You are here: Home > Spokane, Portland and Seattle Section > BN 4261
BN 4261
BN 4261 was built as SP&S C425 323 in May of 1966.
After the March 1970 BN merger the SP&S 323 was renumbered to BN 4261 and was assigned to Vancouver, WA for maintenance.
Photos of the BN 4261 are difficult to come by. I have one I purchased on eBay. No location, date or photographer was listed on the slide.
Brian Ambrose collection
One thing that is known is the BN 4261 was destroyed in a collision the night of 7-16-71. From the SP&S Facebook page comes this info. BN 4261 was leading a train towards Bend, OR and stopped at a red signal near Deschutes Jct, OR. As the crew called Bend the headlights of the train soon caught sight of four boxcars heading towards them at a high rate of speed about 11:20 PM. Further research shows this was a southbound BN train with units 4261/4245/WP 3021/WP 3020 (C425/C424/GP35/GP35) and the four boxcars had rolled out of the Bend yard striking the train about 50 MPH. The first three units burned and were scrapped, the WP 3020 was rebuilt. Two crewman perished while another survived. It is likely the 4261 was still in SP&S paint when wrecked. More info and photos can be found here: