As I was getting in position to film Amtrak's California Zephyr on the evening of March 30th, 2024, I missed BNSF's eastbound local freight train 664 (Eddyville, IA - Galesburg, IL) as it crawled through Ottumwa, Iowa, after crossing from main track 1 to 2 on the west side of town. I went ahead and got Amtrak from where I was, knowing the local would probably stop and do switching in the yard on the other side of Ottumwa. Sure enough, after Amtrak's passage, I drove across town to Iowa Avenue, near BNSF's small Ottumwa yard, and the train was still there finishing up its work. Here I was able to film the train as it continues its eastbound trip, throttling up as it passes through the crossing and out of the city limits.

Of note leading today's local is a pair of former Santa Fe Dash 9-44CW locomotives, BNSF 685 and BNSF 636, still in their original "Warbonnet" paint scheme. Though both units' paint is faded and peeling, it's always great to see these locomotives still running around the BNSF system in this classic Santa Fe livery, and it's becoming more and more difficult to see them with many of these engines being stored, repainted, etc. And apart from small BNSF stenciling (that's also starting to fade), the units are completely original in appearance.

Not only were the Warbonnets a special treat to see, but the whole lashup was noteworthy, with a total of six units, fairly unusual for this short train. Following behind the two Dash 9's is BNSF 541, a former Santa Fe Dash 8-40BW, followed by FXE 4079, in Ferromex's latest paint scheme, along with BNSF 9384 (original "Thundercab" SD70ACe) and BNSF 5738. Notice that 5738 has the current "swoosh" BNSF logo on the sides, but the Santa Fe-inspired "cigar band" of the BNSF Heritage II paint scheme on the nose.

It's been several years since I've seen Warbonnet diesels leading through here, but the last time I did it was also on this train, in Agency, IA, as seen in this video:    • Santa Fe Warbonnet Dash 9's Lead BNSF...  

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