Trains.com

Have you seen BNSF's heritage covered hoppers? (Post here to report sightings)

15366 views
16 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Oregon
  • 563 posts
Have you seen BNSF's heritage covered hoppers? (Post here to report sightings)
Posted by KBCpresident on Friday, June 5, 2015 1:43 AM

There are webpages keeping track of the heritage units of the various railroads (and special scheme locos) however, there are none dedicated to BNSF's covered hoppers with historic logos.

If you have seen one, add a comment to report a sighting. Much like the  "updates" posts, I will post to this whenever I have seen one. Past reports are okay as well, providing you know the month and the year.

I would prefer to keep this post on topic: I am hoping to use this as a way of keeping track of the locations (past and presnt) of the BNSF heritage hopper cars.

The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad

"Ruby Line Service"

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Oregon
  • 563 posts
Posted by KBCpresident on Friday, June 5, 2015 1:51 AM

I'll start. BNSF 484002 (Bearing the ATSF Cross logo) was seen in late May, 2015 on a Grain train over Marias pass. It was view, moving West? from the Izaak Walton Inn, in Essex MT.

(I can't figure out how to post a photo off of my computer)

sample photo: BNSF 484002

The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad

"Ruby Line Service"

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Oregon
  • 563 posts
Posted by KBCpresident on Sunday, June 7, 2015 1:54 AM

No sightings to report this week

The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad

"Ruby Line Service"

  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: Dallas, TX
  • 6,952 posts
Posted by CMStPnP on Sunday, June 7, 2015 2:38 AM

You mean the BNSF Business Cars?    They are stored at the Topeka Shops complex of course.    There is a youtube video of some railfan group touring them below at their maintenence base......

Part 1: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfIiQUUfgas

Part 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB-5JnKD9ys

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Oregon
  • 563 posts
Posted by KBCpresident on Sunday, June 7, 2015 2:48 AM

Good to know, I appreciate the information :)

I was actually trying to create a post dedicated to trackign BNSF's covered hoppers with historic logos.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/55164/GreatNorthernRailwayBNSFheritagehopper03032013WalshvilleIL.jpg for example

The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad

"Ruby Line Service"

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, June 7, 2015 8:28 AM

I am amazed at the simple solution that the carriers have come up with vestibule couplings allowing passage between passenger cars - what appears to be 8" or 12" 'rubber pipe sections' - in place of the steel and canvas contraptions of yesteryear.  A simple, elegent engineering solution.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Oregon
  • 563 posts
Posted by KBCpresident on Sunday, June 14, 2015 3:27 AM

Report #2:

A BNSF covered hopper bearing the historic Northern Pacific logo was spotted on an Eastbound Unit Grain train through Essex, MT on June 13, 2015. 

I was not able to get a number off of the car.

Example of what I saw: NP Heritage Car

The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad

"Ruby Line Service"

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Oregon
  • 563 posts
Posted by KBCpresident on Sunday, June 14, 2015 7:55 AM

Report #3:

Another BNSF Heritage hopper was sighted this morning heading westbound passing Essex, MT. It was Number BNSF 486315, another Northern Pacific logo.

The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad

"Ruby Line Service"

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 1,155 posts
Posted by tcwright973 on Sunday, June 14, 2015 8:07 AM

Thanks for starting this topic. I wasn't even aware that they were out there. Now that's one more thing I need to watch out for when railfanning. Looking forward to spotting my first one. Off topic, yesterday I spotted a Norfolk Southern SW1001 in transit. Didn't know such an animal as that existed either. It all just proves how much I don't know. Of course, my wife reminds me of that quite often...

Tom

Pittsburgh, PA

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: South Central,Ks
  • 7,170 posts
Posted by samfp1943 on Sunday, June 14, 2015 5:28 PM

KBCpresident

Report #3:

Another BNSF Heritage hopper was sighted this morning heading westbound passing Essex, MT. It was Number BNSF 486315, another Northern Pacific logo.

 

I know they are not really considered "Heritage Cars"  for your purposes here; but in this area [South Central Kansas]we see any number of what are referred to in the 'Fan Community' as "Grain Worms' unit trains  [on the BNSF.]  They are the Boxcar brown/red(?) grain hoppers.

      Many of them wear the newer BNSF 'swoosh' logo, but of late there seem to be an awful lot of those type hoppers wearing the Circular emblem- Burlington Northern Railway with the Santa Fe marque in the center. 

This railway( BN&SF Rwy) was created by merger in 1996.  The cars bearing that Logo are obviously, newer than 25 years old; which would seem to make tham eligible as 'Heritage' cars, as well?  Whistling

 

 


 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Oregon
  • 563 posts
Posted by KBCpresident on Monday, June 15, 2015 12:11 AM

I've seen a lot of those too, but I figured that they were just older ones. I know BNSF is still repainting old BN ribbed hoippers too.

True, not exactly what I'm tracking but interesting none the less. And of course, if you do see any of the heritage hoppers, be sure to post the sighting here Smile

The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad

"Ruby Line Service"

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Oregon
  • 563 posts
Posted by KBCpresident on Sunday, June 21, 2015 1:33 AM

Report #4:

A BNSF covered hopper bearing a Green Burlington Northern logo was spotted on an Eastbound Unit Grain train East of Essex, MT on June 20, 2015. 

I was not able to get a number off of the car.

Example of what I saw: BN Heritage Car

The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad

"Ruby Line Service"

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Oregon
  • 563 posts
Posted by KBCpresident on Monday, June 29, 2015 7:24 AM

Report #5:

A BNSF covered hopper bearing a Colorado & Southern logo was spotted on a westbound Unit Grain train in of Essex, MT on June 20, 2015. 

I was not able to get a number off of the car.

Example of what I saw: C&S Heritage Car

 

The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad

"Ruby Line Service"

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • 96 posts
Posted by Uncle Jake on Tuesday, September 27, 2016 11:43 PM
I saw the Colorado and Southern and the Santa Fe hoppers this morning, eastbound (north) out of Pasco on two separate trains. Saw seven "earthworms" in one hour: three empty eastbound and four loaded westbound.
  • Member since
    February 2011
  • 96 posts
Posted by Uncle Jake on Saturday, October 8, 2016 12:16 AM
Saw another one today headed North (rr E) out of Pasco. Didn't recognize the logo but the car number ended in 233(I think). The road ahead was more important than the train.
  • Member since
    March 2011
  • 5 posts
Posted by mmp70160 on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:53 AM

Here are the ones I know of:

484002 ATSF

485171 ATSF

485059 BN

485704 BN

482825 C&S

485980 C&S

486868 C&S

486114 CB&Q

477432 GN

477433 GN

489368 GN

485609 NP

486315 NP

480539 SLSF

483110 SLSF

486742 SLSF

480646 SP&S

480654 SP&S

482111 SP&S

482554 SP&S

485233 the Denver Road

487379 the Denver Road

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • 1,243 posts
Posted by Sunnyland on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 6:25 PM

Somebody posted a pic for me on Facebook of one of the hoppers with a Frisco coonskin logo.  It was taken somewhere west like TX. I have not seen any around my area. Wish I would.  I'll take the coonskin rolling again any way I can. 

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy