I just posted this to another list but as there is CB&Q content I thought it
should be posted here as well for those that might be interested in a current
disposition of a still active ex-CB&Q GP30, at least as of last June.
Going over some photos taken this past summer I noticed how good the paint
looked on BNSF GP39M 2741 photographed in Seattle 6-4-09 which prompted this
"unit history" report.
http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=104081
CB&Q 946 was part of a 30 unit order of GP30's built for the Burlington Route
in April 1962. The group was numbered 940-969 and delivered in the attractive
Chinese Red paint scheme.
Eight years after entering service in March 1970 the BN merger occurred and the
946 was renumbered BN 2223, but kept the red and gray paint for at least three
more years. In the early 1970's the 2223 was assigned to Interbay in Seattle
along with a number of other ex-CB&Q GP30's.
It was 1-16-73 when I first saw the BN 2223 leading a northbound into Seattle
in a consist of 2223/2545/2211 (GP30/GP35/GP30) The 2223 was still in
Burlington colors while the other two units were in BN green. My notes say
this train had derailed a number of its cars at Nisqually, WA so it was just
the front portion of the train that I saw, the rest of the train yet to be
cleaned up.
In time the 2223 was painted BN green as seen in this roster at Interbay
9-16-80.
http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=97702
Note the two shades of green. The front is a darker green than the rear. Kind
of makes you think of NP's two tone green on their passenger equipment doesn't
it? OK, maybe not.
That picture in 1980 was my last photo of the BN 2223. I lost track of it
after that but just recently located a photo of the BN 2223 in Texas taken in
1987. It was assigned to Springfield at that time! I didn't even notice it
had left the area. So when did that happen I wonder?!
In the late 1980's the 2223 went to EMD for rebuilding coming out as BN 2751 in
May 1989. One change was the headlights on the nose were moved up between the
numberboards. No longer looked like a Burlington unit anymore. On the plus
side it was repainted with the stripes on the nose rather than getting the
whitefaced scheme. Now classed as GP39E I first noted the 2751 in Seattle more
than a year later on 9-30-90.
In five more years came the BNSF merger and the 2751 dropped 10 to become the
BNSF 2741, which it remains today, and still in BN colors as seen in my photo
taken this past summer, 20 years after being rebuilt. Nice to see it is still
looking as good as it did back in 1989!
Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA
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