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Thursday 9-10-09 I was just south of Argo and photographed a northbound work train led by BNSF 2125/4964 heading towards Seattle.

The following day, 9-11 southbound UP U-SEGL left Seattle with units 8596/4452/4796 at 2:57 PM. 

Nice to see all EMD power on the garbage train.

Sunday afternoon August 30, 2009 I headed south to Tacoma, WA to get some more photos of former NP structures buildings.  Arriving at Tacoma just before 1:00 PM I heard a UP train ready to come out onto the BNSF and head south.  At 1:04 the I-TALAR with units 4908/5477/4200 passed by beginning its long trip to LA.

Less than a half hour later UP’s M-FIHK came out of Fife on its way to Hinkle, OR at 1: 28 PM with units 4761/4986/7919/3844. 

Not bad so far.  Two UP trains with SD70M’s leading.  I then took some photos of the NP car shops as well as the sanding tower transplanted from Auburn Yard after the engine facility there was shut down in the early 1980′s.

Next BNSF’s M-EVEVAW arrived with a couple of GE’s and did some work in the yard.  A noticed a headlight approaching from the north which turned out to be the M-SEAPAS with BNSF 4303/2121/1563/4529.  The train was on the near track making a photo of it too tight so I settled for a roster shot of the 1563.  Recently renumbered from BNSF 1802 the ex-SLSF SD39-2 was headed back to Pasco where it works the hump.

I then drove to Temco to see what was going on there.  There was a lot of traffic and crowds everywhere!  Tacomas Maritime Festival was going on.  First thing I noticed was SW1200′s 175 and 185 were no longer by the 219.  Crossing the bridge I could see them by the grain elevators.  I parked nearby and walked alongside the road for some photos. 

The two ex-NP switchers were separated by one grain car. 

I am not sure why they were moved but I was happy to get some good roster shots.  Temco was shut down for maintenance so there were no trains here.  Heading back to my truck I photographed the ex-GN GP9 also used here, EFX 1611.

Note the cargo ship tied up.  I did a bit of research and the Theareston is registered in Panama.

Here is a bit of research on the 1611.  It was built as GN GP9 664 in March of 1954 and was delivered without dynamic brakes wearing the Classic Empire Builder scheme.  I can find no evidence of it in simplified orange and green and it never wore big sky blue.  An assignment check of 1969 shows the 664 was on Lines West – Montana Division based at Havre for maintenance.

After the BN merger the 664 was renumbered BN 1816 and assigned to Havre on the Billings Region.  I never did see the BN 1816 myself.  It was still on the BN roster in 1995 when the BN and ATSF merged to form the BNSF and the 1816 was then renumbered BNSF 1611.  I did a Google search for photos of the BNSF 1611 and found none!  Next thing I know there is a black and white GP9 lettered EFX 1611 working at Tacoma.  I am still not sure what EFX stands for but I do know the 1611 was the BNSF number it wore.

Before heading home I drove up to the old NP headquarters building to see it up close.  A nearly building was casting a shadow on it but I took a few photos anyway. 

In the future I will have to do more research on it and get better photos.