Great Northern in the News

From the University of Washington Press comes this definitive book about the role of the railroads in the development of the American West. In 'The West the Railroads Made' authors Carlos A. Schwantes and James P. Ronda combine their vast knowledge of the history of the American West highlighting the all important role of the railroads.

'The West the Railroads Made' is thoroughly researched, very informative and well written. The book should appeal to the Western history fan as well as the railroad historian and fan. With the aid of many photos, illustrations, maps and reprints of period brochures it tells the story of how big the impact of the railroads was on the development of the West and the way it looks now.

'The West the Railroads Made' chronicles the push of the railroads to the west promoting trade and agriculture and bringing with it a large diversity of immigrants to a previously underdeveloped area. With the railroads came a support structure fueling the building of towns along the railroad lines eventually creating the western landscape as we see it now. With the settling of people in the West trade developed, bringing not only the developed world from the East but, in return, also the culture and vast resources of the West to the East, slowly making the country into what it is today.

The Great Northern fan and historian will find a limited amount of Great Northern photos and references but will still enjoy reading about this important time in railroad and US history, and in the process get a better understanding of how the railroads, and thus also the Great Northern, transformed the West and the impact their presence had on the onward development of the West and the country as a whole.

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Only lacking an official statement from the Minnesota Transportation Museum or BNSF, sources in the know report that BNSF and MTM have reached an agreement for the donation of BNSF 6327, former Great Northern SDP40 #325, to the St. Paul, Minnesota based museum.

An important donation as GN #325 was one of only six passenger SD(P)40's built for the GN in 1966 by EMD. They were used on GN's streamliners like, among others, the Western Star and the International.

They were modified SD40's with an added extension at the rear of the long hood to house a steam generator used to heat the train. This gives the units the typical squared off profile on the rear.

With the end of passenger trains on the GN and its successor Burlington Northern the SDP40's were released into freight service where they performed well. So well in fact, that GN #325 only just now sees retirement; after 42 years and then only due to a surplus situation.

The MInnesota Transportation Museum plans to operate #325 and hopes to bring it back in GN colors with current plans to repaint her in Big Sky Blue, the color these units wore the longest in GN service.

With this donation another important locomotive class in GN history has been saved and will live on to educate people on the age of passenger train travel.

Members of the GNRHS convention held in Havre, MT in 2003 will remember #325 as the ex GN unit they were allowed to tour through at the Havre Diesel Shop.

Heads up GN fans in the East - Amtrak is running it's last operational dome car, ex-GN Great Dome "Ocean View" through mid-november on the Adirondack between Albany and Montreal.
Here is a picture on RailPictures.net
It is scheduled to run north on Saturdays, return to Albany on Sundays, up on Monday, back on Tuesday, day off on Wednesday, up on Thursday and back on Fridays.
A rare chance to ride the dome and catch the fall loliage along Lake Champlain!

The Great Northern Railway Historical Society offers for sale to its members the Glacier National Park Centennial Limited Edition Animated Billboard.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Glacier National Park, the Great Northern Railway Historical Society has joined Miller Engineering to produce the Glacier National Park Centennial Limited Edition Animated Billboard.

This is a premium quality sign produced by Miller Engineering and will be the collectors piece depicting the synergy between the Great Northern Railway and Glacier National Park. The dimensions of the billboard are 2 1/8" high x 4 5/16" long and less than 1/16" thick. The controller board is 1 3/4" x 1" x 3/4" high which is connected to the sign with a 16" long flat ribbon wire.

A limited number of billboards will be produced with a distribution date of September 2008. This will be two years prior to the centennial of Glacier National Park.

Preproduction Price $39.95 + shipping before August 1, 2008

Price $45.95 + shipping after August 2, 2008 (If available)

Shipping will be $5.00 per item

All GNRHS members who prepay before August 1, 2008 will be assured of receiving a billboard.

Order online at: www.gnrhs.org or

GNRHS
P.O. Box 3016
Burnsville, MN 55337-8016

For more details see the full announcement at www.gnrhs.org/billboard.htm

To join the Great Northern Railway Historical Society click here

The Great Northern Railway Historical Society convention will be held at Minot, ND from Sunday July 15 through Wednesday July 18. The convention headquarters will be at the Minot Grand International.

This year's convention promises to be a good one with planned visits to Williston to see GN O-1 Class 2-8-2 #3059, the depot, GN caboose X394 and the former Alamo depot. A bit further west convention attendees can admire the hugh lift bridges at Snowden and Fairview as well as North Dakota's only rail-tunnel at Cartwright.

Of course Minot, nicknamed "The Magic City", has a lot to offer also, with visits planned to Gavin Yard, the Railroad Museum of Minot (with GN caboose X51) and the famous Gassman Coulee bridge.

As usual, attendees can enjoy the Railfair, hold discussions with former GN employees and enjoy the annual banquet.

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Former Great Northern Ranch Car 1244 'White Pines Lake' has found a new home at the Depot Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Previously owned by GNRHS member Ralph Day and used at his Biddeford Station in Biddeford, Maine the car was sold last year to Barry Fromm and moved to the Depot Conference Center where it arrived on December 3rd, 2006. The car travelled 1000 miles by rail through Canada and was moved the last 8 miles on highway dollies to its new location.

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From Arnica Publishing comes this new and interesting book about the railroad war between James J. Hill and Edward H. Harriman over the construction of the railroad line along the Deschutes River in Oregon, the line known as GN's Inside Gateway.

The book is an interesting and enjoyable read. Although photos of trains are few and far in between the book is a great account of the construction, the railroad war and the men involved, but also features a nice exploration into the geology of the area and railroad construction in general. Many historic photos of the line under construction as well as recent (aerial) photos of the bridges and the railroad line make this a great book to add to ones collection.

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GN SD45 400 'Hustle Muscle' recently returned to her home at the Jackson St. Roundhouse with a shining new coat of paint. Made possible by generous donations from many GNRHS members and friends of Hustle Muscle, the famous 'First Production SD45' received a beautiful coat of new paint at the Wisconsin & Southern shops in Horicon, WI.

Huscle Muscle is located at the Minnesota Transportation Museum roundhouse at Jackson St in St. Paul, MN where she can be admired during the Museum's regular opening hours.

I see from a posting on railpictures.net that Hustle Muscle's repaint job is finished - and looks really good.....

See for yourself...link to railpictures.net

August 31st marked the final move of GN caboose X294 to its new home at the Iron Goat Trail. The caboose is now located at the new third trailhead on the trail near Scenic. Work has been going on all summer to complete this trailhead and continues to date. It will be next to Hwy 2 below Stevens Pass to the west of the summit. The trailhead will also serve as a State rest area. It's being constructed in close cooperation between the Iron Goat Trail volunteers and the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Volunteers are still working on completing the exterior painting which they hope to have finished by the end of September.

For more information check out the following links:

- Iron Goat Trail

- WSDOT US2 Iron Goat Interpretive Site website (includes photos of the move to Scenic)