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BNSF C44-9W No. 4723 (MSTS logo)

(Requested by Keeganstevens3).

Microsoft Train Simulator was a game released in 2001, developed by Kuju Entertainment for Microsoft’s Windows OS. By 2005 it had sold one million copies worldwide. Much like Rolling Line, in MSTS players can drive locomotives and multiple units, albeit in a much more realistic simulation (even though - by today’s standards - MSTS is very out-dated). In the base game there were routes from Japan, Austria, United States of America and the United Kingdom.

One of the American routes featured the BNSF Railway and the Marias Pass route, and one of the included engines was General Electric C44-9W No. 4723, an engine who appeared on the cover of the game - or rather - certain versions of the cover (alternatives exist that show 4472 ‘Flying Scotsman’ instead of a C44-9W).

The real BNSF 4723 was built by GE in 1997, and entered service in December of that year. She was one of a staggering 1,433 C44-9W’s ordered by BNSF (not counting the ex-Santa Fe engines, of which there were 180).

In 2001, the engine had the Microsoft Train SImulator logo added as an extra decal on both sides of the short-hood or ‘nose’. The MSTS logo has remained ever since, and 4723 has also become reasonably popular with railfans.

Today 4723 is now 24 years old, and is still in service with BNSF. She has spent her entire life painted in the H2 livery.