Geep Reflections

Another look back more than a dozen years and four cameras ago to early in my time in Alaska. With a front end that would make any Espee fan proud is Alaska Railroad GP40-2 3008 wearing the classic black and yellow scheme it was delivered in by EMD in 1976.

She is on the point of a 591W work train headed south with heavy equipment flats, the flanger and ballast hoppers seen passing along the face of Slide Zone 72 which is one of the most treacherous places on the entire railroad each spring. The two geeps both date from 1976 when bought new from EMD in the second order and 3008 was still wearing her classic as delivered black and gold at the time. The venerable unit is still in service 12 years later but a couple years after this photo she was repainted in the modern blue and gold scheme first introduced on the SD70MAC fleet and that adorns HEP equipped sister 3010. The latter has been rebuilt twice, first around 1987 when first modified to provide HEP and then again in 2000 when she received this scheme and a new 300Kw HEP engine.

South of Girdwood, Alaska
Sunday October 18, 2009