Alaska Way Run #1

Great Northern, Seattle, August 13, 1960. What a visual delight, from the hogger’s great big friendly smile, to the “carriage lamp” classification lights! Here we find GN 83 and sister GN 77 in transfer service, having picked up cars from the Milwaukee Road (Van Asselt), Union Pacific (Argo), and Northern Pacific (Stacy Street) leisurely humming north along Alaska Way (that’s Alaska Steam Ship masts in background.)

I don’t remember the logistics of this shoot, but we did get ahead of this consist in time to catch them, horn blatting, bell ringing northbound on Alaska Way, passing the Canadian Pacific Dock, Pier 64, at the foot of Lenora Street. A wonderful mixture of salt air, seagulls and railroading!

This transfer run takes Great Northern bound cars to Interbay Yard. Again, what a visual feast this shot provides – from an era when a car was a car – not a Nike-shoe-all-look-alikes. See how many vehicles you can identify. Gotta love those hood ornaments!

In the background is the vehicle entrance into the CPR dock, Seattle being part of the famous Triangle Run; Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver, on some of the smartest steams to every ply the Puget Sound!

Railroad Stuff: Both engines EMC SW-1’s, 600hp. GN 83, built EMC 1/50, sn: 11025. Became BN 83, and was retired in 1983.

GN 77, originally built EMC as 5103, 9/41, sn: 1380. Became BN 77. Sold to Walla Walla Valley Railway, owned by Northern Pacific, in August 1971, and retired in 11/74.