another newbie question......BN & SF merger

[Anonymous]

First of all thank you all for the warm welcome, and yes this hobby is awesome. Now for the question, as a kid I remeber the big green Burlington Northern's running along the Mississippi River near my chilhood home...wow they were awesome, now I see BN & SF have merged, I am planning my layout to kind of model my childhood hometown and the train running along the old Miss., When did this merger take place, as It would look silly to have say a couple 2004 vehicles in the layout if the merger took place in the late 80's......I might just be being picky, but I do want it to look authentic....sorry for such a silly question, any help would be apperciated once again.

[Anonymous]

The merger happened in 1996, but you can get away with relettering some BNSF units for BN or SF, if you run in the early 90's. ATSF Warbonnet GP60M's and BN Executive units both are pre-merger schemes, and you do run across BNSF models in pre-merger schemes, mostly Blue & yellow ex-ATSF units

[nslakediv]

not to sure exactly, but it was at least 5 -8yrs. It is now called just BNSF. I like the look of some of thier paint schemes. Was actually a big ATSF fan in mid 80's. Try BNSF.com see what u can find.

[Anonymous]

Even though the merger happened (as Mycroft said) in 1996, I've seen photos of units still marked only as "BN" or "SF" as late as into 2001 - so not every loco was BNSF patched or re-painted at once.

[Anonymous]

Well, in the mid 1980's Santa Fe and Southern Pacific were trying to merge. However, it was blocked and left many Southern Pacific and Santa Fe locomotives painted in the "Kodachrome" merger scheme.

[Anonymous]

Well, in the mid 1980's, Santa Fe and Southern Pacific were trying to merge. However, it was blocked and left many Southern Pacific and Santa Fe locomotives painted in the "Kodachrome" merger scheme.

[Anonymous]

I still se old BN and ATSF units on trains. They were not all repainted. Warbonnets, Blue Bonnets, and Cascade greens are still out there.

[Anonymous]

I saw a BN SD40-2 just today!

[Anonymous]

I live in Blair,ne and I HARDLY see any BNSF power! Now why's that?

[Anonymous]

I've seen a couple ATSF engines with "BNSF" below the number

[Don Gibson]

The BNSF railway has an interesting 'Family Tree' to fall back on - depending on how far one wants to go back:

Burlington Northern = CB&Q / NP / GN
Southern Pacific Santa Fe Corp = ATSF / SP. + Panhandle & Santa Fe / Gulf CO & Santa Fe / Atlantic & Pacific / KC Mexico & Orient / San Juaquin Valley RR / Calfornia Central. I'm sure there were others

Even thought the SPSF divested it'self of the SP RR It kept the name and property's .

The CB&Q 'Mississippi route would be interesting to model with a scenic river and high bluffs. i think the Milwaukee Rd paralleled it from La Crosse WI to St Paul.

[Anonymous]

Saw a BN GP50 black & green with white face (3150) lashed to a BNSF GP38 pumpkin (2162) today in Olympia, WA today. The '02 edition of the locomotive roster says the GP50 was built in 1985 and the GP38 in 1970. Microscale has got the broadest selection of decals to help you get your engine just right including the 1985 Tiger Stripe Nose.