It’s Just Golf. Honest!

Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief

On Sept. 17, 2025, the BNSF Executive Train was seen heading east at Depew, N.Y. (just south of Buffalo) on CSX’s Chicago-New York main line, “giving folks a chance to see something not often seen on eastern railroads,” notes frequent Railway Age contributor Stephen C. Host, who hails from nearby Hamilton, Ont.

The sleek stainless steel BNSF Executive Fleet comes from the deep heritage of railroads through mergers that created the BNSF system. Based out of Topeka, the oldest cars in the fleet are approaching 100 years with the majority built in the mid 20th century. All have been highly modified and immaculately maintained. The cars in the consist include BNSF #50, Mount Helena (formerly Stampede Pass), #29, Valley View, #10, Lake Superior, #1, Gerald Grinstein, #4, Missouri River, #64,Marias Pass, #65, Raton Pass, #6, Topeka, #67, Trinchera Pass, #60, Stevens Pass, #8, John S. Reed, #69, Eagle Pass, #63, Glorieta Pass, and #66, Cajon Pass. Pictured is Stevens Pass, built in 1929 by the Pullman Company for the Great Northern’s Empire Builder and named David C. Shepard when built. The Great Northern heavily modified it in 1954.

But don’t jump to conclusions. This was not a pre-merger exploratory inspection trip. The BNSF business consist was heading to Long Island for the PGA Ryder Cup, where it will be used for a BNSF customer event in Uniondale, N.Y. The train is expected to be parked for eight days on MTA Long Island Rail Road property at Hempstead, N.Y., from Sept. 21 to 29, as a hospitality/staging area.

Warren Buffett was not on board. Just sayin’.