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 July 2026 issue (36 pages) contains:
- The FOBNR Freight Cars:
The N scale FBNX covered hopper cars on Joe Kasper’s Burlington Northern Marais Division model railroad. Includes a description of his pike and several photos of the cars at various locations. - A Daily Empire Builder until 1995, How Service ws Restored in 1997, by Mark Cane:
Amtrak switched the Empire Builder that ran on BN/BNSF between the Twin Cities and the Pacific Northwest from daily to four days a week in 1995. The author gives a little history of that train, then recounts his efforts as President of Amtrak Intercity to restore it back to daily. He also discusses the impact on BN/BNSF of the changes. Includes several photos of the Empire Builder over the years, including one 1970 pre-Amtrak shot when it was still a BN train. - 50 Years Ago – Burlington Northern’s Bicentennial Units:
Photos of all three units, U30C 1776, SD40-2 1876 and SDP40 1976, plus paint diagrams for the U30C and SD40-2. - BN’s “Chop-Nose” Geeps, by Thomas Hillebrant:
To make their fleet of EMD GP7s and GP9s even more “General Purpose” than before, Burlington Northern repaired and rebuilt many such units to include a lowered short hood, thus improving forward visibility for engine crews. Many of these lasted in service well into the BNSF era, and many are still at work on shortline and industrial railroads across the country. Article includes photos and technical drawings to illustrate these upgrades.
Available for purchase on September 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