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BN 2721

BN 2721 was built in April of 1981. It was one of forty EMD GP39-2's numbered 2700-2739 that were assigned to Vancouver, WA pretty much replacing the Alco's that worked out of Vancouver before 1980.

I got a fairly early photo of the 2721 at Auburn, WA on 4-18-81, still in fresh BN green paint.

Nine years later on 2-18-90 I was at Tacoma, WA where I photographed BN's northbound #694 with 2721/6309/3057/1854 (GP39-2/SD40/GP40-2/GP9)

After the BNSF merger the BN 2721 was repainted to BNSF's H1 paint on 11-17-00 and kept the number 2721. I roster shot the BNSF 2721 from both ends at Balmer Yard north of Seattle on 7-27-10.

Less than a week later on 8-2-10 I caught the 2721 leading the Renton Rocket on ex-Pacific Coast Railroad track coming into Renton, WA after switching at the Boeing 737 plant.

Six years later I caught the 2721 again, this time a roster at South Seattle, WA 7-6-16. Note the air conditioning units now on the cab roof.

Most recently I photographed the BNSF 2721 at Puyallup, WA on Job 156, a Tacoma-Auburn-Tacoma turn seen here 5-21-22 headed back to Tacoma and wearing BNSF's latest orange and black paint too.

So as can be seen, the 2721 is still going strong 41 years after it was built for the BN! It certainly did last a lot longer than the BN Alco's it replaced!