Coast Engine & Equipment (CEECO)
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Coast Engine & Equipment (CEECO)
Founded in 1947 by the Walker family, Coast Engine and Equipment Co. (CEECO) has evolved from a marine engine repair shop into one of the nation's largest independent locomotive overhaul facilities. "Its main job in those early years was repairing EMD (Electro-motive Division of General Motors) marine diesel engines in fishing boats, tugs, ferries and work boats. The marine business has faded in part because other engine manufacturers moved into the marine engine business once dominated by EMD. To stay alive, Coast has successfully morphed itself into one of the nation's larger independent locomotive repair and overhaul facilities." (Tacoma-News-Tribune, March 18, 2007)
- Owned since 1988 by billionaire Dennis Washington of The Washington Cos., CEECO has grown to 149 employees and maintains a solid profit margin. "Washington bought the company in 1988, shortly after it moved to its present site from its longtime shop in the World War II-era Port Industrial Yard, a former shipyard on the peninsula north of East 11th Street between the Hylebos and Blair waterways."
- The company leveraged its original expertise in EMD (General Motors) marine diesels to dominate the locomotive sector, as the engine designs are nearly identical. "CEECO is the sole West Coast authorized repair and warranty station for EMD locomotive and rail engines. EMD now from time to time even sends partially complete new locomotives to CEECO to get their final checkout and paint job."
- CEECO is the only authorized EMD repair station on the West Coast. The facility annually rebuilds approximately 50 EMD diesel engines and performs final checkouts and painting for partially completed new locomotives sent directly from EMD.
- The company has also branched out into freight-car maintenance and locomotive and rail-car painting.
The site, located in the Tideflats near the Port of Tacoma, was well-known by interested observers for its high-quality locomotive paint work and heavy rebuilds for various short lines and industrial users. The facility and buildings were situated on land owned by the Port of Tacoma.
Before the Progress Rail era of 2009-2021, CEECO was well known for its specialized level of capability and service, often handling specialized rebuilds for short lines that larger manufacturers like EMD or GE (at the time) would not bid on or accept, seeking only large scale projects. After the 2009 takeover by Progress Rail, the former CEECO facility, true to its new ownership, shifted more toward supporting the broader requirements of EMD/Progress Rail/Caterpillar new locomotives, including finishing and painting, and warranty work.
The acquisition was part of Progress Rail's broader expansion into locomotive remanufacturing and services on the West Coast. While CEECO had previously been owned by The Washington Companies (the group owned by Dennis Washington, which also controled Montana Rail Link and Southern Railway of British Columbia) since the late 1980s, the economic downturn in 2008 and 2009 led to the sale of the facility and its capabilities to Progress Rail.
"Known by the acronym CEECO, Coast Engine and Equipment Company has specialized for nearly 50 years in the rebuilding of EMD 567 and 645 diesel engines and selected engine components in support of the marine, railroad, and power-generation industries. Services include a variety of locomotive repair ranging from field service to complete locomotive and railcar remanufacture. Facilities feature a modern, environmentally-approved paint shop with graphics area and a 23,000 square-foot locomotive shop. CEECO employs 100 skilled workers and support personnel. Headquartered in Tacoma, Washington at the Port of Tacoma, CEECO features marine access plus rail connections to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads." (CEECO inactive website)
CEECO Facility Timeline
1947
CEECO was founded, originally serving the marine and fishing industries.
May 1985
Began railroad-related engine work in about May 1985, when they purchased a shop switcher.
1987
"Cryo-Trans acquired a number of former ATSF Bx-132 RBL reefers that were rebuilt by CEECO (Washington) into carbon dioxide cooled refrigerator cars." (Freight Car Journal, #24, 1987, page 4)
As reported in the November 1987 issue of Trains magazine, a visitor to the CEECO facility noted a Cryo-Trans plug-door 60-foot refrigerator car in gleaming white paint, numbered as CRYX 1000. Painters were applying an orange stripe along the bottom of the carbody, and other workers were taping stencils to the sides for spray-lettering. CRYX 1000 was having a cryogenic cooling system was being installed.
1988
Acquired by The Washington Companies.
1988-1989
The 200 cars in the Cryo-Trans CRYX 1003-1199 (197 cars) and 1201-1203 (3 cars) groups were rebuilt in 1988-1989 by Coast Engine & Equipment (CEECO) from the 300 cars in the ATSF 620300-620599 group.
1989
Cryo-Trans is receiving another batch of fifty-two cars converted by CEECO to AAR "RC" cryogenic refrigerators. The newer cars have a new slogan on the right side of the car, 'Protecting Today's Perishables For Tomorrow'." (Freight Car Journal, #30, 1989, page 7)
January 3, 1990
"Coast Engine and Equipment Co., a Tideflats locomotive repair facility, plans to sell its assets to a company that includes colorful Montana entrepreneur Dennis Washington. The Port of Tacoma Commission recently approved the transfer of Coast Engine's lease of almost 8 acres of port land to LRC Inc. One of LRC's directors is Washington, according to the port." (Tacoma News Tribune, January 3, 1990)
May 1, 1997
From the Tacoma News Tribune, May 1, 1997.
