An old work horse of a different color

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I know this is not exactly a model railroad topic, but I would like your input nonetheless.

Back in 1999 I was living in Carrollton, MO where the BNSF line from Kansas City to Chicago passes through. Carrollton had once been a busy railroad town. No longer so, but it still has two grain elevators, one pretty large, and one other industry still served by rail so some switching does take place there atleast once a week.

One day in 1999 I was driving across the tracks on Main St. and something caught my eye on the siding. I turned around, only half believing what I had seen, and took a side street that parallels the siding to get a closer look. The new BNSF paint scheme was very new then and many loco’s were being painted from their fromer BN or ATSF colors to the new scheme at the time. Upon closer examination my initial reaction was correct, there was a GP-9 with its high nose intact freshly painted in the new BNSF scheme. I was surprised to know that any of thses old work horses still existed in class 1 service, let alone were receiving new paint and were making it out onto the main.

Here is my question. I assume that this and any other of these older engines are used for yard switching and local peddler service, but Carrollton is 75 miles from the nearest yard (Kansas City), so what was this guy doing there? It was parked and not coupled to any cars, and it was gone the next morning when I returned with my camera. Also, how many of these old Geeps still exist and are in service on BNSF or other class 1’s? I have never seen another one, but I would like to know if others have.

Thanks,
Ron

2

Hi Ron,

Very good question. BNSF did keep a few first generations diesels around up until 2000 or 2001. I believe that they the last SD9 on a Class 1 railroad in service until 99 or 00.

I would suggest that you try the TRAINS forum. I’ve posted questions there quite a few times regarding prototype units. I’ve received many good answers from that forum. Some professional Railroaders are regulars on those threads and give some great info.

Just go to the very top of this page and click on TRAINS.
Hope this helps! Peace out![;)][:D][8D]

3

Actually, both the BNSF and NS still have SD-9’s on their rosters. BNSF uses them as hump engines at Galesburg, and the NS uses them as hump engines in Bellevue, Ohio. I saw high-nose GPs on the BNSF around Eola (Naperville) as late as 2002, but I have nop idea if they’ve been retired. Trains had at least one photo of a high nose BNSF GP-9 (or 18) in the Heritage I scheme a couple of years ago.

And don’t forget that the UP still has E-9’s and F-7’s on their roster! The CN and CP both have heritage diesel collections too.