The Flickr Grinstein Image Generatr

An eastbound BNSF loaded coal train rumbles along the Missouri River approaching Clarkston, Montana, on October 2, 2022, led by BNSF EMD SD70MAC No. 9702, a former BN locomotive, along with BNSF Heritage I GE C44-9W No. 976 and Canadian National EMD SD70M-2 No. 8882. This coal train was enroute to export at Westshore Terminals' coal export facility at Roberts Bank, British Columbia, but was halted on Montana Rail Link due to a dock workers strike, with the train then sent east to a new customer.

From a little over a year ago, BNSF 9650, a wagon wheel painted SD70MAC, leads Z-SSECHC 16 out of the Twin Cities area.

A trio of Burlington Northern EMD SD70MACs begin to pull as they depart Edgemont, South Dakota, with a loaded coal train on the afternoon of July 5, 1996. Afternoon clouds are building in the heat of the day, signaling a possibility of afternoon thunderstorms.

From over 7 years ago, BNSF 9766 leads the California Zephyr on the Mendota Subdivision kicking up some snow at Meriden, IL.

Two westbound coal trains pause at Sterling, Colorado, on March 19, 1997, led by Burlington Northern EMD SD70MACs.

BNSF SD70ACe #8448 and Grinstein SD70MAC #9745 are the DPUs on the rear of a BNSF coal (150 cars) bound for Red Rock Power Plant, Red Rock, OK. This is at Santa Fe Junction in Kansas City, MO. The train is entering the BNSF Emporia Sub to continue its trek to OK.

Painted in Grinstein Green, the BNSF lettering is still hanging on well after being applied to the hood of BNSF SD70MAC No. 9786 27 years ago. Though painted in BN's Executive paint scheme, this engine was delivered after the BNSF merger. 12/21/24.

In late 2021, my parents left Illinois to retire out in New Mexico. During the holiday season that year, I was able to visit them and they gifted me some railfanning days. (Side note, it's the only time I've actually been in the Land of Enchantment so far, but I hope to visit more often going forward.)

BNSF Railway is the combination of Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, but you'd think we're still pre-merger with this kind of lashup! A GE Dash 9 wearing the Warbonnet paint and Executive EMD are paired together as they move through the yard in Belen.

BNSF 764 C44-9W
BNSF 9819 SD70MAC

December 16, 2021.

A trio of Grinstein-colored Burlington Northern EMD SD70MACs on a westbound coal train smoke it up as they negotiate an undulating main line through West Berea, Nebraska, on July 4, 1996. This train is heading west on the Butte Subdivision, which crosses Crawford Hill on the way to the next crew change point of Edgemont, S.D.

BNSF EMD SD40-2 6717 still sporting its BN green, switches coal cars at Alliance NE on June 28, 2010.
In the background is a line of stored EMD SD70 locos mainly in the Grinstein green & cream made redundant by the downturn in coal traffic due to closure of coal-fired power stations and the Global Financial Crisis (GFC).

(10A.1869_BNSF6717_Shunting-AllianceNEwt)

BNSF H1 C44-9W #1042 and executive SD70MAC #9776 are in charge of eastbound grain train #46A, a scene straight from the 1990's.

BNSF H1 C44-9W #1008 and executive SD70MAC #9776 lead eastbound grain train 46A into Kendallville, preparing to pass under State Road 3 outside town.

A Warbonnet Dash 9 along with a Grinstein SD70MAC blast through Floyd on Main Track 1 of the BNSF Marceline Sub with BNSF train V-BLUKCK1-09B, approaching the Missouri River Bridge at Sibley.

A red and silver leader is always a welcome sight, especially on the former Santa Fe transcon. Seeing a pair of engines in the paint schemes of both halves of the merger is pretty noteworthy these days, too. A broadside of this consist would have been better, but it seemed as though anywhere you could try and shoot it you were either clouded, blocked by another train or the light was straight down the barrel. Plus, this train was held out at Cement City until sunset, so it seemed like nothing was working in our favor. Oh well, I'll settle for this, I guess. 8/10/24.

BNSF's Night Gas stretches it's legs just north (timetable west) of St. Regis along the banks of the Clark Fork River. St. Regis, Mont. | August, 2024

Two generations of BNSF EMD SD70 powering a loaded coal drag east of Alliance in Nebraska, with SD70ACe (9258) and SD70MAC (9783 in Grinstein "Green & Cream") up front and out of sight, 8955 and 6202 on May 29, 2010.

(10D.0736_BNSF9258-9783_LddCoalWt)

BNSF SD70ACe #8484 and Grinstein SD70MAC #9758 are the rear DPUs on a 2x2 all EMD power southbound coal train (135 cars) on the Ft Scott Sub at CP30th St in Kansas City, MO. This train had a SD70MACe leader with an SD70ACe up front. This train is bound for Hugo Western Farmers Power Plant in Ft Towson, OK.

Covered by a nice dusting of traction sand used to assist with the heavy tonnage, a southbound (eastbound) Burlington Northern coal train led by a trio of new Grinstein EMD SD70MACs, passes milepost 107 on the Orin line at Walker, Wyoming, on May 12, 1995.

BNSF Grinstein SD70MACs are disappearing from active road service. They are becoming a rare sight around here, especially for me. I'm going to try and get them while I still can, because they are almost gone. I don't remember the last time I saw a H2 SD70MAC.

On this southbound loaded coal (144 cars), BNSF SD70ACe #8566 leads with Grinstein SD70MAC #9780 trailing on the Ft Scott Sub in Kansas City, MO. I call this train "The Radio Train" since most of the cars have WFAX reporting mark, which sounds like a radio station to me.

A trio of Burlington Northern EMD SD70MACs power a westbound coal empty as it crosses a small bridge near Marietta, South Dakota, on the railroad’s Black Hills Subdivision west of the crew change of Edgemont on the afternoon of July 5, 1996.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe EMD SD75M No. 8284 in warbonnet colors shares floor space with a gathering of Grinstein-schemed EMD SD70MACs inside the large locomotive shop at Alliance, Nebraska, on July 21, 2003.