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BN 2512

BN GP35 2512 was built as the GN 3029 in April of 1965 and was part of the second and final group of GP35's GN ordered. These GP35's were numbered 3026-3040 and like the first order of GP35's were delivered in GN's simplified orange and green paint scheme.

Spotting features of the second group of GP35's was a snowplow on the front and a warning beacon on the cab roof. The first group of GP35's numbered 3017-3025 delivered the previous year were not equipped with these features. After checking my roster notes, the GP 3029 was one I missed seeing before the BN merger.

After the March 1970 BN merger the GN 3029 was renumbered to BN 2512. In the first years after the merger the BN 2512 was assigned to Interbay north of Seattle, WA.The notes say that I first spotted the BN 2512 on 12-30-71 at Interbay and it was already in BN green paint so was an early repaint.

My first photo of the BN 2512 came on 6-6-77 at Interbay.

Then on 8-6-77 I photographed it again at Interbay with a pair of GP30's.

And then a roster shot of the BN 2512 the same day.

On 7-24-80 I roster shot the 2512 from the other side at Interbay. Note all that orange GN paint up on the roof around the fans plus the flat topped warning flasher on the cab roof was replaced with a rotating amber "gumball" flasher.

On 3-26-81 BN 2512 led southbound BN train 139 out of north Seattle's Balmer Yard with units 2512/2521/2077/2073 (GP35/GP35/GP38/GP38)

The next year on 10-10-82 I photographed the 2512 once again at Interbay but this time in fresher paint. It looked really good!

On 8-12-83 the BN 2512 made a bit of history leading the last scheduled Yakima Local over ex-NP Stampede Pass eastbound. The line was mothballed after the 2512's passing. Kind of ironic an ex-GN unit would lead the last train over the NP route.

Here are three paper documents from the Easton depot showing the last day of operation over Stampede Pass and the 2512.

Just four days later on 8-16-83 I photographed the 2512/2073 (GP35/GP38) on southbound train 139 at South Seattle.

This was the last time that I photographed the 2512. According to the Great Northern Empire website the BN 2512 was retired 7-16-86. The 2512 was then sold to Northern Railcar in December of 1986.

The 2512 then went to the Indiana Hi-Rail, repainted brown and white and numbered IHRC 372. After the Indiana Hi-Rail ceased operations in 1994 the 372 went to the Wabash and Ohio and finally the Georgia Northeastern, painted red and gray but kept the number 372. This photo of RailPictures is from 1995.

The 372 was wrecked in 1998 and the GP35 cut up for scrap ending the service life of the former BN 2512.