The BN Expediter – Back Issues 2025 –
Some issues of The BN Expediter have graphics or images that span two pages. When reading paper copies, those two pages would be open at the same time which makes it easy to see. However digital downloads (PDFs) are generally read one page at a time, so you have to switch back and forth between the two-pages containing such items to see them. Fortunately, the Adobe Acrobat Reader (download Adobe Acrobat Reader – free) has an option to display pages side by side on the screen. To use it, pull down the “View” menu, select “Page Display” and then select “Two-Page View.” Then pull down the “View” menu again, select “Page Display” and than select “Show cover page.” Voila!
The BN Expediter – January 2025
The January 2025 issue (32 pages) contains:
- President’s Report
Ben Hucker’s overview of the past year and outlook for the next. - Ed Bauer:Oral History, Part 1 – Working up the Ladder
An interview with Ed, who started out with the NP on the Livingston shops extra list and eventually became BN’s Chief Mechanical Officer. Part 1 chronicles his early years, up to becoming the first shop superintendent at the brand new Alliance locomotive maintenance facility. It includes a few photos of places he worked. - Coal Locomotive Assignments 1977
A list of the locomotive numbers assigned to Alliance, Nebraska and Forsyth, Montana, including those that were Pacesetter equipped. - The FOBNR Freight Car (N scale)
The N scale FBNX covered hopper cars visited Chuck Hart’s Pacific Central and Eastern model railroad. Includes a description of his pike and several photos of the cars at various locations. - Working the C&I Pool in the 1970’s, Part 2, by Leo Phillipp
Part 2 of Leo’s adventures as a brakeman and conductor along the C&I (Aurora-Savanna Illinois) line and ’round the horn along the Denrock-Mendota line. Includes several maps, timetables, and a few photos.
Buy a copy for $5
Click below to see your order, modify your order, or to check out:
The BN Expediter – April 2025
The April 2025 issue (32 pages) contains:
- The FOBNR Freight Car (HO scale)
The HO scale FBNX covered hopper car visited Micheal Farley’s BN Yellowstone Division layout. Includes a description of his pike and several photos of the car at various locations. - A Once in a Lifetime Trip Along the MRL, by Dennis North
Dennis chronicles his August 2009 railfanning trip along the Montana Rail Link between Livingston and Thompson Falls, with photos of trains, equipment and industries along the route. - Ed Bauer:Oral History, Part 2 – Big Changes
Continuing the interview with Ed, he describes how he moved up in responsibility, from Chief Mechanical Officer of Cars in St. Paul, to Chief Mechanical Officer for the Twin Cities region, to Chief Mechanical Officer / Vice President for all of BN. Also included are a list of several jobs outside of BN that he worked after leaving BN at the age of 48. - The Winona Bridge Railroad, by Dave Poplawski
A history of BN’s failed resurrection of an almost defunct mile long railroad to try get around union opposition and have 2-person crews running Expediter-like trains on trackage rights along its northern (ex-GN/NP lines) between St. Paul and Seattle. Includes various legal documents, and paper items with the newly designed WBRC logo.
Buy a copy for $5
Click below to see your order, modify your order, or to check out:
The BN Expediter – July 2025
The July 2025 issue (32 pages) contains:
- The FOBNR Freight Car (N scale)
The N scale FBNX covered hopper cars visited Brian Preston’s Tacoma Bay in Michigan layout. It includes a description of his pike and several photos of the car at various locations. - Contact Corner: Abandoned Railroad Lines in Washington State:
In response to questions about various abandoned lines in the state, we address those questions and also provide a map showing all the existing and abandoned lines along with an extensive list of all trackage segments that were removed between 1970 and 1986. - The Hi Line: A Photo Essay, by Mark Demaline.
A selection of photos taken by the author along BN’s Hi Line Subdivision (2nd Subdivision before renaming in 1993) over the years. Included are a few 70’s photos of now-extinct depots by Bruce Black, a map of the subdivision, and 1970 and 2025 timetable excerpts. - Burlington Northern and Western Fruit Express 57′ Refrigerator Cars, by Peter Gertsch:
A description of reefers in the 9300-9699 and 19300-19699 series, along with a 4-page promotional flier that includes a map of the system pointing out inspection and repair facilities; specifications; operating instructions and photos of the inside of the cars and the refrigeration unit. Prototype photos of the car, and photos of models of the car on the author’s layout are also included. - Locomotive Chronicles 1991, by Dave Poplawski:
A summary of locomotive purchases, GP39/B30-7A/C33-7 rebuilds, and dispositions, include the Operation Desert Storm SD60M 1991 and natural gas DF40-2 7890.
Buy a copy for $5
Click below to see your order, modify your order, or to check out:
The BN Expediter – October 2025
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.