The BN Expediter is our quarterly magazine and is included with membership in the Friends of the Burlington Northern Railroad.
(printed format ISSN 3067-0802, online format ISSN 3067-0810)
The October 2025 issue (32 pages) contains:
- FOBNR 2025 Convention Report, by John Adams:
The highlights of the convention held in the Fort Worth, Texas area, including visits to BNSF’s headquarters and a tour of the Alliance intermodal facility. - The FOBNR Freight Car (HO scale):
The HO scale FBNX covered hopper car visited Mike McLains’s Kansas City South layout. It includes a description of his pike and several photos of the car at various locations. - Semaphores on the BN/MRL, by Dave Gayer:
A photo with 21 photos of semaphores along the ex-NP, ex-BN and now ex-MRL line from Kootanai, Idaho to East Helena, Montana. The photos were taken between 1994 and 2002 and include BN, MRL and BNSF powered trains passing the signals. Also included are two closeup photos of a signal mast finial (or pinnacle) that capped the signal mast that Peter Gertsch had rescued from the scrappers. - From the Archives: A Swinging/Skiing Ski-Rail Special:
A pamphlet donated by Kim Saign to the FOBNR archives that is from the very early BN days and promotes a skiing vacation package to Whitefish, Montana from Seattle and Portland, and Vancouver, Canada. Included in the package was rail travel on the Empire Builder, meals, lodging at the Big Mountain in Whitefish, ski lift tickets, local transportation in Whitefish, special entertainment on the train and at the resort. - BN’s Grain Car Evolution, by Mark Cane:
The history of BN’s rolling stock used to carry grain. Includes a short history, starting with the use of boxcars and the early forays into covered hoppers. Contains numerous tables and pie charts with statistical data, quotes from high-ranking officials within BN at the time, and several photos of cars up through the early 2000’s. - Cab Ride:
Two photos of Bill Dewitt’s hi-rail pickup trip from Lincoln, Nebraska to the new Rulo Bridge over the Missouri River. One of the photos was taken from the cab of the pickup, hence the title of the article. - BNAFI Followup:
Photos of a 13x18x3″, 1970’s era Burlington Northern Air Freight (BNAFI) shipping box that Aric Van de Vord found in his closet. See the October 2024 issue for the full story about BNAFI.
Available for purchase on January 1, 2026
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Contributing
Payment for articles or photos.
Information about submitting digital images
Contact the editor to contribute:
Tom Hillebrant, Managing Editor
The BN Expediter
475 Solar Circle
New Ellenton, SC 29809