Author: Rev. Jonathan Spurlock
Photos of BNSF locomotives during the month of February 2012.
Another angle of BNSF 2206. Some more of the side is visible. This unit still has the green "BNSF" lettering.
BNSF 2206 working a cut of cars in the Rock Island, IL, "Lower Yard". Notice the gray door, the nose-mounted headlights, and the ratchet-style handbrake. Feb 2, 2012.
Several details are visible: the unit's number, in green, centered (more or less) within the orange band; the white portions of the handrails; the ditch lights, and the white paint on the outer edges of the steps. Rock Island, IL: 2-02-2012.
BNSF 4465 assists BNSF 622 with a relatively short freight. This train is on Canadian Pacific's (DME/ICE/SOO Line/MILW) tracks in Davenport, IA. The flash unit gave some interesting effects! Davenport, IA: 2-03-2012.
The engineer has just opened the throttle and the train has just begun to move. Interesting effects of the city lights, the casino's lights, and the foggy morning. This unit is still in the red and silver "war bonnet" scheme, with the "Santa Fe" still in place on the hood. Davenport, IA: 2-02-2012.
BNSF 1825 sure looks like an SD40-2 to me, with the three cooling fans at the rear. The unit is switching cars in Galesburg, IL near the Amtrak station on Feb 5, 2012.
BNSF 5450 is the second of three units on this southbound train. Notice the large yellow "BNSF" lettering on the hood. Galesburg, IL: Feb 5, 2012.
BNSF 6067 is the third of the three units on this southbound train. Notice the "swoosh" style lettering, as some have called it.
BNSF 771 and two other GE's are stopped in Galesburg, IL on a pleasant February 5, 2012. The unit is still in red-and-silver paint and has the red "BNSF" block letters on the side.
BNSF 2039 leads a northbound on former ICE/DME/SOO/MILW tracks in Bettendorf, IA on 2-07-2012.
The rear portion of the engineer's side, as photographed at Pleasant Valley, IA on 2-07-2012.
Sorry for the somewhat blurry photo. BNSF 2664 is the third unit on this train, as it proceeds through LeClaire, IA: home of several quality museums!
The second of three units, BNSF 765, still in red and silver (the War Bonnet scheme) assists with a nortbound train at Pleasant Valley, IA on Feb 7, 2012. The unit still has the large red "BNSF" lettering on the sides.
BNSF 2268 was the power for a short train over ICE/DME (now Canadian Pacific) rails northbound in Davenport, IA on 2-16-2012. The setting sun added some unexpected glare to the rear section of the unit.
BNSF 4820 was the lead engine on a southbound piggyback train in Galesburg, IL on 2-19-2012. Note the places where some of the paint is chipping or flaking away.
BNSF 5274 was the second unit on a southbound piggyback train in Galesburg, IL on 2-19-2012. Note the damage to the paint above the "S" and "F" on the hood (heat damage?)
BNSF 2268 was either leading a westbound train or working a cut of cars at the "upper yard" in Rock Island, IL, on 2-21-2012. I stayed on public property when I took this photo: note the chain-link fencing!.
BNSF 2014, running long hood forward, was in the "lower yard" at Rock Island, IL on 2-23-2012. On that day it was coupled to a bulkhead flat car. The "Centennial Bridge", carrying auto traffic between Rock Island and Davenport, IA is visible in the background.
BNSF 9628 led a short train south through Davenport, IA on 2-23-2012 using the former DME/ICE tracks. Note the damage (heat related?) visible on the long hood between the numbers and the cab.
BNSF 9943 was the trailing unit on a short BNSF train heading south through Davenport, IA on 2-23-2012, using former DME/ICE tracks.
BNSF 2014. running long hood forward, leads a group of cars eastbound from the "lower yard" in Rock Island, IL, on 2-24-2012.
BNSF 2014 was at Rock Island, IL, on 2-25-2012 in the "lower yard".
BNSF 2014 was at Rock Island, IL, on 2-25-2012 in the "lower yard". This view gives a close-up of the nose, plow, cables, etc.
BNSF 4964 was the lead unit on a BNSF freight in Galesburg, IL on 2-26-2012.
BNSF 5497 led two other BNSF GE's south through Alpha, IL with a BNSF freight on 2-26-2012. That's a little bit of snow, still hanging on for all it had, at the lower edge.
These two relay boxes aren't engines, of course, but they're still an important part of railroading. These boxes were located near the BNSF line just north of Alpha, IL on 2-26-2012. That's Illinois route 17 running at a right angle to the track and US 150 is about a half mile behind these boxes.