I was lucky enough yesterday to witness the first movements under its own power of the former AMTRAK/ Santa Fe SDP40f locomotive #644. The rumours of this locomotive not having a prime mover or that it was not able to ever operate are unfounded. While it does have some bugs to work out, it does start, stop, idle, build and release air pressure. When loading up it doesn't smoke like an ALCo. It operates in forward, reverse, and stops under its own power.

This locomotive was saved by the efforts of 16 year old Dan Calhoun and is now preserved by the Northwest Rail Museum at Brooklyn Roundhouse (Portland,OR).

#644 info (and F40 231)

I want to publicly thank anyone who has helped get 644 running, with out your help, it could not have been done. Thank You!

Yes, I was the one who started the 644 project, but with out the help of Chris Fussell, Doyle, our Anonymous Donor and anyone else at the Brooklyn Roundhouse, I thank you for your help, as with out your help, this project would have never got off the ground.

As for future work to be done to the 644, a new set of lettering has been created, including number boards. I hope to take a break from my volunteer work at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie,WA this weekend and reletter 644.

As for future updates and information on 644, please check Chris's website, www.f40phr231.org .

Dan Calhoun
Seattle,WA

http://www.f40phr231.org
NP2626@RRmail.com

Thanks for posting this, Smokebox. While I was regrettably not present when 644 came alive, I'm still proud to say that ALL YOU "KNOW-IT-ALL" RAILFANS OUT THERE THAT EMAILED ME A BUNCH OF CRAP ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF THE SDP40F CAN GO....

I do praise the emails and support Dan Calhoun, myself, and the folks at the Brooklyn Roundhouse received. It is very true that without Dan Calhoun, the BNSF 6976 would've been recycled into new razor blades by now.

Here's an excerpt from a web page I'm developing for the f40phr231.org site:

{begin text from website}

It seems that my locomotive acquisition projects inspired people to be more involved in preserving modern diesel and electric locomotives, spearheading efforts even while they're still in service! This is certainly a good sign coming from the young community in the railroad hobby!

While I am excited to see this turn of events happen, another thing that a lot of you out there do, is expect me to acquire a locomotive for you, as if I or we were a railroad God of some sort. I've received numerous of emails that left me flabbergasted and disappointed, they shall remain unheard.

However, the more general ones that were simple one liners, had simple answers!

email: "I would like to see a BNSF SD40 saved!"

response: Good, I would too, so would others. Why don't you start working on saving one?

{end text from website}

Dan Calhoun wanted to see the BNSF 6976 saved, but instead of sitting around telling people about it, he stepped up to the plate, willing to hit a homer.

He built the foundation, made friends, connected the dots, and with all of us involved with the project, it happened so swiftly that even I still have a hard time comprehending it actually happened.

Sure, not every preservation effort will work out okay, I've included a bit about this on my future webpage for the site...

{begin text from website}

Make sure that the locomotive is worthy of preservation, and that it's preserved right! A lot of preservation projects results with the locomotive escaping the torch, but the locomotive ends up stuck in a yard, unattended, not cared for over 40 years with rusting holes, overgrown grass, you could hardely tell it once ran for the railroad! Might as well put it out of its misery, or better yet, not preserve it at all.

Not sure if you could actually do the job? Go find out! What have you got to lose, when you don't even have anything to begin with. Don't assume, do the dirty work, hold your ground, and make it happen. If it doesn't work out, that's okay, at least you tried!

{end text from website}

There is a preservation effort going for the Maersk-painted NS locomotive, and some others that I shall not mention, but not all of them are going to work out.

That's okay, at least nobody here will be able to say "why didn't somebody try saving one?" You can read more about the SDP40F at http://www.f40phr231.org/sdp40f/people.html , with first-hand written letters about the project from Dan Calhoun, and Mr. Anonymous himself.

~Chris Fussell


f40phr231@yahoo.com