JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The 20th heritage locomotive in the CSX fleet is ES44AH No. 1902, a tribute to predecessor and Appalachian coal-hauler Clinchfield.
CEO Joe Hinrichs unveiled the locomotive today in a post on LinkedIn, as has been customary.
“Here is our 20th CSX Heritage Locomotive celebrating the Clinchfield Railroad. The Clinchfield Railroad was set up to serve the coal mines in eastern Kentucky, Western Virginia and Eastern Tennessee,” Hinrichs wrote. “It was the last Class 1 railroad built in the Eastern United States and eventually became part of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad before becoming part of CSX.
“One of the most important legacies the Clinchfield gave us was the ‘Santa Claus Special’ that debuted in 1943 and continues as the CSX Santa Train to this day,” he wrote. “This year’s CSX Santa Train will run through Appalachia on Saturday, November 23rd. We have a couple surprises lined up this year.
“Today this line is part of our Blue Ridge Subdivision which was hit so hard by Hurricane Helene last month. The rebuild has already started. Another great job by our ONE CSX team in Waycross, Georgia,” Hinrichs wrote regarding the railroad’s paint shop that has prepared all of the heritage locomotives.
The 1902 joins others in the railroad’s heritage fleet, which includes locomotives honoring the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis; Seaboard Air Line; Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad; Georgia Railroad; Pittsburgh & Lake Erie; Family Lines; Pere Marquette; Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac; Baltimore & Ohio; Chessie System; Seaboard System; Conrail; Chesapeake & Ohio; Louisville & Nashville; Atlantic Coast Line; New York Central; Monon; Western Maryland; and Seaboard Coast Line.
Awesome job CSX and Waycross shops. I would think they will run this unit on the Santa Train.
Another fine heritage locomotive, thanks CSX and it will be good that the Santa Special will run this year , after all the storms! Again well done CSX General Tom Rice, Champ Davis, Hays Watkins would be proud!!!
I forgot, my bad, Prime Osborn should join that distinguished group of gentlemen.