Soo engines on Cajon !

[Anonymous]

On Oct. 27th. I was the conductor on train B BIRWAT5 24A Which was an empty "bare table' intermodal train originating in Birmingham AL To Watson, CA in the port near Los Angeles. I took it from Barstow down Cajon pass, through the Alameda corridor into the port. The train had traveled the whole system with Soo 6007 and 6052 SD60's ! At Barstow we had to put the BNSF 4558 on the point because the Soo engines lacked the correct box to operate the end of train devise. How and why these Soo engines arrived here is beyond me !

[eolafan]

This just confirms the general flexibility of today's diesel units, as they can go just about everywhere and do just about anything on just about any road. That's why in Auroar we frequently see units from very many roads on just about every train coming through.

[Anonymous]

This will probably be the last time you see a SOO SD60, because they are going to br retired soon

[Anonymous]

I read several months ago that SOO turned in their first batch of SD60's to the leaser. I'm thinking that perhaps lease units?

[Anonymous]

Hello highdesertguy,

Despite my Northwest roots I am a Soo Line fan -- I even modeled it. Rick Johnson and David Popp, my good colleagues at Kalmbach, are also ardent Soo fans. A good day was a "Soo Line" day.

As you have seen, the Soo will never really die. Before CP did away with the Soo, I saw a red and white Soo SW at the Union Pacific yard in Wallula, Wash., along the banks of the Columbia River. Like you, I wonder what forces of providence brought it that far from the Midwest.

Cheers,

Paul Schmidt
Contributing Editor
Trains.com

[eolafan]

"Long Live" the SOO!

[Soo2610]

Paul, What is even more mysterious were the three WC engines We spotted last September idling in a small yard along I-90 in Montana just before the pass into Idaho. I cannot remember the name of the town but it wasn't very big. Just a wide spot in the road. I think the tracks belonged to Montana Rail Link. I have no idea what these units were doing way out there.

[Anonymous]

Hello Len,

Perhaps they were there via a power swap agreement or perhaps MRL was leasing them due to a power shortage.(Or perhaps they were tailing me back home to Washington from Wisconsin! I arrived here on Sept. 15.)

Hmmmm, I'd guess those WC units were either at Superior or St. Regis, judging from your description. Did you get over Lookout Pass into Idaho? If so, what did you think of the abandoned NP route into Wallace? Small wonder why the NP limited its 2-8-8-2 Z3s to 600 tons.

Speaking of Crystal Lake, which we weren't, but the question begs asking, do you know my good colleague David Popp at MR? He's from that neck of the, er, prairie.

Regards,

Paul

[Soo2610]

Hi Paul,
Neither town sounds right. We filled up with gas there but have long since tossed the receipt. Tried checking the atlas and I'm still not sure. Will have to ask my son next time I talk to him. I am drawing a complete blank in trying to think of the town. Will let you know if I do come up with it. I know there was a long steep downhill grade west of the town which had a piled up freight at the bottom of it when we went thru. Must have just happened, because they had not even started to clean up the mess. On the return trip three days later they had erected screening to block the view from the interstate while they cleaned it up. Apparently, it was causing some traffic issues.
My son was doing most of the driving so I was able to get a good look at the abandoned Milwaukee Road line and the old NP. Couldn't help but wonder how they even got those tracks there, let alone running a train on them. That line was really something. Noticed that a lot of the old rail was still in place on the NP. A
large portion of the Milwaukee was turned into a bike trail. Wouldn't mind riding it!
Made it thru the pass and went as far as Spokane where my son was relocating. Was a beautiful trip with a lot of railroad viewing.
Do not know David Popp. Used to work with a Paul Popp but don't know if they are related.
Hope you and your family have a merry Christmas!
Len

[Anonymous]

Hi Len,

There was derailment west of Bozeman, if I recall. Anyway, Montana's got some great railroading! A lot of it is accessible from Interstate 90 to boot.

Happy holidays!

Paul

[Soo2610]

Paul, I think you are right. It was closer to Bozeman. We saw a couple of derailments on the trip. The one I mentioned and a BNSF coal train further east. Six to eight coal cars were on the ground and the engines were in a siding.

[Anonymous]

We see alot of Soo SD60's a few miles south of where I live