While driving through NW Portland today, I encountered a BNSF switcher in the yard. It was painted in the orange scheme wiht big green "BNSF" lettering. WHat struck me as odd was that I clearly remember "GN" printed vertically in front of the number, the G above the N. I think (though I'm not sure) that it was loco #3613, and thatBNSF was also patched over. I have searched for a picture, and while photos of this locomotives exist, I haven't found any that show its patch job.
Can anyone explain this to me? I know that GN stands for Great Northern, but the GN has been out of business since 1970. Is this some sort of BNSF subsidiary?
Thank you :)
The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad
"Ruby Line Service"
BNSF still owns GN, and doubtless other, reporting marks. I understand they have used them on a few "heritage" cars. IIRC there is at least one recently painted GN covered hopper car complete with late 1960's 'Rocky' herald.
Have no idea what is going on with the loco.
Mac
BNSF often uses the GN reporting mark on locomotives that are stored pending retirement when the number is needed for new motive power being delivered. Union Pacific does the same thing with the WP reporting mark.
PNWRMNM BNSF still owns GN, and doubtless other, reporting marks. I understand they have used them on a few "heritage" cars. IIRC there is at least one recently painted GN covered hopper car complete with late 1960's 'Rocky' herald.
Per my understanding, Rocky, at least, has jumped ship -- to an energy company in Houston called Great Northern Properties.
A Great Northern subsidiary, Great Northern Power Development, has been trying to get a lignite- conversion project off the ground in western North Dakota for at least 10 years. At some point before I retired from the Bismarck newspaper (going on 10 years ago), I interviewed a couple of GN executives.
On one of the documents they showed me, I saw Rocky on the letterhead -- the classical Rocky, rather than the cartoonish 1960s incarnation -- and asked what he was doing there. The execs seemed tickled that anybody should remember Rocky from his earlier context, and said they had bought the rights to him from (then) BN.
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