BN Expediter Back Issues: 1993 – 2000

The BN Expediter – Back Issues: 1993 – 2000

Scroll down for a description and cover shot of each issue:

Click here for a sample of one of the issues on the CD (5 Mbytes).

Please Note: These issues are no longer available in paper form. You can, however, download single issues in PDF form by selecting them (below), or download ALL 32 1993-2000 issues for $40 (each issue will be a single file PDF format).

Click here if you prefer to order the 32 back issues on a CD

The January 1993 issue (8 pages) contains:

Passenger Service on the BN (Part 1):
A comprehensive article about all BN passenger
trains beginning on March 3, 1970 and ending on
April 30, 1971 (no photos).

The April 1993 issue (12 pages) contains:

Passenger Service on the BN (Part 2):
A comprehensive article about all BN passenger
trains beginning on March 3, 1970 and ending on
April 30, 1971 (with a few photos).
Operating and Maintenance Function Reorganization:
a listing of the new cooridor/division/subdivision
organization on January 1, 1993.

The July 1993 issue (12 pages) contains:

A Medley of BN Company Service Equipment:
photos and info about twelve odd pieces of equipment,
including a weed sprayer, tool and supply cars,
kitchen, dining and personnel cars, scale test and
water cars, and snowplows.
Passenger Service on the BN (Part 3):
a comprehensive article about all BN passenger
trains beginning on March 3, 1970 and ending on
April 30, 1971 (with a few photos).

The October 1993 issue (12 pages) contains:

The BN Fuel Tender Story:
a long article about the vision and implementation of
BN fuel tenders (with photos).
The Galesburg Convention:
a recount of the activities of the FOBNR’s first
convention (with photos).

The January 1994 issue (16 pages) contains:

BN’s “City Scene” Trailers and Containers:
a short article with all trailer numberings (with photos).
BN Operation of South Dakota’s ex-Milwaukee Road Trackage:
a long article (with maps, timetables and photos).
Saunders, Wisconsin:
a short article about operations at the junction
(with map and photos).

The April 1994 issue (16 pages) contains:

Breezy Point and BN’s Horseshoe Curves in Nebraska:
an article about Crawford Hill (with map and photos).
Wishram Washington:
an article about action at Wishram (with map, photos,
timetables and train information).
The SD70MAC Makes its Debut:
a short article about the delivery of the first SD70MACs.
Weather Woes:
photos and information about snow related issues,
including a snow jet.

The July 1994 issue (16 pages) contains:

The Hill Lines Become the Green Giant:
a short history of the evolution of the BN
from 1896 to 1970.
A Summer of Change:
1993 Taconite operations on the BN (with map and photos).
The story behind the BN Logo:
a short article on the development and acceptance
and evolution of the BN logo.
BN’s New Radio Frequencies:
an almost complete list of radio frequencies assigned to
main-line routes across the system as of January, 1994.

The October 1994 issue (16 pages) contains:

BN Locomotive Chronicles: 1970:
an article about locomotive activities during 1970,
including renumberings, repaintings, new acquisitions
and retirements (with photos).
Trinidad Loop, One of BN’s Hidden Hot Spots:
a short article about the loop in Eastern Washington
(with map and photos).
BN and Santa Fe Propose Merger:
a short article about the details of the proposal.

The January 1995 issue (16 pages) contains:

Snowplow activity in North Dakota:
use of rotary snowplows during the winters of 92/93
and 93/94 (with photos).
BNFE 3 and BN’s CO2 Cooled Reefers:
information about the history and specifications of BNFE 3
versus BN’s 751000 series refrigerator cars (with diagram
and photos).
BN East End Traffic Summary:
a complete listing of all trains running on Chicago-Aurora
triple-track mainline (except commuters).
24 Hours on BN’s East End:
A record of every train passing milepost 27 between 6am
on August 12th through 6am on August 13, 1994 (time,
locomotive numbers, train number).

