Alternative Names for BNSF Railway?

[CPF363]

Fred W. Frailey wrote and article in the latest edition of Trains on alternative names for the BNSF Railway. He questioned why it was shortened to "BNSF" from Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Was there any effort during the merger to come up with something that is different than combining the two railroad's name together? He suggested "Atlantic & Pacific". Any other names worth while? It is surprising that Frailey did not suggest a different name for CSX?

[Freddy]

Been Nothin Since Frisco
That's what some BN signal guys I know named it.
We had a name for CSX to.
The Chicken S**t Xspress

[umtrr-author]

As a society, we're in love, collectively, with initials and names as short as possible, even if they don't mean anything in particular. Check out cable channel 'names' if you need more evidence of this...

In my day job I joke that this is part of our AFE Process - "Acronyms For Everything."

[rch]

While not exactly an answer to the OP, we have a little bit of fun with it from time to time. Around here we've been known to refer to it as BeiN' SaFe.

When I started out as an engineer, one of my mentors told me it stands for Better Not Set Fifteen.

For young people starting out it stands for Better Not Start a Family.

In addition to Been Nothin' Since Frisco (which I appreciate working on Frisco territory), I've heard Brand New Santa Fe and Buy Norfolk Southern First. On that note, I'd rather see Uncle Warren buy KCS...

[XBNSFer]

I've got one - the Atlantic, Pacific, and SANTA FE. Reporting marks - "SF."

Bring back the Warbonnet and pull off the biggest RR PR coup ever!

"Atlantic & Pacific," as suggested, would be another choice - in particular since the "Atlantic & Pacific" was a Santa Fe subsidiary that was part of the original Santa Fe Railroad construction.

[Tadman]

I've heard

Big
New
Santa
Fe

Popularized because although ATSF was the smaller road at merger time, quite a few of their managers and a lot of their culture was retained or adopted.

[jogden]

When I hired out, I was told "Better Not Start a Family."

Since then I have also heard the following:
Bigger Now Still F***ed
Booze, Narcotics, Sex and Firearms
Buffet's New Santa Fe

On a similar note, I now work for Alaska Railroad, which went through a rash of former BN and BNSF management prior to my hiring out with them. Since then, some people refer to the Alaska Railroad as "Burlington Northern: Seward to Fairbanks."

[Engineer Spike]

Why not keep Burlington Northern? UP did not become Missouri Union and Western. In Leaders Count, it said that Krebs wanted to form a new company with it's own culture, and avoid red vs. green fighting.

[tj48]

In my opinion.... What's the 1 railroad name that anyone only marginally aware that railroads even exist is.... SANTA FE. Also, other than maybe UP's yellow and gray the Santa Fe Warbonnet has got to be one of the most recognized and iconic American railroad color schemes in history.

[scottychaos]

What would BNSF's name be today if, like UP, the largest railroad in a merger had kept its name?

For example, Burlington Northern was made up of GN, NP, SP&S and CB&Q..
Which of those four was the largest? (I think it was GN..but im not sure)
Lets say it was GN..So in this alternate timeline Burlington Northern kept the name "Great Northern"..

Then GN(really BN) merges with ATSF..but by then the combined GN(really BN)
was probably much larger than ATSF..so again, the GN name wins out..
So today, BNSF would be named Great Northern...which I think would be a great name!

(im not sure if my "merger math" is exactly correct however..someone feel free to correct me if I got it wrong..)

Scot

[ExCon90]

I believe there was some talk among employees at the time of the UP-SP merger that the new company name would combine Union from the UP and Pacific from the SP ...

[karldotcom]

I remember in 1999 talk of a BNSF - CN merger.....and hearing Better Not Speak French being bandied about.

[Ocala Mike]

In view of their disdain for the FRA, BNSF should stand for But No Safety First!

http://nwpr.org/post/workers-question-s ... -crude-oil" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[umtrr-author]

Scot, a working title I've read for BN prior to it being named that was "Great Northern Pacific" so you might not be that far off in your speculation.

[riffian]

How about Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe?