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Sunday morning 8-16-09 I headed south to Tacoma, WA for a day of photographing trains on BNSF’s Seattle Sub.  It had been awhile since I’d last been to Tacoma and I wanted to see if any of the former NP SW1200′s at the Temco grain facility were in a position for photos.

I arrived around 9:45 AM and was a bit disappointed to find all three SW1200′s apparently out of service just north of the overpass.  TMLX 219 was still nosed up to the pile of dirt where it has been for years, the first of the SW1200′s to go unserviceable.  TMLX 219 is the former BN 219, built as the NP 160 in 1957.

The other two out of service SW1200′s were on the next track over blocked by MOW equipment.  I tried my best for photographs.  TMLX 175 is the ex-BN 175.  It was built 1/58 as the NP 175.

And the 185 is the former BN 185 built as the NP 126 in March of 1955, one month before I was born!

Walking up onto the overpass I was able to get all three SW1200′s in the same photograph.  I had to laugh as they reminded me of three groomsman at a wedding in white tuxedos.

I then headed back and parked across from Union Depot at 21st St and waited to see what would happen next.  This gave me the chance to take a few photos from different angles of the old depot.

At 10:17 a northbound UP freight went by with units 8668/8184 but the photo I took was not in focus.  I could hear Amtrak #11 coming into Tacoma on the scanner and after its station stop continued south past with the 68/75 at 10:36 AM.

I figured the northbound Talgo would be next and I was right as at 10:58 the 90340 led train #500 into Tacoma with Amtrak 465 shoving on the rear. 

Not much was happening after that at this end but I could hear some trains arriving at the north end of the yard so I headed out that way.  I ended up going out to the Tacoma Belt Line’s yard and checking out the now closed Ceeco facility.  I wanted to see if a photo of SW1200 217 stored here was possible but it was not.  It was under a large canopy so no photos of this ex-BN/NP locomotive.  A bit more exploring turned up TMBL 201, a former UP caboose at the TMBL yard right alongside the highway.

I then went back to town for some lunch and then to the D Street overpass as the light was pretty good there both ways.  A BNSF local had just arrived from the north with units 1520/2109/7184/2720 (GP28M/GP38-2/SD40-2/GP39-2) making for a nice variety.  Here the power has cut off the train and is backing into the engine facility.

I had to photograph the 7184 because these SD40-2′s are getting harder to find out on the main line nowadays, plus it has kept its original headlight location between the numberboards making it appear more BN looking than ATSF.  The 7184 was built by GMDD in Canada 9/79 as the BN 7184. 

BNSF GP28M 1520 is the ex-BN 1520 built from traded in parts of BN 1365, a former Great Northern GP5 which itself was built from parts of GN FTB 426C.  I also wondered if the car shops in the background was an original NP design.  The end looks exactly the same as the NP car shops at Pasco, WA. 

Next a BNSF transfer arrived with BNSF 2265/7132 leading some autoracks.  The power cut off the south end and moved ahead before going off to another track and tying up.  BNSF 2265 is former Frisco GP38-2 410 and has been “tagged” on the side.

BNSF C44-9W 5453 came out of the engine facility and made its way to the turntable.

And here it takes a spin.  I believe this is the original NP Tacoma turntable.  Who know what NP steam power might have ridden this same turntable.

I then left the overpass and drove down towards Temco to see if GP9 1611 (former GN GP9) was in a position to photograph but it was not so I headed back to D street missing southbound BNSF and UP freights (almost side by side!) on the way.  I parked and then watched a northbound UP baretable pass by before I could even get to the overpass!  Three trains missed just like that!  The UP baretable stopped at Reservation so I figured another southbound must be coming.  After a few moments I heard horns but they were behind me.  I hurried to the other side in time to photograph a northbound Herzog train being led by BNSF GP39-2 2948 still in ATSF paint at 1:45 PM.

Sure enough the UP baretable was waiting on a southbound, the BNSF M-EVEVAW which was lined into the yard.  Leading was the 634/987/709/735/1057/4639.

Once the M-EVEVAW was clear of Reservation the UP baretable left and was soon followed by another northbound UP train led by 7631/5514/4343 at 2:04 PM.

While it was still early it was getting warm out and I knew traffic would be worse later so I left and headed for home.  But I thought I had done pretty well as far as catching some interesting stuff.  It was a good day!