With 2 of the 3 units coming out soon i want to add them to my fleet of BN Locos. I need to know how long they lasted. Any help would be really appreciated. BTW I model BN from 1980-1992.
-Kade
BN 1876, a SD40-2, is still in service with BNSF as an RCL loco. It's now BNSF 6397, formally BN 6325. I think this was the first SD40-2 delivered to BN in 1972, which would give it 35 years of continuous service.
BN 1876, taken in 1979.
BN 6325, taken in April 1982.
BN 1876 as BNSF 6397
If BNSF ever retires this engine, it should be donated to IRM or other railroad museum and repainted back into it's bicentennial colors.
BN 1776, of course being an early GE, didn't last and was traded in during 1990. All these bicentennial engies were repainted into regular BN green sometime in the early 1980s.
BN's Bicentennial U30C was #1776 from 4/11/75 to 4/80.
BN's Bicentennial SD40-2 was #1976 from 4/11/75 until (arguably) two days later when it was in a wreck. It kept that number until not later than 5/14/75 (as a wreck), but was renumbered #1876 (the Athearn version) on 9/1/75 and stayed with that number until 3/80.
BN's Bicentennial SDP40 was #1976 sometime before 5/14/75 until 1/14/78.
Ed
From the Atlas Model RR Co. forum comes the answer you seek:
"U30C 1776 was renumbered back to 5325 in April of 1980. SD40-2 1876 was renumbered back to 6325 in March of 1980. SDP40 1976 was renumbered back to 6397 in January of 1979. Don't know if the units were painted back to green and black, however they were renumbered, most likely repainted back too."
Bill
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig"
My historical information confirms those dates for being repainted. Since they were all repainted in 1979-1980 time frame, they would have received the standard BN cascade green & black paint scheme. They also received their previous numbers.