA) in 1973, re# 101.
Name changed to Columbia Cusiness Center.

Above roster information from Tall Timber-Short Lines magazine Apr-May 1997 issue. John Bauer shows this unit as being from USN NAD Earle, NJ.

BLH-Whitcomb 70-ton (model 65DE27) #11
(61198, 10/53)

Continental Grain #11 was built 10/53 by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton subsidiary Whitcomb for the Ohio Power Company. The order was cancelled, and the locomotive was acquired 10/54 by the Port Townsend Railroad, a 13-mile line on Washington's Olympic peninsula.

On June 6, 1975, the Milwaukee Road took over operations of the Port Townsend Railroad, and #11 was was sold to Continental Grain in Tacoma in October, 1975.

Information from Extra 2200 South magazine Issue 59 (Jan-Feb-Mar 1977), which contains a photo by J.G. Bolinsky of the unit as Port Townsend RR #11 taken 1/71.

In 1940 Whitcomb Locomotive Works was purchased by and operated as a division of Baldwin. Production shifted from Rochelle, IL, to Baldwin's Eddystone (Pennsylvania) works in Feb. 1952. Whitcomb's name appeared on locomotives until Dec. 1952, when the Whitcomb designs were built with Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton identification only. However, "The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide" lists all Whitcomb-designed locomotives as Whitcombs. Baldwin produced it's last locomotive in 1956.

EMD SW1200 #175
(24039, 1/58)

Northern Pacific 175
Burlington Northern 175
Retired 8/26/86
Sold 11/28/86 to General Metals (Tacoma)
Resold by 3/87 to Titan Railway Service (Tacoma)
Resold 10/87 to Continental Grain 175 (Tacoma)
To TEMCO 175 (same location)

Sept. 3, 1990

July 20, 1997
Brian Ambrose photo

EMD SW1200 #219
(22762, 6/57)

Northern Pacific 160
Burlington Northern 219
Retired 11/17/86
Sold 1/1/87 to Titan Railway Service (Tacoma)
Resold 1/88 to Continental Grain 219 (Tacoma)
To TEMCO 219 (same location)

Alco S-6 #1235

Ex-Southern Pacific same#

Alco S-4 #112
(79226, 10/51)

Acquired new for the LP&N's Longview operation, which shut down in February 1953.
Transferred to LP&N's Chelatchie Division in 1960 (where was it between 1953 and 1960?)
Chelatchie Division taken over by the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad in August 1981
Chelatchie Prairie Railroad abandoned in August 1985.
#112 sold to a private owner, stored at Battle Ground, WA, in 1995.

The Chelatchie Division is now operated by the Lewis & Clark Railway?

The Longview, Portland & Northern made much of its income for several years from the storage of cars. Here, LP&N Alco S4 is hauling a cut of cars towards its interchange with BN where they will go back into service. 1/80 - Don Hall

Baldwin DS-4-4-660 #51

See the Seattle & North Coast Historical & Technical Society's Seattle & North Coast Roster for info on this unit - I don't dare summarize it's history here!

Baldwin DS-4-4-660 #51

Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton RS-4TC #4012
(built in 1954)

Ex U.S. Army #4012, acquired in 2001 from General Services Administration

Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton RS-4TC #4024
(built in 1954)

Ex U.S. Army #4024, acquired in 2001 from General Services Administration

GE 45-ton #7320
(built 1/41)

Originally US Army Ellwood Ordnance Plant (Ohio)
Transferred to the US Army Transportation Corp after World War II
Transferred in early 1956 to US Navy at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton
Retired in 1976 and was moved to the Northwest Railway Museum
Leased from Washington State Parks?
Last operated in 1994

Tyler Whitcomb photo

FM H-12-44 #1
(12L437, 8/51)

Originally Weyerhaeuser Timber Company #1 for use on White River Branch (Enumclaw, WA)
Transferred to the Vail line (Vail to South Bay, WA) in L/75, re# 714
Only used on Vail line for several months, developed truck problems
Stored at Vail as of mid 1977
Sold to Pacific Transportation Services (Tacoma, WA), re# 121
Leased to Continental Grain (Tacoma, WA) c.1981-82
Leased to (predeccesor of) Northwest Railway Museum in 1982, then purchased in 1987
Restored to original appearance as White River Branch #1

Fairbanks-Morse H-10-44 #122
(10L148, 5/49)

Originally Chehalis Western 492.
Retired by 1977, replaced by rebuilt GP7's on Weyerhaeuser's Vail line.
Sold to Pacific Transportation Service, Tacoma, WA, renumbered 122.
Scrapped.

