BNSF Northtown Locomotive Diesel Shop Tour
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- čas přidán 12. 04. 2021
- Sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of a facility not accessible by the general public. C. Vision was granted special access to tour the Locomotive Diesel Shop at BNSF's Northtown Yard in Minneapolis, MN. Here you will get to view locomotives going in and out of the shop pulled by an ex-Great Northern SW1500 and a GP39E still in BN green and black! SD40-2's shove cars up the hump that is adjacent to the facility. Lots of older power is seen as the tour was in December 2012.
- Zábava
My grandfather was a machinist in the L&N Corbin, KY roundhouse beginning in the 1920’s up to about 1960. I was about 9 years old when he took me there and I got to see lots of steam locomotives in various stages of repair, and even a few diesels. That was the shop that took care of the motive power for the coal fields of Eastern Kentucky, and later they built a big coal washing facility in the yards to clean all the coal as it came out of the mines. Corbin still has quite a bit of activity for CSX now, but the old roundhouse is long gone, just memories. My grandfather walked two miles to work and back every day, then worked in his huge garden, a real man, but quiet. His car was to drive to the grocery store on Saturday and church on Sunday. He also served in the Navy around 1915 and was in Vera Cruz in the Mexican Revolution, but got out before WWI.
Many great memories have been shared on this video, and this is another! Thank you so much for sharing your story. Very interesting indeed!!!
I worked in a locomotive back shop. It's an experience that will forever stay with you.
I bet! Thank you for sharing!
I like how bright it is... gotta see what you're doing for starters
For sure! Very well lit. Thank you for watching!
My Grandad was a Steam Loco mechanic for the Pennsylvania RR
at their Indianapolis shop. My Dad hired on there too after he came
home from WW2. Dad was a machinist. When the Diesels came in
Grandad couldn't or wouldn't learn the new tech so he quit & started
his own business doing steam boiler repair.
!
Awesome! Great story. Thank you for sharing!
I worked in a diesel house for over 30 years seeing this really makes me miss it
Me too. I served my machinist apprenticeship with the old NS and later with the NW/NS in Roanoke, Va. Also worked the NS Shaffers Crossing facility that is very similar to the BNSF shop in the video. There I worked in the material management dept. keeping supplies available for shop workers. That facility started operation in 85. I helped set up the MM dept before it opened to locomotive repair and inspections. Yeah, I miss it and other jobs I had on NS. The last job I had for over 6 years was control station operator. That was a good job too and I miss that one also. The only drawback to that job was I worked every weekend during the time I held a regular job there and I got kinda tired of that when thinking about people going out Friday or Saturday evenings to dinner etc. while I had to work but overall I really liked the locomotive shops and the operators jobs.
I bet it was a great place to be. Thank you for the comment!
How do you get hired?
@@demurevilleneuvewinslet8235 apply
I worked at Northtown Diesel Shop for 20 years along with extended sojourns in Alliance Nebraska and Gillette Wyoming. Enjoyed the work and the people I worked with. Nice video of my second ‘home.’ This video must have filmed on midnights.
The rock island railroad had a huge diesel shop in silvis Illinois. The rock was one of my favorite railroads, they were long gone before my time.
That would have been a great shop to visit. Thank you for watching!!!
I drove truck for a common carrier making deliveries/pickup's to the Northtown yard.
What an amazing place with great shipping/recieving personal.
Just getting from the street into the area of the shop/shipping & receiving/under the hump
tower to the signal shop was always quite the experience!
Thank you for sharing your story, Dominic. Never a dull moment at Northtown!
I never got into trains until I was older now I love watching them 😁😂
Same here! I've always thought they were neat but really, really got into them over the past year.
One is never too old to enjoy new hobbies! Thank you for posting!
I grew up in Fridley. Always fascinated with trains. Thanks for the video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Nice to see a Ex-BN SW1500 still running strong in yard service. Nice catches
Thank you so much! It was a great time!
We still have 2 in service at our yard. Best sounding locomotives
Also ex-GN
I wonder why it has a mechanical bell, and a electronic bell.-.
Love the ol green BNs 😎
Me too! Wish there were more of them still around.
Look at all that rare power!!
Yes! There was plenty of that cool power in use back when this footage was captured. Thank you for watching.
AWESOME!!! LOVE BNSF!! #1 Train line that never ever had problems! Runs through our town in the port of Vancouver Washington
Thank you!
Impressive display of power. Thank you
You're welcome! And thank you!
I really like the color scheme of old BN locomotives 😅
Me too. It was classic
Terrific video! Thanks for posting. All the shop guys work hard to keep our freight moving to consumers like me.
Couldn't agree more! Thank you for watching!
Awesome production. Super clean work area.
Switched railcars in an aggregate load out operation in South Florida. Learned to respect the power of rail operations.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you very much! And yes, BNSF does an excellent job of maintaining their facilities. We appreciate the comment.
Cool to see still old BN green locomotives still in use just patched with new BNSF numbers.
Good ol Burlington Northern.
It was a great time when we were there. Not too much BN green left around here anymore. Just a few. Thank you!
Yes it's nice. Pity that BNSF didn't adopt the green and black color scheme rather than the black and pumpkin they use now. At least the BN scheme was distinctive not like now where at a glance you can mix up a UP and BNSF train especially if they're dirty
Very Nice! Brought back memories from when I was a hostler there back in 97-98
Thanks Rob!
I once got a back haul of locomotive engine oil that I delivered to a Kansas railway maintenance facility and I found it very fascinating. I asked someone there how much oil goes into one of those locomotives and he said 400 gallons and that unless the oil became contaminated with water or something it would be in the engine for the life of the locomotive. I also saw some of those traction motors and was impressed with the seemingly small size of them compared to the size of the locomotive the power and incredible amount of torque they must have to pull a train.
Wow! That's a lot of oil! I had no idea. Thank you for sharing!
I think they even forgo antifreeze so can save the oil even if it does become contaminated. They can simply skim or boil the water off
I'm amazed at the fact the oil never needs changed unless it becomes contaminated
@@JT_8283 I was amazed too but I was also amazed that the engine took 400 gallons of oil. Think about it, thats almost eight 55 gallon barrels of oil.
Pure crude oil if you get good quality & put in a vehicle motor it will never break down and need changed
Amazing video Love seeing BNSF locomotives in the Yard and those SD70MACs
Thank you very much!
Very cool opportunity, could spend all night and day there!!
Thank you! That's what we thought when we were there!
My logistics class scored a tour of this facility in 1990. It was so dark in there it was spooky but the railroad was very gracious.
Very nice!!! At a time of all BN!!!
I worked in the SP yard in Sacramento California just before they shut down. It was a great experience and the co workers were awesome.
Thanks for sharing!!!!
Oh man, getting to go in there is a dream come true
Oh, hey Ryan!
How were they allowed in
Probably permission from BNSF
Thank you! Yes, it sure was! It was a group tour with special permission from the RR. We weren't allowed to tour as the crews were working on the locomotives, but moving them in and out only.
People that work or employed there were all fascinated with trains since childhood. Its in thier genetics or blood. Family members probably work there too and they all love that line of work. I lived by train tracks when I was young would go out of my way to watch every train as they went by our house. I didn't miss a car. I loved it when then stopped at the foundry nearby and hit the brakes. You could hear every car go boom boom boom right down the line of cars. Even at 2 am I would listen for them.
You very correct Daryl. Thank you for sharing!
I was a locomotive electrician for 12 years. Very few of us enjoyed the work. It’s very dirty work, very complicated at times and you are continually under time pressure. Just being honest.
I can completely understand. It is great seeing this from a railfan perspective, but I can agree it is different from some who has worked in this environment's perspective. Thank you for sharing!
Love those MACs!
Me too! Sure wish they were all being used still.
Enjoyable upload, C Vision Productions, of behind the scenes night shift in the BNSF yard. All types of good, hard working union jobs.
Thank you so much for watching!
thanks for posting this as a retired dispatcher I knew this place and saw lot of power out of there.
Very cool! Assuming you worked for the BN? We have a current CPKC dispatcher here at C. Vision.
i DID HAVING been at Northtown as well as in Montana before being moved to Texas.
@@CVisionProductions1
Those moves are never easy. CPKC is about to move all of their US dispatchers to Kansas City. Would we have heard you dispatching lines in Minnesota? Maybe we would recognize your initials?
That was amazing! Thank you for sharing that with us! I think this should be added to library of Congress!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Interesting how a shunter loco can pull & push a road service loco with ease
Indeed! Thank you for watching!!!
I LOVE ALL THAT GREEN!!!
It was great while it lasted! Thank you for the comments!
Wow that's crazy, how cool it is to see a BNSF shop, never seen it before
Lots of old power here for sure and lots of it is probably still used today. Anyway big fan of your channel.
@CraftyFoxe Hi
Yep
Thank you for watching!
Thank you!!!!
Reminds me of what I used to go down to the 13th Street Station at Mopac in St Louis and work on the EMD 45s
I bet that was neat!!! Thank you for sharing!
0:22 Man that sounds the default "neuter" engine in Trainz.
Very cool, reminds me of back in early 2000's when I got to go in the Columbus CSX intermodal facility and in NS Buckeye yard before it closed.
Thank you!
