Powering through a winter storm, BNSF 3991 cuts through the snow amidst Wyoming’s frosty landscape. Locomotive Conductor Josiah Egge had just finished his shift and saw the perfect opportunity to capture the first snowfall of the year with his Sony A77 II. 

“I had to wait 20 minutes because the snow was coming down too heavily at first,” Egge said. 

In addition to the beautiful Montana scenery and wildlife, there are plenty of BNSF trains to capture, as shown by Signal Foreman Bradley Dodson-Cantu. 

“While out attempting to photograph a belted Kingfisher bird, I wasn’t having any luck, but there were plenty of trains,” Dodson-Cantu explained. “I got low to the water and snapped a shot from my Sony A7R v5.” 

Double the rainbow means double the locomotives! Hostler Laborer Kimberly Dunn was able to take this photo in Minneapolis on an iPhone 14 Pro Max. 

“After a storm, I was walking outside our diesel service facility, and I saw the double rainbow,” Dunn said. 

While on vacation, the beauty of a BNSF locomotive caught the eye of Senior Trainmaster and Road Foreman Robert J. Della-Pietra. 

“On a trip to Trinidad, Colorado, I drove along the Twin Peaks Subdivision and saw this train at sunset,” Della-Pietra said. “I kneeled where the angle of the train and water met to execute a reflection using my Canon T3i.” 

We’re not in Kansas anymore… oh, wait – we are! A BNSF locomotive passes through a field of sunflowers near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. This shot was captured by Kara Brockamp, public projects manager, on an iPhone 14. 

“After I finished looking at crossings, I noticed a train coming,” Brockamp said. “I waited for the train to pass on the side with the field that had these wild sunflowers and decided to snap a photo.” 

As the sun sets on the horizon, a BNSF locomotive nearly melts into the background. Trevor Young, locomotive engineer, took this on an iPhone 14 Pro. 

“I snapped a small series of photos that spanned over the course of two minutes, all while enjoying a breath of fresh air and the beauty of the sky,” Young said. 

A BNSF grain train travels alongside the Columbia River. Assistant Director of Bridge Construction Mike Schaefer took this photo with a Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. 

“After work, I was driving next to the tracks and spotted this location,” Schaefer explained. “I knew several trains were coming, so I positioned myself between the river and the mountains.” 

A BNSF train passes over the historic, silhouetted Gassman Coulee Trestle bridge near Minot, North Dakota, against a stunning sky. Erich Linser, senior trainmaster, captured this beauty. 

“Driving home from a trip, I encountered a rainstorm and could see how the sky conditions were changing quickly,” Linser said. “I set up my Canon R5 below the Gassman Trestle and hoped for the best.” 

This BNSF shuttle train winds through the Wendover Canyon next to the South Platte River in Wyoming. Public Projects Manager Rafer Nichols saw an opportunity for a photo during a bridge inspection. 

“I was walking the right of way, clear of the track, to inspect a bridge project location,” Nichols said. “On the walk back out of the canyon, this photo opportunity arose, and I quickly captured it with a Nikon Coolpix.” 

A BNSF locomotive stands illuminated under the dancing Northern Lights in Montana. Eric Reed, locomotive engineer, wasted no time to get the perfect shot with his Samsung Z Fold3. 

“While on a trip to see the Northern Lights, I found myself in a rare opportunity,” Reed elaborated. 

A BNSF train crosses the Sibley Railroad Bridge in Missouri under a beautiful blue sky. Michelle Tibbetts, manager in operations, saw an eye-catching vantage point while driving back from a weekend trip. 

“I went down a rural country road and accessed this vantage point to grab this shot using my Canon 6D Mark II EF 24-105mm,” Tibbetts said. 

Contrasting the pristine winter landscape, BNSF 7978 emerges from a tunnel in Montana. Conductor Dominic Deeble caught this photo on a Nikon D750. 

“While hiking after work, I caught the BNSF 7978 exiting Tunnel No. 2 crossing over Paola Creek,” Deeble said. 

Moving past the clouds, a BNSF locomotive cuts through the scenic Montana background. Gang Trackman Zach Macdonald knew he had to capture the moment on his iPhone 11. 

“While out along our lines, the clouds were wild, and you could still see the mountains,” Macdonald said. “It was definitely a day I won’t forget.”