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BN 4264

BN 4264 was built as the SP&S 324 in June of 1966 and was the second to last C425 SP&S bought. I never did see the unit when numbered 324 but after the merger it received the number 4264 and I saw it numerous times on the Seattle-Portland main line, the first being 7-25-71 on a northbound BN freight at Auburn, WA with units 2543/4253/4264 (GP35/C425/C425). The lead unit was in Burlington colors while the 2 Alcos still in SP&S paint. In fact the 4264 was still in SP&S colors through October 17, 1973 when I saw train #138 with units 4264/2545/4368 race thru Auburn, WA that night.

The next time I saw the 4264 was on 3-18-74 at Interbay in a consist of 2218/4264/2511/2223. The 4264 was now in fresh green paint. However it is interesting to note the 2511 was in GN's orange/green and the 2223 still in Burlington colors. A few days later on 3-20-74 I saw the 4264 again at Interbay but this time I photographed it with my primitive little camera.

I saw it quite a few times after that but my next roster shot was on 6-1-78, again at Interbay. This time I had a better camera, still an Instamatic but the quality was a bit better even if the unit was a lot dustier!

The following month on 7-7-78 I photographed the 4264 again at Interbay but the C425 looks a bit cleaner.

Note A-425 on the frame. BN did this rather than C425, A is for Alco of course! My last active photos of the 4264 were taken at South Seattle on 7-14-79 when it led train #148 into Seattle.

Trailing the 4264 is C425 4256 and freshly painted GP30 2227. One final roster of the 4264 at South Seattle.

I followed #148 to Argo for this one last photo.

It was retired by BN in August of 1980, sold to Chrome Crankshaft and resold to Kyle Railroad out of Kansas 2/82. I have seen photos of the 4264 painted in orange and black working for the Massachusetts Central Railroad in 1990, the Morristown & Erie Railroad in 2007, and most recently the Western New York and Pennsylvania in 2009, still in orange and black! This unit seems to have nine lives and I am hoping quite a few more to go. I might have to look it up in the next few years!