This was one of the first places i went when i received my drivers license in the mid 90's. i had an after school art magnet video productions class. i was working on a video of different classes of locomotives and what they do (e.g., SW1500 is for swtiching etc.) i have some old video of the yard in the mid 90's. i have video not too different than what you have here. only difference is that i have video from the hump tower. they had at that time let me up into the tower. the video i have is on VHS and i am needing to transfer the video from VHS to computer format. i returned to northtown yard a couple years ago and i love the fact that one of the managers in the diesel shop recognized me and remembered me. oh and i have a lifetime memory of the engineers who let me behind the throttle of an SD-40-2 a memory i will always love.
Wow! What great memories! I bet that was really fun. And I'm sure back then, they didn't have any rules that you could record the workers working on the locomotives. We weren't as fortunate. It' be great if you could get that converted. We can do that for you if you wish.
Que registro mais espetacular, uma maravilha para quem ama ferroviaria, vários modelos de locomotivas um verdadeiro show de imagens like garantido 👏💯
Thank you very much. We’re very glad that you enjoyed the video. Greetings from the United States!
Thank you for the Tour.
Our pleasure!
Ahhhhh... The sound of idling EMD locomotives😌
It really is a nice sound. Thanks for watching!
Awesome video.. nice EMD’s
Thank you Cameron!
Wow, great video! I've only seen the shops from the 44th Ave Bridge. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for watching!
How can 18 people not like this? I would love to work there.
Because some people are knuckleheads. Remember Adam and Eve weren´t satisfied in the Garden of Eden so some people can never be happy.
@@benniepierce6283 Well, as of tonight, 34 people are knuckleheads!
Yipe, being able to see inside these facilities, and engage with those involved working there, would be hugely on the top of my bucket list.
Thank you Dene! It was a good time!
Thank you for your comments. I guess you can't please everybody. But thank you for liking it!
BNFS Bello magnífico parabéns
They sure are. Wish they were mostly still around.
My one and only visit to Northtown,,,I saw GP20s,SD9s,U25Bs, and F7s. (among others) 1978
That must have been a great time! Those were the days!!!
I wish I was there I would have enjoyed watching those I was there I would have enjoyed it job well done to the people that that produced this video I give the people A+ job well done
Thank you so much Albert!
Nice video thank you 🙏 I
You're very welcome Rick. Thank you for watching!!!
I live in MN. I guess I never did not know there was a yard up there in Fridley. I sure like see the old green paint jobs still on some of those units.
Well, it is technically in both Fridley and Minneapolis. But most will refer to Northtown as being in Minneapolis. Thank you for writing!
VERY Kool Video !
Glad you enjoyed it
I enjoyed this video very much thank you
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Very nice video! Do they repaint units there?
Thank you! Northtown can touch up paint after repairs are made, but full repaints are completed elsewhere.
Awesome!!!!
Thanks!!
Great video thank you ❤
You’re very welcome! Thank you for watching.
Excellent Enterprising Endeavour 🎉🙏
Many thanks!
Good video, thanks for sharing!
Thank you Theo!
Great video! I have been inside there once. Its a great shop way nicer then our shop was (CP ST.paul)
Thank you Jason!
That would be on my "BUCKET LIST" of things to do! How cool that would be to tour the shop while the locomotives were being serviced etc! And I'm also wondering if the BNSF locomotive was equipped with remote technology with seeing the blinking lights over the cab.
Yes the switch engine working on the top there on the lead is remote. The motors moving in and out of the house are controlled by the guys working the house.
It was neat to see the shops. But I agree it would be neat to see the work. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to record while they were working.
What an awsome video. 👍
Thank you! 👍
great video
thanks
Thank you Peter!!!
My Dad worked 47 years for P&LE
That is dedication! Thanks for sharing!
wow so many old engines just drove by their today and still see b40-8w in sante fe paint
Northtown is a great place to see classic locomotives. And it’s been that way for a very long time. Always worth a visit! Thanks for the comment.
@@CVisionProductions1 thanks for showing us this
You’re very welcome! Thanks for watching.
I love switchers nice catches
Thank you Kelvin!
This is soooooooo sick!!!!!!!!
Thank you!
Now that’s awesome I love see it to
Thank you Taylor!
@@CVisionProductions1 your welcome come Pacific Northwest it’s busy
Great stuff
Thank you!
Love to work there
It would be fun for sure!
C vision productions nice train dvd
Thank you Chris!
I love it!
Thank you Jason!
that was cool
Thank you!
No problem
Wow this is so cool!! Man I’d like to work at a shop like this one day! My grandfather was a conductor and drove trains.
Thank you!!! We’re glad that you enjoyed the video. You’re on the right track with your ambitions. Shops like this one provide fairly steady work, along with decent working conditions. Do you happen to know which railroad your grandfather worked for?
