Earlier this week, the locomotive departed the railroad’s Huntington locomotive shops where shop crews recently painted the locomotive into C&O’s distinctive blue-and-gold livery. The locomotive was picked up by a local CSX train that handles outbound shop moves and local freight between Huntington and Russell, Ky.
The next move will send the locomotive from Russell Yard to Clifton Forge on CSX Q302, a daily merchandise freight train that handles freight along much of the ex-C&O main line through the area. Once the locomotive departs Russell, observers expect it to arrive in Clifton Forge the following day.
The locomotive’s entire route will follow former C&O trackage, including the shop facilities in which it was repainted, and the yards in which it is being staged on its way to Clifton Forge.
C&O EMD SD40 No. 7534 is former CSX EMD SD40 No. 4617. No. 4617 is known most for being the last C&O-painted unit in revenue service on CSX. It was repainted several years ago in CSX’s blue-and-gold scheme before being sidelined at the railroad’s Cumberland, Md., facility.
Did they install traction motors in it before it was shipped?
Nice to see these old units honored like this
Is this C&O SD-40 #7534 still operable ? (i.e. – does it still run?). If so, any plans to run it? Or it will it only be on ‘static display’?
In any event, a beautiful paint job / restoration on this former C&O unit. Thank you CSX indeed!
I thought the society was leasing this engine to a short line I herd?
thank you CSX.