The April 1995 issue (16 pages) contains:

Locomotive Chronicles 1971:
a long article about BN’s locomotive activites during
1971, including acquisitions and dispositions (with photos).
BN’s Aluminum Covered Hoppers:
an article about the development and acquisition of
a new design (with photos).

The July 1995 issue (16 pages) contains:

North Portland Jct:
action at a busy junction (with maps and photos).
BN’s Beth-Combo Cars:
a long article about a combined box/hopper car
(with photos and data).
BN/SF Merger Update:
up-to-date information on agreements made with other
railroads and ports in order to remove opposition.

The October 1995 issue (20 pages) contains:

Locomotive Chronicles 1972:
locomotive activity during 1972 including acquisitions
and dispositions (with photos).
BNA 99:
BN’s technical training car (with photos).
BN Freight Car Deliveries: 1994:
a short article about BN’s freight car acquisitions
(with photos and data)

The January 1996 issue (20 pages) contains:

Steam Heat: The Story of BN’s ex-F Unit Heater Cars:
a short article on the conversions (with data, diagrams and
photos).
Seattle Terminal Complex:
a short article, with a complete list of trains into and
out of Seattle area terminals (with photos).
Interbay Locomotive Shops:
history and current operation of the shops (with photos).
Interbay Car Shops:
a short article about current operations.
Ballard Draw Bridge:
the history of the bridge (with photo).

The April 1996 (color) issue (20 pages) contains:

Locomotive Chronicles 1973:
activities, acquisitions, dispositions (with photos).
BN’s Aurora Subdivision: The C&I:
current operations (with maps, timetable and photos).
BNSF System Map, with plans for merged operations at
many locations.

The July 1996 issue (20 pages) contains:

BN’s Secondhand Freight Car Fleet: A 1980-1996 Overview:
a short article with data and lots of photos.
The B9 Track Geometry Car:
a short article with photo.
Northern Star ALl-Composite Box Car:
the development and details of this experimental prototype
(with data and photos).
BN Tool House – Motor Car House at Hillsbora, ND:
a short article, with photo and scale drawing.

The October 1996 issue (20 pages) contains:

BN Locomotive Chronicles: 1974:
activities, acquisitions, dispostions (with photos).
Building a BN GP10 in N Scale:
how-to, with photo and list of materials.
The New Connection at Cameron:
a description of the new tracks connecting the ex-BN
and ex-SF mainlines near Galesburg, IL (with map and photos).
BN Freight Car Deliveries: 1995:
a summary of new freight cars (with data and photos).

The January 1997 issue (20 pages) contains:

Air Repearter Cars:
Information and photos.
1994 BN Train Manifest:
diagrams of all BN intermodal and manifest trains.
Going into the Hole:
a short article about the process of getting into
and out of a siding in Track Warrant Control (TWC) territory.

The April 1997 color issue (20 pages) contains:

BN Locomotive Chronicles: 1975:
activities, acquisitions and dispositions (with photos).
Mr. Thomas K. Lee, 1996 Convention Speaker: Remarks and Q/A
Merchandise Routings Shift from Former GN to Former NP:
a short article about operational changes (with photos).

The July 1997 issue (20 pages) contains:

The Amber Subdivision and The Hinckley Local:
a description of the entire Minnesota subdivision and the local
train that operates on it (with maps, timetable and photos).
Electronically Controlled Pneumatic Brake Development on the BN and BNSF:
technology, operation and installed equipment (with diagrams, charts and photos).
BN’s ACF Cylindricals:
description and roster of cylindrical center flow covered hoppers
(with diagrams and photos).
The Stryker, Montana Log Loading Station:
a short article on the layout and use (with photos and map).

The October 1997 issue (20 pages) contains:

BN Locomotive Chronicles: 1976:
activities, acquisitions and dispositions (with photos).
Mechanical Reefer BNFE 180311:
a short article about one of a common car series
(with data and photo).
BN Freight Car Deliveries: 1996:
new and rebuilds (with data and photos).
BN Route Density Map:
expected gross tons per mile in 1998.
Three-Letter Origin/Destination Codes:
a complete list.
The Havre Diesel Shop in 1984:
a status report, with many statistics.

