I'm trying to track down a former L&N GP-7. I'm posting here as well as with the L&N Yahoo Group. It was built as a passenger GP-7, reubilt by EMD to a GP-9 after a wreck, and then received a chop nose by the L&N.

It was last with the Gulf & Ohio shortline companies, and I last saw her in Versailles, KY in the mid 1990s.

Anyone know where she is today, or if she is still with us?

Do you by any chance have the number of the unit under G&O ownership when you last saw it?

Not off of the top of my head, but it did not have dynamics and still retainied it's "torpedo tubes" from its passenger days.

Okay, that helps a bit. What about the color? The G&O had several different paint schemes in use and didn't always spend the money to repaint when locomotives were moved from one operation to another. I recall one GP-7/9 in gray paint here in Albany on the Atlantic & Gulf (part of the G&O) for a bit. I'll have to find my photos to get the number.

After doing some research on the G&O, I think the unit was number 2391.

I'm interested in the unit, because she would be the last L&N passenger Geep around that I know of. Of course, she is in a rebuilt form with the low hood, but interesting nonetheless.

I remember when Pete bought 2391. We leased the unit for a time on the Caney Fork and Western and it was a strong runner. The 2391 was virtually fresh form an overhaul and the only real problem we had with it was poorly performing sanders and broken cab hearters. It was winter and we ran with a portable propane heater in the cab.

After Pete aquired the Missippi Delta Railroad he moved 2391 to Clarksdale, MS. From there I am pretty sure it went to Alabama and Floride at Opp, AL. I am not sure if it got to Albany or not. If I remember correctly somebody told me the 2391 eventually went to the Yadkin Valley Railroad here in NC. I do not know if it is still there or has been moved or sold to another railraod.

Hopefully Pete will jump in here and fill in the details.

John Bohon

John, I think you're right about the 2931 being at the Yadkin Valley. Back in 2003, I dated a lady from Tobaccoville, just up the road from Rural Hall. I seem to remember seeing a "torpedo boat" unit there on a regular basis.

I put out a feeler on the L&N Yahoo Groups list and received a response. The unit is stored at Knoxville Locomotive Works. Evidently the locomotive was one of the original Gulf and Ohio locomotives purchased, and her owner is keeping the unit around for that reason.

While I'm relieved she hasn't turned into a Green Goat, I would love to see an L&N focused museum with her. With a restored high hood, she coudl be repainted back in the blue and cream that the L&N originally painted its passenger geeps. Even in her current configuration she could be painted into L&N gray and yellow, as the chop nose was done at South Louisville in the 1970s.

David -

I like the idea of restoring her with a high hood on her "short end" and repainting her in the original L&N blue and cream scheme. Hopefully then she could be put in a museum that operates her, at least on occassion.

Les

The 2391 was Pete's first locomotive. The locomotives on the CFWR were all owned by that company. Pete bought 2391 for use on his upcomming railroad which turned out to be the Mississippi Delta. We used the engine while it was stored in Mc Minnville. Rest assured if Pete has decided to hang onto 2391 it is in good hands.

The CFWR had some pretty interesting locomotives on the roster. At least two of those were ex NC&STL GP-7s. The 636 was a nearly originaly GP-7 but unfortunately the B prime mover froze in cold weather and she was sent to scrap in trade for another running GP-7 from CSX. The 636 was in rather poor condition when it came to the railroad. The trade was for another ex NC&Stl GP-7 from the same series that was CSX number 2345. I still remember the chairman of the board saying he could not believe we were buying a locomotive number 2-3-4-5. The frame numbers on these two locomotives were only a few digits off. I do not remember the original number of the 2345. Both of the sevens had been painted over their original paint and all of the original lettering was clearly visible under the paint. The 2345 is still at CFWR but the last report I heard was she was out of service. I do not know why. Is the 2345 the last NC&STL GP-7 surviving?

Our first locomotive was Western of Alabama GP-7 531. It is still on the railroad and at last report still in service. The 531 is the strongest of these little geeps I have ever had the pleasure of running. The 531 was rated at something like 3,000 tons from Summitville to Manchester and in a pouring rain I managed to drag over 4,000 tons between those two towns one Sunday. It would always go over the tonnage ratings for the line by a lot more than you could ever expect the other engines to do. This is the locomotive I think deserves a good retirement home.

John Bohon

TVRM has a former NC&StL geep in its roster, even restored to it's original colors, although I believe Amtrak made some external modifications which have yet to be undone.

I think the former L&N geep at the Black River and Western is actually a former NC unit as well.

I'm sure there may be a few more out there. I try to keep mental note of the surviving former L&N diesels, especially first generation units. I was suprised when the Tennessee Central RR Museum managed to get an ex L&N GP-7 a number of years ago. It had been literally "Under the radar" for me for quite some time.

David,

The Gp on the Black River and Western is a former NC Gp, althought the number escapes me. The L&N Gp that TCRM has came from the KWT.

Stuart