Rocky Sez ... It's Great!

Great Northern 693. Interbay north departure, Seattle, January 9, 1960. Hoggers had about a mile between the yard north end switch and the approach signal for Bridge Four. Some took the opportunity to wind it up a bit; others resigned themselves to drifting up to the signal. There was a mandatory slow order on Bridge 4 crossing the Lake Washington Ship Canal, and a residential area up to Golden Gardens Park, which kept the giddy-up-go low.

GN 693 was delivered without dynamic brakes. But within a few years, dynamic brake iron grids, air intake blister and 48” fan were installed greatly adding to her usefulness working the Cascade Mountain crossing.

Railroad Stuff: Great Northern 693, built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division, La Grange, Illinois, as a GP9, 1,750 hp, in April 1957, serial number 22473. She was subjected to the “Cascade Green” paint job when taken over by Burlington Northern and renumbered 1766. Returned to GE Credit in 1985.

Purchased by Hillsdale County as 1766. Subsequently retired once again, snatched up by Indiana Northeastern Railroad and renumbered 1602.

Just got off the phone with some fine folks over at the Indiana Northeastern, enjoyed some train talk, and you'll be pleased to know that 1602, nee GN 693, is still running strong!