Internal Combustion Locomotives

EMD 1974 Burlington Northern Santa Fe 6976
EMD 1974
Burlington Northern Santa Fe 6976
Description:Diesel-Electric SDP40F

Equipment Information

Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) 6976 is the last surviving locomotive of its type and the only remaining example of the first generation of diesel locomotives built new for Amtrak. It was one of 150 SDP40F locomotives built for Amtrak in the mid-1970s, but concerns about derailments led Amtrak to retire the locomotives early in favor of four-axle F40PH-type engines. This locomotive, originally Amtrak 644, was sold to the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe in 1984 and was rebuilt for freight service. It operated for the AT&SF, and later BNSF, until retirement in 2002. Just prior to its retirement, it was painted in a unique Maersk Sealand promotional livery. The locomotive was donated by BNSF to an organization in the Pacific Northwest but soon acquired for preservation by the founder of DynaRail. That organization donated 6976 to IRM in 2025.

Click here to learn more about the history of BNSF 6976.

Click here to support the preservation and restoration of BNSF 6976.

Builder: Electro Motive Division GM
Year Built: 1974
Model: SDP40F
Horsepower: 3,000
Length: 72ft 4in
Width: 10ft 4in
Height: ??
Weight: ??
Brakes: ??
Engine: 16-645
Motors: 6 EMD D77
Trucks: HT-C
Description: Diesel-Electric
Arrived: 2025
Condition: Complete / restored / operational

Click to return to Internal Combustion Locomotive roster
Click to return to main roster page