According to what the photographer said in his remarks, BNSF is going to retire the one of a kind SWBLW. For those who don't know what that is, its a rebuilt that Santa Fe did in the 1970's of a Baldwin locomotive. They removed the Baldwin hood and engine and shoehorned a EMD 567 engine and Blomberg trucks underneath it.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=269916
It needs to go to a rail museum ASAP! Maybe the museum up in Union, IL should take it.
IIRC, the 'Beep' was retired right after the BNSF merger, but I was wrong. It is still in Topeka as of a month ago. I have heard that the 567 prime mover is B/O, and they may repower it yet again. If that does not happen, it may be a 'museum donation'.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
I know. Lets repower it with a 710 engine. We can call it a SWBLW-ECO. If that won't work, send it to Union, Il. They would probaly have it running again.
Whose going to start the "Save the Beep" campaign?!
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
I absolutly agree! This locomotive is one of akind it can't be scrapped.
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
I can't believe it is still running with the way railroads have gotten rid of older power, but its nice to see something like this still out there. Hopefully it gets repaired or donated.
It was the shop switcher aka critter for YEARS in Topeka. It was the only thing that could fit on the transfer table with a Dash-9 or a SD70MAC at the same time as it was hauled around the shops. Now if they repower her again it needs to be done with a 8 clyinder 645 rated for 100hp since it is not used on the mainline. However if it is donated to a Museum Union would be perfect for her can use Imagine her pulling some of the trains up there I can tell you this attendance will be up those weekends.
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