BNSF Business Train with “America 250” units

I see a couple of clear ‘gallery’ interiors in the provided video, after about 0:45. Someone who knows historic gallery cars will recognize what they are.

There are also cuts that show what appear to be true bilevel conversions that have been ‘tubed’ and appear to be like ‘exhibit’ cars with tables but no seats in at least one of the levels.

They are former Southern Pacific Gallery Cars (Pullman Standard) which were purchased from Transisco Tours (who bought them from Caltrain surplus) by the Burlington Northern back in 1994. I don’t know how many they own but the cars are numbered BNSF 40-45, Transcisco tours had invested a lot of money in upgrading them so I am not sure how much of the upgrades you see belong to BNSF. Transico Tours intended them for a Reno Fun Train between Oakland CA and Reno, NV. These were modified more in the former Topeka shops. My rough guess is they bought the SP cars as they were probably lower mileage then the former Burlington Metra cars and also partially upgraded.

Once under BNSF ownership, the railroad customized them even further at their Topeka, Kansas shops. They converted two of the cars into state-of-the-art track geometry and inspection cars (such as the Agate Pass), packing them with lasers, cameras, and sensors. The remaining cars were adapted into specialized theaterview/inspection lounges featuring massive glass windows on the rear ends, allowing executives to scan the tracks and surrounding right-of-way during system tours.

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Thanks for the info.

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Who says there’s no use for effective AI?

To be accurate, you need to edit your title from “Bicentennial” to “America 250”. BNSF #1776 and #2026 are not Bicentennial (200 year) units they are Semi-quincentennial (250 year) units. :smiley:

Dan

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Those two Semiquincentennial ES44AC’s along with 11-15 stainless steel cars will look great on anyone’s layout! :locomotive:

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I was fortunate to have had a tour of the BNSF Office Car shops in Topeka back in 2002. What a fascinating place!

P1130065 by Edmund, on Flickr

P1130068 by Edmund, on Flickr

A two-part video is here:

Cheers, Ed

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I remember that tour from an earlier thread. :+1:

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They look nice.

Thank you Mike Danneman:

Patriotic colors on a BNSF Special by Mike Danneman, on Flickr

Regards, Ed

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I’d love to have them, but gotta wait for Athearn to officially announce them, lol :slightly_smiling_face:

I’d run them back to back instead of elephant style. :left_arrow: :right_arrow:

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What a beautiful sight!!! :locomotive: :red_circle: :white_circle: :blue_circle: :us_outlying_islands:

UP Big Boy excursion yesterday

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