by Mike Boss
Acrylic on Panel
20" X 30"
From the Collection of Kendall, Karin and Kloe Stinemetz, Hill City, Kansas
You need to haul how much, how far? ... BNSF to the Rescue...
Hearing about and then seeing images of the Bakken Oil Field of
Montana and North Dakota, more than captured my attention for a new rail painting.
Oil was discovered in Tioga, North Dakota in 1951. In recent years, technology has allowed drilling
to produce crude in the Williston Basin at increasingly record volumes. Traditionally the crude
is transported to refineries via pipelines. Pipeline capacity has fallen far short of the rapid
expansion volumes. BNSF was able to step in and quickly fill the transportation void.
BNSF Railway Company has been hauling crude oil from North Dakota for over five years,
early on hauling 1.3 million barrels in 2008, jumping to nearly 90 million in 2012.
And recently, in a commitment to the demands of the ever-expanding market, BNSF announced a
capacity increase to one million barrels per day!
BNSF hauls to 30% of U.S. refineries in 14 states. The substantial capital investment in equipment,
infrastructure and personnel that BNSF has put forth will benefit not only the oil industry, but
agriculture and other commodity producers & shippers in North America as well for a very long time.
In 1990, Santa Fe brought back the classic red and silver scheme of the past.
After the eventual merger with BNSF on January 1st, 1997, the Santa Fe engines
remained in the 1990 livery with many being repainted over time.
However, some Warbonnets are still working on the system.
I painted two GE B40-8W (Dash 8-40BWs) heading up the tank car train at a
very picturesque White Earth, North Dakota.
White Earth is on the original Great Northern Railway line.