BN F7A 754 (ex-NP 6019D), Denver, CO, circa 1971 (Bob Jordan) BN F9A 842 (ex-NP 7014D), Auburn, WA, April 1980 (Bob Jordan)
BN GP20 2018, ex-GN 2018, Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan) BN GP30 2205, ex-GN 3005, Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
Interesting that the GN took the effort to fabricate signs to bolt on to the handrail structure rather than paint the same on the hood. I've never seen a GP-30 in Big Sky Blue before. Looks great!
BSB tended to show dirt and grime, quickly-Those two light colors... And whatever paints they used, all seemed to flatten out, fast. So they ended up starting to almost seem a bit shabby, in just a couple of years. They began BSB in 1967. (Somewhere I have an article about it, from a Seattle newspaper.) The original date set for merger was in May of 1968, so I have always questioned their intentions. Spending that time, and money to re-paint, so close to a merger date.... Did they really believe a merger would be happening?
They even had timetables printed. But there were complaints then filed, against the merger. Which delayed it two more years.
Speaking of signage, I think it's cool that the NP applied separate letters spelling out the road's name on its B Unit radiators. You can kinda see it in this photo [not mine]. Not an inexpensive addition, but a nice detail the NP thought necessary.
Good catch! BSB units usually had the GN placards on the handrails stripped off fairly quickly, so you're hard-pressed to find patch jobs with placard still intact.
A Big Sky Blue pair at Denver, early 1970s (Bob Jordan) (If you look closely at the handrails on GP20 2003, there appears to be a place where the "Great Northern" placard would have been.) An early, rainbow era, BN diesel consist (a GP30, U28B, SD40 and another U28B) at Denver in the early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
Love the BN Rainbow era photos. That shot of 2205 with 2003 is a case in point. The placards were usually removed after patching a BSB unit. Love it! And that SD40!
BN GP30 2248, ex-CB&Q 971, Denver, CO, Early 1970s (Bob Jordan) BN GP39M 2809, ex UP GP30 830, Denver, CO, mid-1990s (Bob Jordan)
BN GP39M 2812 (ex-GN GP30 3006), Denver, CO, mid-1990s (Bob Jordan) A BN freight with GP39M 2828 and B30-7A 4111 at the helm, Denver, CO, mid-1990s (Bob Jordan)
F's and GP30's! (or at least GP30 car body's ) Two of my favorites. Great stuff Bill. Thanks for sharing all these photos.
An octet of BN diesels lead a trio of ex-Texas Southern F-Units and cars, with GP40M 3518 in the lead, circa 1993 (Bob Jordan) C30-7 5050, along with four other units (three GEs and an EMD) lead a long string of coal somewhere in Colorado, early 1990s (Bob Jordan)
BN U25B 5408, ex-GN 2508, Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan) BN U28B 5456, ex-Burlington 112, Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan)