From Altamont Press discussion: BNSF SD9 6111 is said to be stripped and ready for scrap at the Interbay maintenance facility (former GN roundhouse) in Seattle. Previously, this unit was BN 6223. It gained a measure of fame in 1962, when, as Colorado & Southern 828, it replaced the last Class 1 railroad standard gauge steam locomotive in operation. Its predecessor was the 641, a coalburning 1906 Brooks 2-8-0, which continued operating the isolated Leadville-Climax, Colorado line well past the end of C&S steam in 1959 due to fears that a diesel would starve for air in the thin mountain air (11,000 ft.). Tests with another engine proved that theory wrong and the line was soon dieselized, with the 641 retired to display near the depot. The 828 was equipped with a large pilot plow and special flanging icebreakers for the service. It was also one of the first diesels in the CB&Q family to be repainted in the new Chinese red scheme, due to heavy repairs required after a fatal head-on collision at Chugwater, Wyoming in the fall of 1958. A washout on the Climax line caused more heavy damage about 1980, which resulted in a chopped nose.

http://bbs.cartserver.com/bbs/q.cgi?p127020053
ryarger@rypn.org

In its last days:

http://archive.trainpix.com/BN/EMDORIG/SD9/6223.HTM
ryarger@rypn.org

In 1962 at Leadville.


http://gowest.coalliance.org/cgi-bin/imager?00006670+OP-6670
ryarger@rypn.org

I was working on getting this engine donated to Colorado Railroad Museum by BN after the Leadville line was sold in the late 1980's. At the time time the Museum was involved in other issues and indicated to me they weren't interested if we could get the railroad to make the donation.

How sad.

How depressing,
we have been working with the BNSF since 1998 trying to save one of the C&S SD9's. I guess we are SOL on this one.

Jason Midyette
Boulder County Railway Historical Society
Boulder CO

> From Altamont Press discussion: BNSF SD9
> 6111 is said to be stripped and ready for
> scrap at the Interbay maintenance facility
> (former GN roundhouse) in Seattle.
> Previously, this unit was BN 6223. It gained
> a measure of fame in 1962, when, as Colorado
> & Southern 828, it replaced the last
> Class 1 railroad standard gauge steam
> locomotive in operation. Its predecessor was
> the 641, a coalburning 1906 Brooks 2-8-0,
> which continued operating the isolated
> Leadville-Climax, Colorado line well past
> the end of C&S steam in 1959 due to
> fears that a diesel would starve for air in
> the thin mountain air (11,000 ft.). Tests
> with another engine proved that theory wrong
> and the line was soon dieselized, with the
> 641 retired to display near the depot. The
> 828 was equipped with a large pilot plow and
> special flanging icebreakers for the
> service. It was also one of the first
> diesels in the CB&Q family to be
> repainted in the new Chinese red scheme, due
> to heavy repairs required after a fatal
> head-on collision at Chugwater, Wyoming in
> the fall of 1958. A washout on the Climax
> line caused more heavy damage about 1980,
> which resulted in a chopped nose.


http://www.boulderrail.org
amjm@indra.com