CSS&SB GP7 1504+, Gary, IN rs
The C&O bought the South Shore back in either 1966 or 1967 and found out that the interurban needed diesels to help move the freight. I think there might have been a customer who didn't want electric locos or the catenary on the property. I don't know the reasoning, but the C&O furnished several old first generation EMDs, mainly high nose GP7s. They primarily were used to haul the NORX coal trains from Burnham, IL to Michigan City. They came in the classic Enhancement Blue with a couple showing up in Chessie colors. When the GP38-2's came on the property, the old veterans were returned to Chessie and were placed in service on the B&OCT. I had the misfortune to ride one on one of my dispatcher road trips, something I"ll never forget. I thought the poor beast was going to fall apart. It rattled so badly that I couldn't hear the engineer or head brakeman; I just hung on for dear life. What we see here is a sharp set of four, looks can be deceiving, headed west after meeting an eastbound MU. They're probably on their way to pick up a NORX train and take it to the generating plant at Michigan City. The coal trains still run today, only the power is about a zillion times better..
CSS&SB GP7 1504+, Gary, IN rs
The C&O bought the South Shore back in either 1966 or 1967 and found out that the interurban needed diesels to help move the freight. I think there might have been a customer who didn't want electric locos or the catenary on the property. I don't know the reasoning, but the C&O furnished several old first generation EMDs, mainly high nose GP7s. They primarily were used to haul the NORX coal trains from Burnham, IL to Michigan City. They came in the classic Enhancement Blue with a couple showing up in Chessie colors. When the GP38-2's came on the property, the old veterans were returned to Chessie and were placed in service on the B&OCT. I had the misfortune to ride one on one of my dispatcher road trips, something I"ll never forget. I thought the poor beast was going to fall apart. It rattled so badly that I couldn't hear the engineer or head brakeman; I just hung on for dear life. What we see here is a sharp set of four, looks can be deceiving, headed west after meeting an eastbound MU. They're probably on their way to pick up a NORX train and take it to the generating plant at Michigan City. The coal trains still run today, only the power is about a zillion times better..