Nostalgia & History > Switcher Saturday, BNSF . . .

.   .   .   BNSF had a couple of these units leased for a few years from MK, model MK1200G. Crews at Santa Fe's Hobart yard, where they worked the entire time they were on the Santa Fe, affectionately called them the "Bombs", as they were LNG powered. Here, in DEC '98, an LAJ job has come across the LA River, from their yard in Vernon, CA, to pick one up and is heading west out of Hobart Yard towards Hobart Tower and home rails. Santa Fe, and BNSF, did not have a refueling facility so the units were always taken to LAJ's facility to be fueled. Looking at this photo made me realize, this was the only time I ever saw an LAJ crew come into Hobart Yard as Santa Fe always interchanged to them?
JB

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Super catch. They look almost new.
Bob

refarkas Wrote:

> Super catch. They look almost new.

The 1200 was four years old in December 1998, but it had just come back from MK where it received "modifications" and fresh coat of blue and yellow paint with BNSF lettering.  The control stand had also been moved across the cab so the short hood end was now the "front" (as delivered, the long hood was the front, despite what the paint scheme might have suggested).  As I understand it, the units were pretty much permanently assigned to the LAJ from then until they were drummed out in 2012. 

Funky looking unit, but a nice shot!

RC Lundgren