Fallbridge Subdivision

[angelob6660]

I been wondering about freight cars and locomotives along this line, during the age of Burlington Northern. I wanted to model the line within 1978-1981 because of the F7 helpers still in service. 

The only thing I seen on videos and pictures are mixed freight and grain trains by the BNSF. I saw a few BN photos within late 70s-90s.

[SPSOT fan]

So first the Fallbridge name is a modern BNSF name. In BN time it was called the 6th (Pasco-Wishram) and the 5th (Wishram-Vancouver/Portland) subdivisions of the Pacific Division. These two subdivision were formerly the 2nd and 1st subs of the SP&S Vancouver division. Interesting note Fallbridge is the former name for Wishram (changed in the early 1900s) so named due to the Oregon Trunk bridge located there.

So now that’s out of the way first there would not have been helpers on the 6th and 5th subs, EVER! The former SP&S line on the north bank of the Columbia is completely water level! The only grades are on the Goldendale branch (former SP&S 4th sub, no idea what it was under BN...) which only saw local service, and never had helpers, extra heavy trains alway had to double the hill.

Regarding F units on the portland divison, I know for certain exactly 12 F units were assigned to the Vancliver roundhouse, which would likely have been the source of power on the line in question. I don’t know exactly which models they were but the BN fleet at the time had the following:

• 5 F3As
• 1F3B
• 22F7As
• 14F7Bs
• 37F9As
• 36F9Bs
• 1FP7

This will give an idea of what types of Fs where present on the BN in the time you model, and which were most common. Also about 35 more Fs were assigned to Spokane/Auburn/Seattle Fs would be very common in Washington state. (The balance of Fs lived in Minnesota)

Also of interest in the era you selected are the many Alcos that were based in the Vancouver roundhouse. After the merger the BN Alco were all assigned to Vancouver were the SP&S shop people were very firmiliar with such models. The Alco fleet includes former SP&S C424s,C425s, and C636s, exNP RS11s, and RS3s from both railroads. All the Alcos were stored in 1980 following the purchase of GP39-2s.

So you have a very interesting mix or motive power that you can run in you area and era. I mist give credit were credit is due so a lot of this info I got from a book on the BN I own, Burlington Northern and it’s Heritage by Steve Glischinski. It’s a great resource for any BN fan so if you can find one (it’s a bit old) I would grab it!

I also know a lot because I focus on collecting stuff from right around the BN merger, especially NP and SP&S stuff! I basically model the same area your interested in, but 10 years earlier. I like it because of the variety of predecesso schemes availible (and even SP leased Alcos) and the presence of passenger operations.