BN leased 100 SD60s in 1986. The units were frequently seen on coal trains, although customarily in the company of other Oakway units or BN green SD40-2s and C30-7s. Yet here one of the Oakways l... (more)

A four unit helper set spliced by a fuel tank car is coupled ahead of the road power on an eastbound manifest reaching the top of the long grade from Crawford at Belmont, NE. The cut behind the he... (more)

An eastbound coal load, led by Burlington Northern EMD SD60MAC No. 9500 along with a pair of newer BN/BNSF SD70MACs, slowly grinds upgrade toward the top of Crawford Hill at Belmont, Nebraska, on ... (more)

Near the end of sunlight on September 16, 2013, an eastbound BNSF coal train grinds upgrade on Crawford Hill below Belmont, Nebraska. The train is working through a large horseshoe curve, with a s... (more)

On the track in the foreground, a westbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe coal empty drops downgrade on Nebraska’s Crawford Hill west of Belmont on April 11, 1998. On the other side of the valley... (more)

A trio of new EMD SD70MAC locomotives are doing what they were built for—hauling coal—grinding upgrade as they approach the top of Crawford Hill at Belmont, Nebraska, on July 9, 1994.

Shoving up the hill
A quartet of Burlington Northern EMD SD40-2s work their guts out, pushing hard on a heavy unit coal train climbing the big horseshoe curve below Belmont on Nebraskaâ... (more)

Entering the large horseshoe curve west of Belmont, an eastbound Burlington Northern coal train slowly works its way up Nebraska’s Crawford Hill on July 9, 1994. Powering the train up front is E... (more)

Two Oakway Leasing EMD SD60s, along with a pair of Cascade green locomotives, pull a Burlington Northern coal train toward Belmont and the summit of Nebraska’s Crawford Hill on July 9, 1994.

A westbound Burlington Northern coal empty makes its way down Crawford Hill, encircling the large horseshoe curve below Belmont, Nebraska, on the morning of July 24, 1992. Powering the train desti... (more)

It’s another busy morning on Burlington Northern’s route over Crawford Hill in Nebraska. As a quartet of BN EMD SD40-2s splicing a fuel tender, being used as a manned helper set out of Crawfor... (more)

A pair of BNSF EMD SD70ACe locomotives lead a loaded unit coal train upgrade on Crawford Hill west of Belmont, Nebraska, on September 16, 2013.

A trio of new Burlington Northern EMD SD70MAC locomotives that were built to haul coal, grind upgrade as they approach the top of Crawford Hill at Belmont, Nebraska, on July 9, 1994.

A trio of Burlington Northern EMD SD40-2s in a helper set, shove hard on the rear of an eastbound BN coal train as they curve past Breezy Point west of Belmont on Nebraska’s Crawford Hill on Jul... (more)

On July 3, 1989, a short Burlington Northern Crawford local crests the top of Crawford Hill at Belmont, Nebraska. Most, if not all, of the cars are going to be interchanged at Crawford with Chicag... (more)