A unique photo that is unfortunately not so unique lately.
Amtrak has been actively deploying their new ALC-42 Siemens Charger locos to lead the Empire Builder service (trains # 7/27 and 8/28) between Chicago and Seattle/Portland. Train route follows the “Hi-Line” - one of the northernmost railroads in contiguous 50 that crosses several mountain passes and Great Plains. Winter weather with significant snowfalls and deep freezing temperatures turned out to be less than suitable for ALC-42's, leading to multiple issues and numerous delays. Amtrak will usually pair ALC-42 with more reliable P42DC, but sometimes simultaneous failures happen. In this case, BNSF comes to help.
In this picture, BNSF loco is helping out westbound train #7 that broke down somewhere in North Dakota a day earlier. Train #7 is usually split in Spokane, WA into two halves with one going to Seattle, WA and another going to Portland, OR. In this case, since there is no sufficient power to haul two separate trains, the entire trainset was routed to Seattle. Portland-bound passengers were bused to their destination from Spokane.
There's always something good in bad things though. Typically, sightseer lounge (a car with panoramic windows) goes to Portland, leaving Seattle-bound passengers without a chance to enjoy beautiful scenery of the Cascades mountain range and Puget Sound shores. Since the entire trainset goes to Seattle this time, passengers got a rare chance to use the panoramic car to the fullest.
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Amtrak has been actively deploying their new ALC-42 Siemens Charger locos to lead the Empire Builder service (trains # 7/27 and 8/28) between Chicago and Seattle/Portland. Train route follows the “Hi-Line” - one of the northernmost railroads in contiguous 50 that crosses several mountain passes and Great Plains. Winter weather with significant snowfalls and deep freezing temperatures turned out to be less than suitable for ALC-42's, leading to multiple issues and numerous delays. Amtrak will usually pair ALC-42 with more reliable P42DC, but sometimes simultaneous failures happen. In this case, BNSF comes to help.
In this picture, BNSF loco is helping out westbound train #7 that broke down somewhere in North Dakota a day earlier. Train #7 is usually split in Spokane, WA into two halves with one going to Seattle, WA and another going to Portland, OR. In this case, since there is no sufficient power to haul two separate trains, the entire trainset was routed to Seattle. Portland-bound passengers were bused to their destination from Spokane.
There's always something good in bad things though. Typically, sightseer lounge (a car with panoramic windows) goes to Portland, leaving Seattle-bound passengers without a chance to enjoy beautiful scenery of the Cascades mountain range and Puget Sound shores. Since the entire trainset goes to Seattle this time, passengers got a rare chance to use the panoramic car to the fullest.