Time to Model: Burlington Northern's EMD SD38-2s

Burlington Northern's EMD SD38-2s

By Bryson Sleppy

If you read our previous Time to Model article, "SHIP IT! The Story of Frisco's EMD SD38-2 Locomotives" you probably know all about the four SD38-2 diesel locomotives of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco).

Just before merging into Burlington Northern (BN) in 1980, the Frisco took delivery of four EMD SD38-2 locomotives (SLSF 296–299) specifically for use in hump yard operations. These units were built as standard, standalone SD38-2s, tailored to the unique needs of Frisco's two major classification yards.

SLSF 296 and 297, assigned to Cherokee Yard in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were equipped with extended-range dynamic braking to help control speed on the downhill hump. SLSF 298 and 299, assigned to Tennessee Yard in Memphis, Tennessee, lacked dynamic brakes, as the Memphis hump ran uphill, making dynamics unnecessary.

In their early years, these locomotives were paired with random SW1500 switchers in Tulsa. While functional, the setups lacked consistency. After the Frisco-BN merger, the SD38-2s were more reliably matched with GP38s, such as BN 2299, forming semi-permanent lash-ups. At this point, the SD38-2s still had minimal modifications.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the locomotives received BN’s familiar “whiteface” paint scheme. This version omitted the nose pinstripes and featured a large white cab and large BN logo on the nose for visibility. Details varied from unit to unit:

BN 6260 (ex-SLSF 296) retained its original dynamic brakes and was equipped with a Prime Stratolite beacon on the cab roof, pilot-mounted MU receptacles, and wide-louver bolted battery box doors.

BN 6262 (ex-SLSF 298) was retrofitted with dynamics and also received a beacon. It had narrower-louvered latched battery doors and a horn mounted behind the dynamic brake fan.

BN 6263 (ex-SLSF 299) gained dynamic brakes later but was more simply outfitted, lacking a beacon and using dummy MU connections.

Over time, BN repurposed the units for mother-slug service as part of their TEBU (Tractive Effort Booster Unit) program. Following the 1995 BNSF merger, these units were renumbered into the BNSF 1800-series and reclassified as SD38Ps—the “P” indicating their role as power units in the slug sets. However, the TEBU concept never proved particularly effective in Tulsa due to the yard’s downhill profile. Eventually, some setups reverted to using a GP38 alongside the TEBU.

In the mid-2000s, they were renumbered once more into BNSF’s 1500 series, ending their service as SD38Ps, but continuing to operate for many more years in both hump and local service. All but 1561 were repainted into the BNSF Heritage 3 or “Swoosh” scheme and could often be seen in local service in Kansas and Missouri throughout the early 2010s.

Here’s the final road number lineage for each unit:

The SD38-2 and remaining SD38P (ex-SOU, ex-BN SD35 rebuilds) 1500 series were retired by BNSF in 2022, closing the book on a remarkable 45-year legacy that spanned three railroads, multiple rebuilds, and decades of reliable yard service. Details remain fuzzy post-2022, but these four (4) unique units were likely scrapped.

From their Frisco roots to their long BNSF careers, these unsung workhorses were a critical part of keeping freight moving behind the scenes.