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BN 2501

GN's first order of nine EMD 2500 HP GP35's were numbered 3017-3025 following the 17 GP30's GN purchased earlier. These GP35's were delivered in simplified orange and green. An easy identifying feature of this first group of GP35's is that they were delivered without snowplows on the front while the second group of GN GP35's had plows.

After the March 1970 BN merger the GN 3018 was renumbered to BN 2501 and assigned to Havre, MT.

I first saw the BN 2501 leaving Auburn, WA eastbound for Stampede Pass on 12-13-70 in a consist of 6619/2505/806/807/734/2501/1874 (F45/GP35/F9A/F9B/F7A/GP35/GP9) Only the F45 was in BN green with everything else in their pre-merger colors. (both GP35's ex-GN orange and green)

Eventually the 2501 was repainted to BN green and in my first photo of the 2501 at Interbay 2-2-77 it is a bit dirty but notice the freshly painted black trucks.

On 7-6-77 the 2501 was leading southbound #139 with units 2501/827/2226/4254 (GP35/F9B/GP30/C425) Interesting that all four units came from GN, NP, CB&Q and SP&S respectively. Also note that now the 2501 has a rooftop warning flasher. Seattle, WA.

It was back at the Interbay, WA engine facility 8-6-78 awaiting shop time.

Another roster of the 2501 at Interbay a year later on 9-14-79.

On 2-3-81 I photographed the 2501 side by side with rebuilt GP30 2211 at Interbay, both are ex-GN units.

And here is a roster of the 2501 from the other side at Argo, WA just south of Seattle 5-6-84.

In October of 1989 the BN 2501 was rebuilt by EMD to GP39E 2925. (other ex-BN GP35's went through the same program) The BN 2925 was also repainted to the latest BN whiteface scheme. A number of photos of the BN 2925 can be found here on rrpicturearchives:

After the BNSF merger the BN 2925 became BNSF 2925, keeping its BN number but relettered for BNSF. I roster shot the 2925 at Interbay 10-8-09.

And here is a rooftop view of the BNSF 2925 at Renton, WA 3-18-13. Biggest carbody difference was the removal of the middle smaller fan between the two larger fans on the rear of the unit when it was rebuilt by EMD in 1989.

I have not photographed the BNSF 2925 since but between 2016 and 2017 it was repainted into BNSF's latest orange and black paint scheme. This photo from 2019 on rrpicturearchives shows it in North Dakota.

Hopefully I will get a chance to photograph it myself sometime.