Early NS--the C36-7s

Ponce de Leon · July 23, 2011, 11:26:32 AM

During the early years of NS, a dozen of these C36-7s were received in May '84---in NS paint, but with N&W reporting marks under the road number. This was during the transition from GE's more traditional "look" to the boxy but more efficiently constructed C39-8s being built about the same time.

For several months, the C36-7s roamed the Appalachia Division, normally pulling the Krannert (GA) unit coal train. Here (in March 1985), the 8533 and two sisters round the curve at the top of the hill at Sunbright, VA with that train in tow. Two Southern SD40-2s are shoving behind the caboose.

These units are long gone---and it's strange to think this has now been 26 years ago, when the NS was "brand new." It's also amazing that the locomotive paint scheme really hasn't changed very much since these first days. Just a few embellishments here and there----but the basic look is the same.

lwjabo · July 23, 2011, 01:19:49 PM

About that time they sent hundreds of those N&W GE to the Southern. They did not have full range dynamic and they had the stupid N&W alerter system. Eveyone hated them. The road Formans were scared someone was going to tear a train into having to use air. They finally fazed out the N&W alerter and I bet even on the N&W they were glad to see them gone. Southern engines all had full range dynamic. There were a few engines Southern got when taking over small rail roads like the original NS and TAG the engines did not have Dynamic. The John Chamberlis numbered 2879 from the TAG did not have dynamic at all. Southern kept paint his name on the engine every time it was painted. This engines was used at Dalton and Cleveland as a yard engine a good deal.

Batman · July 23, 2011, 02:03:56 PM

some of my favorite NS locomotives to watch.

lwjabo · July 23, 2011, 06:04:21 PM

Might add they sent all or most of our SD40-2 to the N&W side. They burned them out on the coal trains and mountains. Never the same after that.

lwjabo · July 23, 2011, 06:06:05 PM

Hard to tell but loks like the top one is on the soouth end of the forwarding yard and the bottom one is around brown and Spell?

Batman · July 23, 2011, 08:02:22 PM

top one at Main St , Bottom is at Brown , at the top of the hill where the road comes up.

lwjabo · July 23, 2011, 08:24:59 PM

Yep that is what it looks like. Spent many and hour looking at that hill on the wye.

beal99 · July 26, 2011, 02:32:44 PM

I'll have to dig around to see if my dad shot any of the NS ones, but for now, I'll give you a shot he took in Feather River Canyon of two of the MoPac ones right after the UP merger.