Picture Perfect: 2026 BNSF Summer Photo Contest winners

By ANDREW UTTERBACK 
Staff Writer 

The sun is shining; the temps are rising and the air is filled with the smells of BBQ and sunscreen. We're in the thick of the summer heat across much of our network, and you know what that means: it’s time for the BNSF Summer Photo Contest!  

This year, there were more than 400 entries from many talented photographers across the country. That’s a record number of entries. You didn’t make our job of judging entries easy, but we've narrowed down our favorites.

Here are the 2026 Summer Photo contest winners:

First Place – Adam Horgan 

Nothing says summer like the beach, and nothing says first place like this stunning shot from Adam Horgan of a BNSF train passing by the gorgeous shores of Del Mar, California.  

Second Place - Jacob Narup 

Second place goes to Jacob Narup and this perfectly framed shot of our America250 locomotive passing by corn fields outside Oakland, Nebraska.

Third Place - Peter Kubiak 

This third-place photo by Peter Kubiak looks great upside down, too! The perfect reflection makes for quite the eye-catching shot.  

Honorable Mention – Aaron Daniel Castro 

This image beautifully contrasts our bright orange locomotive with the dark blue water. The windmills paint the skyline atop the grassy hills of Columbia River Gorge, Washington.  

Honorable Mention – Steven Chen 

Can you name a better duo than patriotic red, white and blue and BNSF orange? This photo from Steven Chen pairs these sharp-looking locomotives with Mount Rainier seen from beautiful Auburn, Washington.

Honorable Mention – Zach Kedge 

Zach Kedge took this scenic shot of a bridge perfectly suspending the train in front of the beautiful hills of Gateway, Oregon.  

Congratulations to our winners and thank you to every photographer who participated in the 2026 Summer Photo Contest!