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BN 610

BN 610 was built as the Great Northern 274B in October 1950.

Like the BN 602 discussed previously the 274B was built as part of a 2 unit F7A set numbered 274A and B as protection passenger train power. The 274A had a steam boiler while the 274B had extra boiler tanks for holding additional water. Unlike other passenger train power these A-units did not have oscillating headlights. They were delivered in the Classic Empire Builder scheme and later painted into the simplified orange and green. Neither were painted into Big Sky Blue.

Both F7A's were assigned to Lines West-Cascade Division in 1969 and my notes attest to this with my first sighting of the 274B on 7-27-69 heading up a southbound GN freight with 274B/474B/454B (F7A/F9B/F7B) through Black River, WA on the Seattle-Portland main line.

At the BN merger in 1970 the 274B was renumbered BN 610. I first saw the renumbered BN 610 on 6-25-70 at Auburn, WA on a northbound led by BN 1509/610 (GP7/F7A) both in simplified orange and green. I photographed the 610 in those ex-GN colors on 3-24-74 at Interbay.

The 610 was eventually painted BN green and I photographed it in those colors leading train #139 out of Seattle on 8-2-77. The interesting lashup includes 610/SP 6533/1781/752/WP 3051 (F7A/GP35/GP9/F7A/U30B).

Note how the nose stripes extend all the way above the headlight like sister F7A 602. On 10-25-78 I photographed BN 610 leading BN train #139 at Tacoma, WA.

Here is a photo of the BN 610 taken from the other side on 9-14-79, also at Interbay, WA. Note that the stainless steel grills have been removed giving it a unique look.

BN retired the 610 a year later in December of 1980 and it was sold to J. Simon and Sons, a scrapper, but the F7A found new life when it was then leased to the Seattle & North Coast in December of 1980, along with sister ex-GN F7A's 684 and 704. Given new paint it was renumbered S&NC 101 and used on the line between Port Angeles and Port Townsend, WA. Hard times fell on the S&NC and the line shut down early in 1985 and assets liquidated.

On 5-15-85 the 101 showed up in Seattle at the former Milwaukee Roads Pier 57 where it was photographed along with MIKI class Tugboat Polar Sea.

The 101 made its way south to the Mt Rainier Scenic Railway in Mineral, WA for storage until it was sold to Doyle McCormack in late 1997 and sent to Portland, OR with plans for a return to GN's Classic Empire Builder scheme. It also received a headlight in the nose door making it look more like a passenger engine than it did on the Great Northern! Numbered 274 (no B this time) the F7A can now be found at Garibaldi, OR where it was sold to the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway.

Photos of the 274 can be found on RR Picture Archives here:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=44037

One of these days I will have to make a trip down to Oregon to get a look at the 274. Perhaps during one of the Christmas runs this December.