BNSF’s specially painted locomotives honor America’s 250th birthday. Three historic locomotives carrying the numbers 250, 1776, and 2026 will travel the Class I railroad’s 32,500-mile rail network for special events, while joining the rest of the BNSF fleet to deliver the nation’s freight. [Photo: BNSF]

Fort Worth-based BNSF Railway, the nation’s leading freight transportation provider, is celebrating America’s 250th birthday with a series of specially painted locomotives.

The three new locomotives, carrying numbers 250, 1776 and 2026, feature an exclusive livery to honor 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 BNSF Railway President and CEO Katie Farmer.

“For nearly two centuries, railroaders have helped shape the American story, connecting communities, powering economic growth and strengthening the nation we call home,” she added in a statement. “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.”

The design and mission

Patriotically painted in red, white, and blue by Kansas City’s Mid-America Car Inc., each locomotive features the preamble to the United States Constitution with the words, “We the People” and the America250 logo. The words “Freedom and Liberty” are emblazoned on either side of the latter part of the engines, with a circle of stars on the tail, paying tribute to the Betsy Ross flag.

“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, EVP 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.”

The three patriotic 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 across the supply chain.

BNSF then and now

BNSF and its predecessor lines have been a key 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.

Now America’s largest railroad, BNSF operates in 28 states and three Canadian provinces and said it is also the world’s leading intermodal freight transportation provider.

Don’t miss what’s next. Subscribe to Dallas Innovates.

Track Dallas-Fort Worth’s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.

 

R E A D   N E X T

  • North Texas has plenty to see, hear, and watch. Here are our editors’ picks. Plus, you’ll find more selections to “save the date.”

  • was the fastest-growing city in all of the U.S., boosting its population by 24.6%.

  • Independence One will officially join the fleet on Wednesday with a flight from the airline’s hometown in Dallas to Philadelphia, the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

  • Explore and discover why Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing regions in the U.S. in this comprehensive guide.

  • Building on the momentum of the Fortnite Championship Series Global Championship and the Rocket League World Championship held at Dickies Arena in 2024, BLAST Premier Rivals Fort Worth 2026 will showcase eight top teams competing for a share of a $1 million prize pool.

  • Logistics facilities are the largest projects underway in Dallas-Fort Worth, but manufacturing and data centers are also fueling a growing share of new starts, according to a new report from CommercialSearch.

  • An autonomous version of Bell Textron’s Bell 505 helicopter could one day swoop into battle zones, delivering critical cargo and munitions to Marines on the ground—without putting a single crew person at risk.

  • Located near State Highway 289 in Gunter, an hour north of Dallas, the new center will provide direct rail service to support economic growth and expanded supply chain access across North Texas, BNSF said.

  • As a “monetization engine” for collegiate sports IP, Learfield links more than 12,000 brands and over 1,200 institutions with sponsorship and media solutions, ticketing tech, licensing management, NIL strategy, and AI-enabled data platforming.