On a typical day, CEECO might be performing such tasks as:
- Repairing or modernizing six railroads' locomotives.
- Rebuilding three 25,000-pound diesel engines.
- Conducting programmed maintenance on seven double-stack intermodal container cars emptied at the Port of Tacoma.
- Repainting four pieces of rail equipment.
- Making spot repairs on four boxcars, hoppers or gondolas.
- Converting rolling stock into huge domed-canopy freight cars to haul Boeing Co. airplane fuselages.
Each of those jobs might take from a day to six weeks.
CEECO's business has been rising sharply. Gross revenue has jumped from $3 million to $6 million to $9 million in the past three years. Employment is up from 40 to 100 and will hit 125 by the year’s end. The growth trend should continue.
To maximize this opportunity, CEECO is now digging the foundation for a new 23,000-square-foot, six-stall locomotive repair shop on the 15 acres it leases from the port. When the steel-kit building opens in August, it will include features designed to get trains back in service fast. A 30-ton crane will swiftly hoist diesel engines from locomotives. A drop-table below the tracks will allow wheel trucks to be removed without having to jack up bulky locos.
April 8, 1999
"Coast Engine & Equipment Co. has signed a three-year lease with a five-year option for the city's 15,000-square-foot repair facility and equipment at Western Junction. In 1980, Weyerhaeuser Co. built this log transfer station and Chehalis Western Railroad repair center way out in the boondocks near Tenino. Since the city acquired it with the railroad, it's sat empty for four years. Now, it has an ideal tenant. CEECO runs a locomotive and rail car repair/painting operation near the Port of Tacoma and needs more space. With three covered tracks and ample area designed for this very use, Western Junction is a perfect fit. CEECO is setting up there now under a 90-day permit, pending City Council lease approval." (Tacoma News Tribune, April 8, 1999)
May 9, 2005
William F. (Bill) Walker, October 7, 1907-May 9, 2005 -- After having worked for Cleveland Diesel Co. in Cleveland, Ohio, then working on Navy ships during the war in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and Seattle, Washington, Bill Walker started Coast Engine and Equipment Corp. in 1947. He built the company into a major diesel engine repair facility in the Marine, Power Generation and Locomotive fields. Throughout his time at CEECO he had a way to bid jobs off the top of his head as good as any of us that researched the pricing. Truly, remarkable! In 1990, he sold the company to Washington Corp. (Tacoma News Tribune, May 28, 2007; Bill Walker memorium)
October 20, 2007
CEECO completed the wreck repair of White Pass & Yukon 114, with the narrow gauge locomotive arriving, and being returned on truck dollies. (Tacoma News Tribune, October 20, 2007)
Late 2008
Due to the severe economic downturn and a sharp decline in orders for locomotive remanufacturing and repairs, The Washington Companies determined that CEECO was no longer a viable standalone operation.
May 2009
CEECO announced in May 2009 that they would be closing in July 2009 due to the current economic conditions.
November 1, 2009
Progress Rail (a subsidiary of Caterpillar) assumed control of the former CEECO facility and its operations. The facility continued to operate under the CEECO name until the formal shutdown on July 31, 2009, changed from July 3, 2009, giving CEECO time to finish it last projects. The first employee paychecks were labeled as Progress Rail in early November 2009.
(There were a number on unfinished projects started by CEECO, which forced the delay of the closure of the CEECO site in mid 2009. These included two White Pass & Yukon rebuilds, and the wreck repair of UP GE 6759 which received the cab from an equally wrecked CN 2584.)
November 12, 2009
"As of November 12, 2009, the operations of Coast Engine and Equipment Company (CEECO) have been discontinued." (CEECO's web site)
December 14, 2020
On the news that Progress Rail (EMD) was closing its Tacoma facility (ex CEECO). (Trainorders.com, December 14, 2020)
An announcement from Washington State Employment Security Department that said Progress Rail was eliminating 54 employees on February 9, 2021 for permanent closure. I assume that means CEECO.
Coast Engine and Equipment Co. has quite a big marine business and is the EMD North West coast warranty center for marine, rail and stationary power.
CEECO was laying off people right in the middle of the White Pass rebuilds and in fact didn't finish the project on time.
2021
Progress Rail officially closed the Tacoma facility. In early 2021, the Washington State Employment Security Department received notice that the plant would permanently shut down, resulting in the layoff of the remaining 54 employees.
July 29, 2025
"Speaking of Progress Rail, crews are now demolishing at least part of the old Progress Rail facility (former CEECO) near the Port of Tacoma, Washington. No word on what's planned for the property. The Progress Rail sign is still up on one of the buildings, which as of yesterday hadn't been touched." (Trainorders.com, July 29, 2025)
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