<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.7

                   Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation

                      7.95% Debenture due August 15, 2030

CUSIP No. 12189T AR 5                                           $ 275,000,000.00

This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture
hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depositary or a
nominee thereof. This Security may not be exchanged in whole or in part for a
Security registered, and no transfer of this Security in whole or in part may be
registered, in the name of any Person other than such Depositary or a nominee
thereof, except in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture.

     BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and
existing under the laws of Delaware (herein called the "Company", which term
includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for
value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO. or registered assigns, the
principal sum of Two Hundred Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($275,000,000.00) on
August 15, 2030, and to pay interest thereon from August 8, 2000 or from the
most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly
provided for, semi-annually on February 15 and August 15 in each year,
commencing February 15, 2001, at the rate of 7.95% per annum, until the
principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The interest so payable,
and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as
provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security
(or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business
on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the February 1 or
August 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding
such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly
provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular
Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or
one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a
Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by
the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this
series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at
any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of
any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed,
and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully
provided in said Indenture.

     Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this
Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that
purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, in such coin or
currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal
tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that at the
option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the
address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the
Security Register.

     Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

     Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the
Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.

     In Witness Whereof, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.

<TABLE>
<S>                                     <C>
Dated:     August 8, 2000               BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE CORPORATION

                                          By.......................................................
                                                                    Thomas N. Hund
                                            Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Attest:

 ........................
     Jeffrey T. Williams
     Assistant Secretary

</TABLE>

     This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to
in the within-mentioned Indenture.

                                  BANK ONE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
                                                                      As Trustee

                                  By..............................

                                                              Authorized Officer
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     This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the
Company (herein called the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one or more
series under an Indenture, dated as of December 1, 1995 (herein called the
"Indenture", which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such
instrument), between the Company and Bank One Trust Company, N.A., as successor
to The First National Bank of Chicago, as Trustee (herein called the "Trustee",
which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), and reference is
hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights,
limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the
Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the
Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one
of the series designated on the face hereof, limited in aggregate principal
amount to $275,000,000.00

     The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than
30 and not more than 60 days' notice by mail, at any time, as a whole or in
part, at the election of the Company, at a redemption price equal to the greater
of (i) 100% of their principal amount or (ii) the sum of the present values of
the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to
the date of redemption on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting
of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined in the Officers'
Certificate establishing the Securities of this series), plus 25 basis points,
plus in either case accrued interest to the date of redemption.

     In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or
Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof
will be issued in the name of the Holder, upon the cancellation hereof.

     The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire
indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of
Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain
conditions set forth in the Indenture.

     If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall
occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture.

     The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at
the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains
provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount
of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the
Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company
with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the
Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of
this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all
future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration
of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not
notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

     As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder
of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with
respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for
any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the
Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the
Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount
of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written
request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of
Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity, and the Trustee
shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of
Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with
such request, and the Trustee shall have failed to institute any such
proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of
indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of
this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any
premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed
herein.

     No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest
on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency,
herein prescribed.

     As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set
forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register,
upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or
agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and
interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a
written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the
Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly
authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series
and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate
principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

     The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without
coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. As
provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth,
Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount
of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized
denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

     No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

     Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the
Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the
Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Security is overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

     All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall
have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.