@@CVisionProductions1 no I don’t
Alright, no worries. Thanks again for watching!
Can't imagine working outdoors riptrack. We had 4 door building with no doors at the L&N Howell Yard at Evansville IN. That could get cold in winter.
Roger that. And yes, Minnesota can get chilly in the winter! Those locomotives would probably prefer to be inside as well. As for the L&N, that really was a neat railroad. Thank you for sharing and commenting.
Best video I always want to see the service facility I doing a ho scale
Thank you Regis!
Thanks our economy is very strong
Thank you!
AWESOME!
Thank you!!!
@@CVisionProductions1 your most welcome! Love the older power!
damn, real nice, amazing. Would it be possible to see whats going on in Norfolk Southern's shop(s)?
Thank you Leaf! Not sure if that will ever work in today's world. This was a special invite set up by some people we knew who knew the people at Northtown. Thanks for watching!
Veramente eccezionale questo video con le manovre di quellelpvomotive
Gracias!!!
very cool
Thank you Phillip!
@@CVisionProductions1 your welcome
had 3443 switcher when i was in kansas for college to get my conductor certificate that thing leaked oil like crazy , ended up shutting down on us the second day we were in lenexa yard training
Wow! No kidding! Thank you for sharing!
Very interesting..
Thank you for watching!
@@CVisionProductions1 i live in Minneapolis i also live by the yard how did they let you in
@S Axtman We were in a special tour group. It was arranged ahead of time with the railroad.
EMD is still holding up
Let's hope that continues!
Great video! What type of camera did you use to record this video? It has outstanding quality!
Thank you! Back then, it was a Sony PMW-100 I think.
Nice, but I want to see them doing stuff in there. Replacing traction motors and so on.
You and me both! But with Union rules, we weren't allowed to film during the work.
Thanks for watching!
@ timestamp 10:38 that is an ex-IAIS ex- RI Geep:)
Yes, it is. Thanks for noticing!
I like to know that the sd70macs are still around
There are still some, but most are still being stored in Wyoming and Nebraska.
And also i want to see GE B40-8W
Excellent video like de Brasil railfans
Thank you!!!
A BNSF SW1200 still running! 3:40
As far as I know, it only ran for a short time after we shot this video.
@@CVisionProductions1 Oh.. :(
I’m glad that BNSF is lousy with repainting.
Me too, but they are painting more lately.
Im betting they cleaned up the building for the pic. The bnsf shop in Barstow was a mess when I was there.
California vs Minnesota wonder why it’s cleaner here, I don’t.
@@jayblomquist3339 the shop was always a mess.
Actually Raymond, they keep it pretty clean. There's a bunch of great people still working there. Thank you for the comment!
Is there a DVD that has this?, My father is a train fan and I think he would like this. If so, I will order it on-line
Hi Tigermark64. Thank you for asking. Yes it is. Here is the link.
cvptrains.com/store/Minnesota-Train-Action-Volume-7-p19541305
This was amazing to see.i like to make a video there.wel i live in the Netherlands.lol. but when everiting is normal,no covid 19 i wil came over,and visit it with mine old friend Jaw Tooth.Brian. greetz:Peer,stay sava all.
But wait....there's more!
Thank you! Let's hope you can come back soon!
@@richardsylvanus2717 😅so as useal it is./zoals gewoonlijk er is. NL.🤣greetz:🍐:Peer.
i love santa fe
i like the video
Thank you!
I have to wonder why they don't repair horns in there because so many horns have interchangeable parts. I feel like that would just be a waste of money to replace it with an all new horn.
Not sure why. Good question.
C Vision Productions how many trains go through Edgemont South Dakota a day?
Roughly around 20-30. Down from its peak of 60-80 years ago. Thank you!
no tour of the shop at all. Only a switchter pushing/pulling locomotive in/out of the shop.
Thank you for your comment A-Borgia. I'm sorry you feel this way. This is all we were offered by the railroad. There were no crews working on the locomotives at the time because they didn't want anybody roaming around while doing work for safety reasons. Therefore we concentrated on things happening around the facility, while getting to take a look at what we could see inside. Many parts were off limits for us to see. I hope you understand.
How many gallons of fuel do those tanks hold and how far can they go on a full tank?
Hi Diego. Some can hold up to 4000 gallons. Not sure on the mileage. Thank you for asking!
@@CVisionProductions1 I would hate to be the one paying for that many gallons of fuel.
That’s not far from where I live and I have a friend that works there!
oh i want to see sd70mac
They are a great locomotive!
I wonder if 'Golden Globe' is still in use at Northtown?
Not sure what that is.
@@CVisionProductions1 It's the switcher with the Golden Globe hood ornament. See 3:19.