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BN 1865

BN GP9 1865 was built as the Northern Pacific 239 in August 1955. The 239 was noted assigned to the Tacoma division in 1969.

My notes show I did not see the 239 personally until 2-21-70 just before the BN merger. The 239 was in a power consist of 284/239/6016C/6014C/6017D (GP9/GP9/F7B/F7B/F7A) at Auburn, WA awaiting its next call.

Soon after the March 1970 BN merger the NP 239 was renumbered BN 1865 and assigned to Auburn, WA for maintenance. I got my first photos of the BN 1865 on 12-22-79 at Auburn, WA in a set on 1865/1919/1844/703/708/837/738 (GP9/GP9/GP9/F3B/F7A/F9B/F7A) By this time it had been painted BN green.

A roster shot of the BN 1865 taken the same day at Auburn.

Note that all the carbody louvers are intact. When an NP GP9 was repainted to the simplified scheme a group of louvers were removed so the NORTHERN PACIFIC name would fit without being applied over the louvers. That is the best identifying feature to know if any NP GP9 wore simplified paint. Thus the NP 239 never did.

BN 1865 was retired by BN in July of 1983 and acquired by the CCH (Cape Cod and Hyannis) and renumbered CCH 22. The GP9 was later sold to Georgia Southwestern as GSWR 22 but was wrecked and soon scrapped..