The news has been leaked right on schedule by at least one major player in the operation, so........

The 75th annual Clinchfield Santa Train, a tradition continued by CSX, will feature two restored "Clinchfield diesel locos" on the point this November 18th. SD45 "Clinchfield 3632" is at the Southern Appalachian Railway Museum, while F7 800 is at CSX's Huntington, WV shops hiding from drones at the moment.

EMD originally built Clinchfield 800 as an F3; it received upgrades to make it an F7 in the 1950s and later operated for CSX as 116, one of a quartet of CSX F7 A-B-B-A business train locos. The loco was last in operation on the South Branch Valley's Potomac Eagle excursions as "C&O 8016" and left there for Huntington in September.

The "3632" is in reality former Seaboard Coast Line SD45 2024, repainted and renumbered one digit higher than the block of Clinchfield SD45's; ironically, the Clinchfield DID end up with seven ex-SCL SD45s in a trade in 1977, but this was not one of the nine in question, thus the "fake" renumbering!

At least one party reported that planning for this special anniversary had been under way for almost a year.

Photos by Mark Ragan and Charlie Poling via the SARM's Facebook page.

It should be noted that both of the engines are owned by Ed Bowers/Southern Appalachia Railway Museum. Glad to see good things happening for this great group of people.

Things that was thought at one time would be absolutely impossible and never, ever happen... Are happening. Congratulations to everyone involved in this project.

-otto-