EMD SW1200 #632
(20062, 2/52)

Ex Milwaukee Road #632, nee #2027

Alco HH-660 #770
(69236, 3/40)

Ex-Relco #770
exx-Walla Walla Valley #770
exxx-Northern pacific #600
nee-Northern pacific #125

Alco S-1 #5703
(69199, 1940)

Originally Northern Pacific Terminal Co. (Portland, OR) 30, then Portland Terminal same# (name change only).
Sold in 1963 to Yreka Western, re# 603.
Acquired in 1970 by the Port of Tacoma, re# 703, then re# 5703 after 1981.
Retired c. 1988, then to Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad.
In service on Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad in 2001.
Reported restored as NP Terminal Co. 30.
Reported on lease to Lake Whatcom Railway.

Thanks to Aaron Schwarz for history of this unit.

Alco S-1 #704
(69201, 7/40)

Originally Northern Pacific Terminal Co. (Portland, OR) #31, then Portland Terminal same# (name change only).
Sold in 1963 to Yreka Western, re# 604.
Acquired in 1974 by the Port of Tacoma, re# 704.
Possibly re# 5704 prior to retirement?
Reported scrapped in 1986.

Thanks to Garreth M. McDonald for history on this unit.

GE SL-110 #705
(41155, 4/80)

Acquired new by the Port of Tacoma.
In 1988 the Tacoma Belt Line took over rail operations in the Port of Tacoma, and the 705 was sold to Georgetown Steel (Georgetown, SC).

Thanks to John Bauer and Roger Beckett for info on this unit

Click here for my GE SL-series Spotter's Guide for more info on these somewhat rare locomotives.

John Bauer photo
July 15, 1982

35-ton Skagit #616
(c/n 101, 11/38 or 3/39)

Built by Skagit Steel & Iron Works, Sedro Wooley, WA for the Skagit River Ry. as their #7.
Converted from Portland Traction electric locomotive #1403, however only the truck frames and axles (not traction motors?) were used.
Originally powered by a pair of Waukesha 6-WAKH-4 200hp diesels, later repowered with Caterpillar D-17000's.
Sold 5/27/54 to dealer M. Bloch & Co. (Seattle, WA).
Resold to Port of Vancouver, re#2, later re# 616.
Sold to a private party in Portland, OR.
Scrapped in 1990's?

Thanks to John Taubeneck (via Jeff Moore) for info on this locomotive!

GE 45-ton no#?

Austin and I tried to catch the PS&P's Elma-Centralia turn on Sunday, October 12, but either due to the holiday or a schedule change, all we found in Elma on Sunday morning were 14 locomotives sitting silently in the rain. Nevertheless, the sun poked out a little and we were able to get some roster shots of this eclectic roster. A complete list of the locomotives on hand:

• GP10's 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004 (PS&P green/white)
• GP30 3005 (PS&P green/white)
• GP38's 3876, 3877 (high nose, "Rail America" red/white/blue)
• SD45T-2's 9362, 9392 (SP speed lettering)
• Utah Railway SD45-2 9012 (Utah red/gray)
• SW1500 "RMPX" 2482 ("Rail America" red/white/blue)
• Toledo, Peoria & Western GP20's 2011, 2016, 2017 (in TP&W's New York Central-inspired two tone gray)

GP38 #3802 Getting washed	GP38 #3876	GP38 #3877
SD45T-2 #9392 Acq. from CEFX, ex-SP	Toledo, Peoria & Western GP20 #2017	Utah Railway SD45-2 #9012

More PS&P photos: Elma-Centralia turn on August 18, 2002, powered by ex-SP SD45T-2's 9362 and 9392

GE 45-ton #301
(13139, 7/41)

US Army #7356?
Alaska RR #7356
Chelatchie Prairie RR
RABANCO

I don't know why this unit is lettered "Tacoma & Eastern". Here it is being used by RABANCO at their Seattle garbage transloading facility.

