BNSF honors America’s 250th with three commemorative locomotives

FORT WORTH, TEXAS, May 14, 2026 - BNSF Railway, the nation's leading freight transportation provider, today unveiled a series of specially painted locomotives to honor America's 250th birthday.

The three new locomotives, carrying numbers 250, 1776 and 2026, feature an exclusive livery ahead of the nation's Semiquincentennial birthday on July 4, 2026.

"Few institutions are woven into the fabric of America quite like the railroad, and BNSF is honored to celebrate our nation's 250th anniversary with these specially painted locomotives," said Katie Farmer, BNSF Railway president and CEO. "For nearly two centuries, railroaders have helped shape the American story, connecting communities, powering economic growth and strengthening the nation we call home. These locomotives pay tribute not only to our country's heritage, but also to the men and women of Team BNSF who carry that legacy forward today."

"America's 250th anniversary is an opportunity to recognize the industries and workers who have helped connect and strengthen our nation for generations," said Jen Condon, executive vice president at America250. "BNSF's commemorative locomotives are a powerful tribute to the role railroads have played in America's growth and to the people who continue that legacy every day as we approach the Semiquincentennial."

About the design

Each locomotive, specially painted by Mid-America Car, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri, proudly features our nation's red, white and blue colors and the America250 logo. The locomotives feature a nod to the Preamble to the United States Constitution with the words, "We the People." The trailing end of the locomotives includes the words "Freedom and Liberty" on either side, with the circle of stars on the tail, paying tribute to the Betsy Ross flag.

These three historic locomotives will travel BNSF's 32,500-mile rail network for special events, while joining the rest of the BNSF fleet to deliver the nation's freight for the customers and communities we serve across the supply chain.

BNSF in American History

BNSF and its predecessor lines have been an integral part of the nation's growth and prosperity for many decades, helping open the West and move the goods and supplies Americans need every day. BNSF's own history started in 1849 with the Aurora Branch Railroad in Illinois. Over the years, nearly 400 rail lines merged or were acquired to become what is today BNSF Railway. These lines included legendary predecessors like Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q); Great Northern Railway (GN), Northern Pacific Railway (NP), Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway (SP&S), Fort Worth and Denver Railroad (FWD), and the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (SLSF), commonly known as the Frisco. In 1995, Burlington Northern Railroad (BN) and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF), also known as Santa Fe, joined to become Burlington Northern Santa Fe. BNSF is now America's largest railroad, operating in 28 states and three Canadian provinces. It is also the world's premier intermodal freight transportation provider.

Contact:
Kendall Kirkham Sloan
Director, External Communications
[email protected]