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BN 2538


BN 2538 was built by EMD as CB&Q GP35 992 in August of 1964.

Here is a great photo of the CB&Q 992 from rrpicturearchives:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1203363

After the March 1970 BN merger the CBQ 992 was renumbered to BN 2538 and assigned to Vancouver, WA along with all the other ex-CB&Q GP35's.

This is the only photo of the 2538 I have been able to find, again from rrpicturearchives and taken on the WP at Twain, CA 9-11-71:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1140470

My notes say I first saw the 2538 on 10-23-71 at Auburn, WA when southbound train #139 passed by with the 2510/809/2538/4059 (GP35/F9B/GP35/RS3) My notes also say only the 809 was in BN green paint so the 2538 was still in Burlington Route colors.

The 2538 never made it to BN green as it was destroyed at Lava, OR on 12-9-73. It was leading southbound train #139 and stopped when it was struck head on by northbound train #138 that was supposed to stop and line into the siding but misread the orders telling it to do so and continued down the main line into the BN 2538 which was over rode by WP U23B 2252 leading #138 and everything above the frame of the GP35 was cleaned completely off. Luckily both crews jumped so there were no injuries but the 2538 was pretty much reduced to scrap. It was the only GP35 to not make it to BN green after the merger.