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BN 5743

Between July and September 1971 BN received their third order of new GE U33C's numbered 5735-5763. BN 5743 was a part of that batch. Nothing really that unusual about it but still worth a look.

First time I saw the 5743 was at Interbay, WA on 4-15-73 in the engine facility. The lashup was 6344/5743/5758 (SD40-2/U33C/U33C) and all three units were fairly new. My first photo of it wasn't until August 3, 1977 on a sunny day at Seattle's Interbay yard. From the looks of the 5743 I would say it had just gone through the wash rack!

A few years later on Wednesday morning 7-18-79 I was back at Interbay and caught eastbound #88 leaving with units 5743/6542/MILW 184/MILW 205 at 0840. These photos were taken just north of Interbay.

I must have really liked the combination of the U33C leading and the Milwaukee SD40-2's as I drove out to Monroe and waited for #88 there. It met westbound Amtrak #17 there and I followed the 5743 East on up to Skykomish getting a number of photos including this one at Grotto between Baring and Skykomish.

Arrival at Skykomish for #88 was at 12:30 PM. Helpers 6411/6602 seen at the left were added mid-train for the climb over Stevens Pass.

#88 left at Skykomish at 12:52 PM and here it starts into the steep climb just out of Skykomish.

I followed the train up to Scenic and watched it go into the Cascade Tunnel before I headed back west towards home. That was the last time I photographed the 5743. It was retired in February of 1986 and sent to StLAS for scrapping 1/87.