F-Unit

An EMD F-Unit. The quintessential North American main-line diesel-electric locomotive from the 1940s until railroads began retiring them in the 1960s and early 1970s. They were everywhere. During the 1950s, they could be seen pulling trains of all kinds all over the continent. In the 1960s, they began getting bumped from primary assignments to helper service on the main line. They were poorly suited to branch line duties and were entirely unsuited to switching duties.


Northern Pacific #7012A is an F9. This locomotive was originally built for the NP for freight service back in March of 1956. Burlington Northern acquired it in the 1970 merger that created the road. BN managed to blow up the diesel engine prime mover in this unit in the late 70's or very early 1980s. After they repaired the engine, they repainted the loco to its as-delivered colors and donated it to the Western Forest Industries Museum, which owns the Mt. Rainier Scenic RR.
This unit spends most of its time at the MRSR shops in Mineral, WA. It IS operational and occasionally pulls trains.