Thanks to jdb for info on this unit.

Tacoma ,WA
Sept. 7, 1990

In storage in Tacoma, I beleive the actual location was "Tacoma PQ Corp." on Alexander Way in the tideflats. This unit has since been restored to its' original GN colors by Doyle McCormick at the old SP Brooklyn Yard roundhouse in Portland.

EMD F7A #101 (ex-Burlington Northern, nee-Great Northern)
EMD SW1 #52 (ex-Milwaukee Road)

See the Seattle & North Coast Historical & Technical Society's Seattle & North Coast Roster for info on these units and the S&NC's other power.

Roger Beckett photos

Simpson Timber 900 "City of Elma" is an EMD SW900, built new for Simpson in May 1955 (serial no. 20609), and is the only SW900 built for service in the U.S. with dynamic brakes (this leads me to beleive some were built for export!). From this angle, the dynamic brake cooling fan in not visible in front of the cab, but the air intakes are can be seen on the side of the hood, just in front of the cab.

Simpson 1200 "City of Shelton" and 1201 "City of McCleary" are EMD SW1200's built new for the Simpson in April and May 1956 (serial nos. 20634 and 20635), respectively, and are also equipped with dynamic brakes. On the SW1200, the dynamic brakes are in a box in front of the cab that extends up to the cab roof line. On the SW900 (and earlier SW8) they are built into the hood, with the top of the housing even with the top of the hood.

Simpson 1202 "City of Montesano" is an EMD SW1200, acquired in 1984 from Pacific Transportation Services (dealer) in Tacoma, and is former Burlington Northern 259, nee CB&Q/FW&D 610. It was built in March 1959 (serial no. 25046), and is not equipped with dynamic brakes.

Alco S-4 #20
(78412, 10/50)

Acquired in 1955, ex-Schafer Brothers Logging Co. (Brady, WA) #20.
Named "City of Montesano" by Simpson.
Sold in 1991 to Pete Replinger (Shelton, WA).

Whitcomb 65-DE-12E #60
65 tons, 550 horsepower
(60660, 11/46)

Ex-Union Oil Company (California)
Disposition unknown (plant is closed)

EMD SW900 #900

Shelton, WA
Summer 2003

EMD SD9 #439

The Tacoma Eastern operated the former Milwaukee Road/Chehalis Western line south out of Tacoma from about 1992 to 1998, when the line was purchased by Tacoma Rail. TE 439 is a former SP SD9, I do not know it's disposition or status.

Craig Browning supplied the following info about the status of this unit as of July 2003: The Tacoma Eastern 439 was owned by Ed Berntsen of the Lewis & Clark Railway in Clark County Washington. It was just recently purchased by Livingston Mountain Locomotive Works in Camas WA. The locomotive sits in Battleground WA. The new owners are doing maintenance and repairs on the 439 and then plan to lease it out in the future.

Tyler Whitcomb photos

EMD SW1200 #185

Roger beckett photos from Aug. 31, 2002:
TEMCO 175	TEMCO 185	TEMCO 219

Olympia, WA
Early October, 2004

A new operation that I have no info on! I am guessing it is operating the former UP Olympia Branch?

EMD SW9 #RE-1254
(13960, 2/51)

Ex-Seaboard Coast Line 144, nee Atlantic Coast Line 662

Thanks to jdb for info on this unit.

EMD SW1200 #304

Ex-Weyerhaeuser Timber Co.
F-M H-12-44 #1
(12L437, 8/51)

Snoqualmie Falls, WA
Sept. 3, 1990

on the Puget & Sound & Snoqualmia Valley (tourist) RR.

Originally Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (White River Branch, Enumclaw, WA) #1.
Transferred to Weyerhaeuser's Vail (WA) line in L/75, re# 714.
Stored out of service at Vail as of mid 1977.
Sold to Pacific Transportation Services (Tacoma, WA), re# 121.
Leased by PTS to Continental Grain (Tacoma, WA) c.1981-82.
Leased to Puget Sound Hist. Assoc. (Snoqualmie, WA) in 1982, then sold to PSHA in 1987.
Restored to original appearance as White River Branch #1 (after 1990!).