By Randall Pratt

PORTLAND — A former Burlington Northern SW1000 well known among Pacific Northwest railfans has been saved and will eventually call the Oregon Rail Heritage Center home. 

BNSF Railway SW1000 “GN 3613” departed BNSF property earlier this week on Portland & Western’s 663 job headed for Albany, Ore. The end cab switcher was then interchanged to the Albany & Eastern Railroad for restoration before heading back north to Portland to join the collection at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. 

Built in 1972 and purchased by Burlington Northern as 388, it lived most of its working life in the Pacific Northwest. It held assignments in Seattle, Vancouver, Wash., and Portland. In 2014, it was re-lettered to GN 3613 to make room in the BNSF roster for newer power. Due to its short wheelbase, 3613 was well known in Portland for working BNSF’s Willbridge Yard, SP&S 12th street district and Guild’s Lake Industrial Park.  It was one of the last-end cab switchers on the BNSF roster in non-shop service. Kept in active service until 2020, the locomotive was then stored in a deadline in Seattle until details were worked out for its transition to the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation. 

Once the restoration is complete, 3613 will join fellow EMD end cab UP 96, an SW10. It is unknown at this time what paint scheme the locomotive will be repainted in. Once it arrives at ORHC it will likely see regular service on excursion trains and around the property. 

Locomotive 3613 is seen on Portland & Western’s 663 job bound for Albany, Ore., earlier this week. Photo by Randall Pratt.