Burlington Northern EMD Locomotives Dominate Action in Creston, IA 2/2/06

My how things have changed. This is some video I filmed on February 2nd, 2006, of a few BNSF freight trains at the division point in Creston, Iowa. At this time I was about a year in to seriously filming trains, after starting at the end of 2004. This was my first time in Creston. It's the division point between BNSF's Ottumwa Subdivision (Creston, IA-Galesburg, IL) and Creston Subdivision (Creston, IA-Lincoln, NE), a major route for coal trains from Wyoming to eastern destinations, and is also the route of Amtrak's California Zephyr. Creston's Amtrak station is actually on one end of the BNSF division offices here, with the original station standing directly west of it. This was the normal stuff going through Creston at the time. The video begins with a westbound empty, powered by two SD70MAC's, BNSF 9544 and BNSF 8880, crossing Elm Street. Next up is an eastbound coal load, with BN 9605 (SD70MAC) and BNSF 4925 (Dash 9-44CW). After stopping to change crews, another westbound departs. This is an intermodal/autorack train with SD60 power, BNSF 9231 (SD60M) and EMDX 9060 ("Oakway" SD60). Notice the engineer gives a big wave as they pull out. It was a sure thing that you'd see solid SD70MAC power on just about every BNSF coal train in 2006. The GE Evolution diesels (ES44AC's) were brand new and were just starting to show up. At this time it was still pretty unusual to see them. Sometimes, as in this video, when some SD70MAC's weren't present DC power was used, such as Dash 9's, which would be unheard of today with so many AC locomotives available. Within a few years, the ES44's would take over and the MAC's would slowly start to fade to the background. Today, BNSF has stored all but a handful of MAC's with some being sold as lease units. Time will tell what the future for the remainder of the fleet will be. As for the SD60M's, BNSF still has some, but many have been sold; some as leasers, others have made their way to Norfolk Southern. In this video #9231 still had its original BN number. To make way for new SD70ACe's, all SD60M's were renumbered to the 8100's in 2007. In 2014 they were renumbered again in the 1400's. Unit 9231 became 8131, then 1418, respectively. Today the engine is still on the BNSF roster and is one of several SD60M's converted to local/yard service. It has been equipped with remote control and repainted into BNSF's "H4" paint scheme, applied to local/switcher units. Although it looks sharp, it's sad to see the old BN "whiteface" go. Another thing that was fairly common to see in the 90's and 2000's were the "Oakway" units - SD60's painted in a blue-and white paint scheme with EMD and GM logos. They were owned by EMD, leased to Oakway, Inc, and used by BN/BNSF on a "power-by-the-hour" basis. Today most of the 100-unit fleet of Oakway engines has been purchased by Canadian National. #9060 seen on the last train is now CN 5423. Amazingly, I've only filmed trains in Creston one other time besides this time, so far. Doing research for this upload, I found out that Creston is now a quiet zone. Enacted in 2015, today no train horns sound through town. So, I captured yet another part of the past that's now gone. To celebrate my 10th year of being on YouTube, I'll be uploading many other videos in my archives, that haven't made it online until now. Many of the clips are 10-13 years old and highlight different aspects of railroading that today have changed. I hope you enjoyed this video! For more train videos including uploads of current rail operations in the Midwest, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel at:    / everywherewest   Also, follow my Facebook page:   / bobbyharveyvideo   Copyright © 2018 Bobby Harvey. All Rights Reserved.