Info on Great Northern Empire Builder, 1969

[Anonymous]

In 1969, I had the priviledge of attending the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Idaho. We traveled West on the Great Northern from Chicago to points West. Does anyone know what locomotives, in Empire Blue, were leading passenger trains in the summer of 1969?

[Anonymous]

The Empire Builder left Chicago behind CB&Q E8A's. The power changed to either E or F units.
Ch

[Anonymous]

If you were on the Empire Builder which had been changed to the "Big Sky" blue, white and gray then you either had a set of ABBA F7s out of Minneapolis, or... just before the merger, a pair of SD45PMs, which were confirgured end to end. I may be wrong on the proper label, but these engines were SD45 freight engines modified with an extended hood on the end that housed the HEP for the train. These engines were painted "Big Sky" blue, white and gray too.

Here are two sites that maybe of assistance to you...

http://www.greatnorthernempire.net/

but this one will knock your socks off!!!

http://www.gngoat.org/1968_builder.htm

Check it out.

Marc Van Cleven
Madison, WI

[Anonymous]

Here's another site: http://www.gnrhs.org This is the Great Northern Ry. Historical Society site. It has a page specifically devoted to the Empire Builder train, albeit during the 1955-'59 period. Tremendous material.

A book by Four Ways West, "Great Northern Color Pictorial--Volume 2" is mostly devoted to coverage of GN's Big Sky Blue diesels. Several of GN's F3 and F7 passenger units were repainted into Big Sky Blue as were 5 out of 6 of its SDP40 passenger hood units (all but No 323). All eight of the SDP45 passenger hood units, Nos 326-333, were delivered in Big Sky Blue. In 1969 GN was mixing and matching passenger units, so it isn't possible to pin down exactly which model or models might have powered your train.

--John

[Anonymous]

John and Marc,

Thanks for the references and info. Those are great pages!

Phil[:D]

[traingeek087]

Thanks for all of the infromation, I'm modeling 69 too.

[johncolley]

Hi, guys, wish I could help. The above all have good places to reference. I am modelling a few years earlier, like 1947. I have a 14 car E.B. pulled by 2 E-7's from BLI that look and sound great! I have a freight 55-60 cars pulled by ABBA FT's with an extra AB set to stick 2/3 of the way back depending on the layout I am operating on. I have yet to add sound to them, but it is on my "to do" list. Go Rocky! John Colley, Port Townsend, WA

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by traingeek087

Thanks for all of the infromation, I'm modeling 69 too.

Me three! But CB&Q.

Don't forget hippies and a couple peace signs on the layout!

[Anonymous]

It ran with the North Coast Limited and the Twin Cites Zeypher in the late 60's

DOGGY

[Jetrock]

The only car from the Empire Builder consist I know really well is the RPO--there's a GN RPO car in the California State Railroad Museum and it is my favorite car to docent. It ran on the Empire Builder consist until 1970 or so. A fun car--kids love it when I demonstrate the catcher arm, although people are also amused by the fact that the RPO car has mail slots on either side for someone passing through the station with letters to mail!

There is a photo of the Empire Builder in the car, I think it is being pulled by an E unit but I am not trainheaded enough to tell one from another...