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BN 2520

The 3037 was part of the second and final group of GP35's GN ordered and were numbered 3026-3040. All these GP35's were delivered in GN's simplified orange and green paint scheme.

Spotting features of the second group of GP35's is they were delivered with snowplows and a warning beacon on the cab roof. The first group of GP35's numbered 30173025 delivered the previous year were not equipped with these features.

After the March 1970 BN merger the GN 3037 was renumbered BN 2520 and assigned to Superior, WI from 1970 to 1973. From 1974-1976 the 2520 was assigned to Lincoln, NE. Then in the 1977-1978 time frame the 2520 and most (if not all) of the other ex-GN GP35's were transferred out west being assigned to Seattle's Interbay shops for maintenance.

My first photo of the 2520 was of it leading southbound train 139 out of Balmer Yard with units 2520/1781/2534/2511/2537 (GP35/GP9/GP35/GP35/GP35)

In pre-merger days that would have been GN 3037/GN 708/CBQ 988/GN 3028/CBQ 991. The next day 6-28-78 the. 2520 was back at Interbay where I took a roster of the GP35.

Two years later on 6-18-80 I took another roster of the 2520, again at Interbay.

Here is another roster shot of the 2520 but from the other side. Argo, WA 12-6-80.

My final photo of the 2520 was taken 9-1-84 of it leading northbound train 399 with units 2520/8011 (GP35/SD40-2) at Argo headed for Interbay.

Time was running out for the 2520. BN was unhappy with the GP35's as their electrical system issues. Seems minor damage was enough to have a GP35 retired and scrapped. Such was the case with the 2520. It suffered some minor damage to the front end and was scrapped at Portland, OR in June 1985. Sheldon Perry was in Portland at that time and took these three images of the 2520 being cut up and has given me permission to add them to this update showing the end of BN GP35 2520.