The January 1998 issue (20 pages) contains:

BN’s Electric Trailers:
short article about ex-NP slugs (with data and photos).
BNSF 511824-511965 GBSR Gondolas:
a short article about these ex-BN gons (with photos).
BN Extended Cab GP50’s 3158-3162 in HO scale:
how to extend the cab (with material list and photos).
A Potpourri of Snow Fighting Equipment:
photos and info about various snowdozers, spreaders and
a Bros snowblower.
M-of-W Flat Car Loads:
panel track, a rail grinder and a camp car on flat cars
(with photos and info).

The April 1998 color issue (20 pages) contains:

Locomotive Chronicles: 1977:
activities, acquisitions and dispostions, including a list
list of the last unit of each pre-merger color scheme to
go green (with photos).
The Floods of ’97 and the Repairs at Mud Lake, SD:
an description of the damage and repairs (with photos).
The Flashing White Signals East of Laclede:
a long article about a mysterious signal on the Newport
subdivision (with timetable, map and photos).
The end of the Second Subdivision:
a long article on the history, operation, and demise of
the Camas Prairie Railroad (with photos).

The July 1998 issue (20 pages) contains:

Mr. Joe Conklin, 1997 Convention Speaker, Remarks and Q/a:
transcript of his talk and questions and answers.
Photographing Marias Pass:
tips on when and where to get the best shots (with photos).
BN’s Scale Test Cars:
operation of BN’s fleet of this non-revenue equipment
(with complete list and photos).

The October 1998 issue (20 pages) contains:

Bonanza at Powder River 1971:
a long article on BN operations during 1971
(not just coal), including a listing of all time freights.
BN Locomotive Chronicles: 1978:
activities, acquisitions and dispositions (with photos).
The BNA6 Executive Car Yakima River -> Missouri River:
a short article on this car (with photos).
BN Freight Car Deliveries: 1997:
a summary of all new freight cars (with data and photos).
A Bibliography of BN and BNSF Books and Articles:
an extensive listing of books and articles published about
the BN and BNSF up to 1998.

The January 1999 issue (20 pages) contains:

BN’s Chicago Commuter Operations:
history and current operations, including the end of
the E-units and the arrival of the F40PHM-2’s (with photos).

The April 1999 color issue (20 pages) contains:

Train Meet at Broomfield:
history and operations around Broomfield, CO (with photos).
BN Locomotive Chronicles: 1979:
activities, acquisitions and dispositions (with photos).

The July 1999 issue (20 pages) contains:

Can I Inspire Your Interest in Signalling? (Part I):
a long article about the ins and outs of BN/BNSF signals
(with photos).

The October 1999 issue (20 pages) contains:

Can I Inspire Your Interest in Signalling? (Part II):
continuation of last issue’s article (with photos).

The January 2000 issue (16 pages) contains:

BNSF and CN announce merger:
a short article on the proposed merger.
BN Locomotive Chronicles: 1980:
activities, acquisitions and dispositions (with photos).
Train Symbol Conversion Chart:
BN train numbers to BNSF 6-letter symbols.

The April 2000 color issue (20 pages) contains:

Minneapolis-St. Paul Hot Spots:
a extensive review of all the great train-watching spots
in and around the twin cities (with maps, timetables and photos)

The July 2000 issue (20 pages) contains:

Can I Inspire Your Interest In Signaling? (Part III):
pictures and discussion of signals around the system.
Along the Line:
Photos and captions of interesting rail activity around
the system.

The October 2000 issue (20 pages) contains:

The Boeing 737 Railcar Program:
discussion of equipment and procedures for moving
737 fuselages from Kansas to Washington (with diagrams
and photos).
BNSF Frieght Car Deliveries: 1999:
discussion of the year’s new frieght cars
(with data and photos).