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GN Big Sky Blue F7A

Big Sky Blue is a livery that lasted from April 1967 to 1977. It was used on an American company called the Great Northern Railway, which is not to be confused with the GNR in England. The first locomotive to be repainted in this livery was EMD SD45 No. 407

Over the three year period from 1967 to 1970, at least 237 locomotives are reported to have been repainted in the Big Sky Blue livery. This included at least two EMD F7A's, which were the inspiration for this reskin. The livery extended to passenger and freight cars as well. The GNR operated the Empire Builder passenger train up until May 1st 1971, when the newly-formed Amtrak took it over. The Empire Builder still runs today, and it runs from Chicago (Illinois) to Seattle (Washington).

In March 1970, the Great Northern Railway was merged with four other companies to form the Burlington Northern Railroad. This new company brought in a new 'Cascade Green' livery as standard, which resulted in the gradual disappearance of Big Sky Blue. The last locomotive in BSB lost the livery in 1977, in favour of Cascade Green.

For the next 32 years, there wasn't a single locomotive in the Big Sky Blue livery. That changed in July 2009, when EMD F45 No. 1910 (now GN 441) was repainted into the aforementioned livery. This was done as part of a project to convert the F45 into a 'Luxury Locomotive Lodge'.. The project involved removing all internal components, with the former engine room being converted into accomodation. Yes, it's just as horrific as it sounds. This is similar to Amtrak converting some F40PH's into Non-Powered Control Units, except the former engine room on those engines is used to store luggage, not house a fancy lodge.

What we now know as Great Northern No. 441 is now permanently stabled at the Izaac Walton Inn in Essex, Montana. The inn is right next to the BNSF-owned line, and is relatively close to Amtrak's station in Essex, which the Empire Builder stops at on request. EMD F45 No. 441 is now the only locomotive that is painted in the Big Sky Blue livery, and is also the only locomotive in the world that has been converted into accomodation.

For more information about the Big Sky Blue livery and GN 441, I recommend following these links:
http://www.gn441.com/history2.html
http://www.gn441.com/bigskyblue.html

This engine (as well as the F7B and passenger coaches) has appeared in one of Frantic's recent videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a51aLTH9Io