The Burlington Route purchased ten USRA 0-6-0s, numbered 500 through 509, during World War I and designated them class G-5. They were used in light switching service, where there was a further need for 15 after the end of the war. Those were called G-5a and got the numbers 510 to 524. Since the company was no longer bound by the standard specifications of the USRA, some adjustments were made to better adapt the locomotives to their own locomotives. They got other tenders and headlights.