R.I.P BNSF 8197 (Great Pumpkin)

I know, when I first figured it out from a video I had to go dig up some pictures to make sure my eyes did not deceive me. Sure enough, it was 4560's old door. I wonder how that door got so dirty? It's probably why BNSF swapped the doors.
 

This is very very intriguing on two fronts: how did a pair from locomotive doors from 2 completely different companies on different sides of the continent get switcheroo-ed and, how did one of them end up looking like it was dragged through a coal mine shaft?
 
The BNSF door on NS was repainted solid black so it would not have BNSF showing though. The paint was of sub-par quality however, and quickly came off. NS 8447 is repainted now as well.
 
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/432407

according to this photo taken a few days ago, the great pumpkin is still around, but soon to be dead :(

Unfortunately, it sits in a dead line with several other great models like it. Perhaps one day it will be re-built rather than scrapped. I know NS Re-built some of the SD60M's and SD60I's to SD60E's. But I would rather see it get preserved in the condition it is in than see it get re-built. If it got re-built, it would probably be painted into the stupid swoosh. The unit is in surprisingly good shape considering the unit itself is 22 years old, and the paint job is 17 years old now. Of course it may have been re-painted in that time frame, but the unit is in surprisingly good condition.
 
Last edited:
It's funny how the railroads scrap this kind of heritage without a second thought, then abit later spends alot of money to repaint some new engines into old paint schemes.
rolleyes.gif
 
(sorry for the bump)

Living in the city, I can confirm that this unit is still sitting in the Minneapolis yards. That line of engines is always there, so I'm not sure if it's actually a "dead line". I remember someone telling me those engines are either spares/used during grain shipping season.
 
Last edited:
GREAT PUMPKIN RETURNS (?)

They just put it back on heritageunits.com just last night (7/10/13), and need photos of it, you can submit them now! It appears it was spotted being but back into service in Minneapolis and is now in Alliance, Nebraska receiving repairs (I heard)... :)
 
And It Goes Again

They just put it back on heritageunits.com just last night (7/10/13), and need photos of it, you can submit them now! It appears it was spotted being but back into service in Minneapolis and is now in Alliance, Nebraska receiving repairs (I heard)... :)

Just got removed from heritageunits.com again.... Renumbered and being painted into BNSF H3.... :'(
 
You guys are making it sound like as though it has been scrapped!:eek:


I wonder, is it still out there or is it scrapped?:confused:
 
You guys are making it sound like as though it has been scrapped!:eek:


I wonder, is it still out there or is it scrapped?:confused:
It's still going, but like 9647 "Vommit Bonnet" it's been repainted into the worse Hideous 3 paint with the stupid swoosh on the side..... I liked the old 8197.
 
The Great Pumpkin is back in service and renumbered again to 1474. Still in the experimental paint scheme.
 
Back
Top