Location, Location, Location!

Northern Pacific Railway 5409A, Green River Washington, August 14, 1960. Just a few days after my 17th birthday, and I was anxious to get a shot of the Northern Pacific tip-toeing across the Green River Bridge. But low and behold, when I got there, "swamp gas," "fog!" I thought I was going to be “skunked” on my choice of locations to grab this eastbound freighter, because I did not have a back up plan!

I loved shooting the Northern Pacific eastbound, climbing up out of Auburn - and the flats of the East Valley – they had nowhere to go but up – Run 8 territory! Plug "Covington" into the adjacent Google Search Engine.

The Green River Bridge was just east of Auburn, and the roar was exhilarating as the hogger has his foot to the metal. As I heard her approaching, it was as though the breath of angles came through at the last moment, moving the swamp gas away just in the nick of time. And I got a memorable shot of an eastbound FT leading a gang of hoods onto the Green River Bridge.

This is the “A” unit end of the A-B-C-D lash up. Here be her sister, NP 5409D.

And you know what makes this extra special? I am the only one who shot this consist at this location! This is a one of a kind photograph, taken at this location!

Railroad Stuff: Northern Pacific Railway 5409A, nee 6009A, built by General Motors at La Grange Illinois, as an FT, 1,350 horsepower, in 1945, serial number 2838. Traded by BN in 1971, for an SD45.