Western Railroad Discussion > CN Unveils 1776 and 2026 Locomotives

CN has released not one but two America 250 commemorative locomotives:
CN Launches America250 Celebration Unveiling Two Commemorative Locomotives | cn.ca



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/26 06:33 by kevink.

Nicely done.  Thank you for posting.
 

Good looking units , thanks CN !    Didn't ICG do one for the 200th Anniversary about fifty years ago ?  Destroyed shortly after being released a 2nd unit was done , the crew died in the first unit released in the accident .

mvrr10 Wrote:
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> Good looking units , thanks CN !    Didn't ICG
> do one for the 200th Anniversary about fifty years
> ago ?  Destroyed shortly after being released a
> 2nd unit was done , the crew died in the first
> unit rYes theeleased in the accident .
That's correct on both counts.

1776 The screamin' eagle in my opinion is the best looking so far

I think 2026 might be the best looking "patriotic" unit ever, given that usually, including the 1976 bicentenials, patriotic units are hideous.

Tom Loftus
Omaha, NE

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I like both of them, and agree that the 2026 is particularly sharp-looking.

IMHO, the 1776 scheme seems like a nod (or sequel) to the original IC Bicentennial Eagle unit.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/26 11:01 by PasadenaSub.

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Wow those are great, the 1776 is very creative for a RR locomotive..
t4p,

kevink Wrote:
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> CN has released not one but two America 250
> commemorative locomotives:
> CN Launches America250 Celebration Unveiling Two
> Commemorative Locomotives | cn.ca

Thanks, Kevin, for posting the link for the CN 250th anniversary locomotives as well as for your post on the CPKC 250th anniversary locomotive.

My favourite of these is the CN 2026.

There is something ironic about two Canadian-based railroads being the first Class 1 carriers to unveil their 250th anniversary units given, that since 2025, Canada is not being treated as the great neighbor it has been for over a century.

I said it when CP released theirs that once the first class 1's release their 250th commemorative locos that the others would feel obligated to follow.  Surprisingly both Canadian roads have stepped up to the plate with some nice looking locos but so far nothing from CSX, NS, BNSF or UP.  I guess we will just have wait to see what happens.  The shortlines and regionals started the ball rolling with some great looking tribute locomotive paint schemes of their own doing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/26 15:59 by stevelv.

Is there any particular reason for the way these locomotive's numbers are displayed?

These are awesome looking units!

UP has one coming. I am hearing NS does also.


stevelv Wrote:
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> I said it when CP released theirs that once the
> first class 1's release their 250th commemorative
> locos that the others would feel obligated to
> follow.  Surprisingly both Canadian roads have
> stepped up to the plate with some nice looking
> locos but so far nothing from CSX, NS, BNSF or
> UP.  I guess we will just have wait to see what
> happens.  The shortlines and regionals started
> the ball rolling with some great looking tribute
> locomotive paint schemes of their own doing.

stevelv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Surprisingly both Canadian roads have
> stepped up to the plate with some nice looking
> locos but so far nothing from CSX, NS, BNSF or
> UP. 

And yet, discussions of the UP unit to be revealed soon have already occured here on TO.

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,6146334

And it was publicly disclosed on 01/26/2026 and subsequently reported in RailwayAge.com

https://www.up.com/press-releases/heritage-steam/big-boy-western-leg-260126
https://www.railwayage.com/freight/class-i/ups-big-boy-celebrates-americas-250th-birthday-with-coast-to-coast-tour/
 

longliveSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> stevelv Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Surprisingly both Canadian roads have
> > stepped up to the plate with some nice looking
> > locos but so far nothing from CSX, NS, BNSF or
> > UP. 
>
> And yet, discussions of the UP unit to be revealed
> soon have already occured here on TO.
>
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,
> 6146334
>
> And it was publicly disclosed on 01/26/2026 and
> subsequently reported in RailwayAge.com
>
> https://www.up.com/press-releases/heritage-steam/b
> ig-boy-western-leg-260126
> https://www.railwayage.com/freight/class-i/ups-big
> -boy-celebrates-americas-250th-birthday-with-coast
> -to-coast-tour/

Except,,,,,,that big black thing will NOT be painted/styled into any "1776" nor "1976", no "2026" red white and blue.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> longliveSP Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > stevelv Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Surprisingly both Canadian roads have
> > > stepped up to the plate with some nice
> looking
> > > locos but so far nothing from CSX, NS, BNSF
> or
> > > UP. 
> >
> > And yet, discussions of the UP unit to be
> revealed
> > soon have already occured here on TO.
> >
> >
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,
>
> > 6146334
> >
> > And it was publicly disclosed on 01/26/2026 and
> > subsequently reported in RailwayAge.com
> >
> >
> https://www.up.com/press-releases/heritage-steam/b
>
> > ig-boy-western-leg-260126
> >
> https://www.railwayage.com/freight/class-i/ups-big
>
> >
> -boy-celebrates-americas-250th-birthday-with-coast
>
> > -to-coast-tour/
>
> Except,,,,,,that big black thing will NOT be
> painted/styled into any "1776" nor "1976", no
> "2026" red white and blue.

Who said UP 4014 would be?

OmahaTom Wrote:
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> I think 2026 might be the best looking "patriotic"
> unit ever, given that usually, including the 1976
> bicentenials, patriotic units are hideous.

I tend to agree, they're pretty gaudy as a class. But I did like the MRL and KCS versions, they were more tasteful graphic desigens.

SP and ATSF had beautiful, classy bicentennial units, better than CN's current unit.

CN 2026 looks great, and it is always a good day to see a transfer table in action.

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kevink Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > CN has released not one but two America 250
> > commemorative locomotives:
> > CN Launches America250 Celebration Unveiling
> Two
> > Commemorative Locomotives | cn.ca
>
> Thanks, Kevin, for posting the link for the CN
> 250th anniversary locomotives as well as for your
> post on the CPKC 250th anniversary locomotive.
>
> My favourite of these is the CN 2026.
>
> There is something ironic about two Canadian-based
> railroads being the first Class 1 carriers to
> unveil their 250th anniversary units given, that
> since 2025, Canada is not being treated as the
> great neighbor it has been for over a century.

They fought with us in the World Wars generations ago, but other than that, how have they been great neighbors?

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