@Hot Water posted:Thanks. I was there for that event, but didn't remember the whole train set. I was pretty well occupied explaining all the new features of the SD70MAC to all the BN executives that came to see their new unit. Great times and found memories.
I went over to see the Zephyr at that time as well. I recall it was a very overcast day when I was there, and I got some B&W "mood" photos of the train with downtown Ft. Worth buildings appearing in the background through the overcast/mist. The new SD70MAC was a big deal because of the relatively revolutionary (then) AC power setup, and it was painted in the new Grinstein Green color (AKA Executive scheme). Gerald Grinstein was the CEO of BNSF at the time. There was a story that Grinstein's wife liked the colors and that drove the decision for the new livery, but that may just have been a story. I talked to Grinstein at some conference years later, and I asked him if running an airline or running a railroad was more difficult (Grinstein had been CEO of Western Airlines prior to taking over at BNSF, and then joined the board of directors of Delta Airlines after they absorbed Western, joining the Delta board the same year he took over at BNSF). Without hesitation Grinstein said running a railroad was significantly more difficult than running an airline. Regarding the Zephyr's trip, I was told that the Illinois Railroad Museum required a BNSF engine to run about a mile in front of the Zephyr on the entire trip to make sure there was no hazard ahead on the line that might hurt the Zephyr.
