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BN 6474


BN SD45 6474 was built in July of 1970. It was one of twenty SD45's ordered by NP before the BN merger but delivered in BN paint. It was originally intended to become NP 3632. I first saw the 6474 on 9-20-70 at Interbay in the service facility between runs a few months after being delivered to the BN.

My first photo of the 6474 came on 6-23-78, again at Interbay.

On 5-27-84 I caught hotshot #4 at Cashmere, WA being led by the 6474/6617/7034/6643 (SD45/F45/SD40-2/F45) before arriving at Wenatchee for a crew change.

While the train was at Wenatchee the 6474 was cut off and it left with the 6617 leading so there were no more photos of the BN 6474 leading. After just 15 years of service the 6474 was retired from BN's roster in June of 1985 and returned to the lessor.

From there it spent some time as the CNW 6474 and NREX 6474 before being rebuilt to an SD40M-3 10/94 for the Southern Pacific as their 8609. After the UP merger the 8609 became UP 2685 in June of 2003 and even repainted into UP's yellow colors. The last photos I have seen of the UP 2685 were taken in 2008. Nothing since then. Sounds like it is in storage now.