Nostalgia & History > Southern FP7's to Front Royal in 1984

I came across some images I took of an excursion train between Manassas and Front Royal, Va. back in June 1984.
First photos westbound east of Delaplane
Next photo passing through the S curve at Delaplane

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More Delaplane images
Last image approaching Front Royal

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Nice set of photos. I believe 4 FP7's were all that were left on the active roster by that date.

Two are serving on the Stone Mountain Park Railroad today still in green, except this time it is lime green in a CofG/B&O inspired scheme. One is at Spencer in sylvan green with the smaller Southern lettering, if I am not mistaken. Where is the 4th one today?

Jay

When were they painted Green? Were they all originally black?
SR

The four Southern FP7's 3496,3497,3498 and 3499 were built in 1950 as the 6138,6141,6143 and the 6147 and were renumbered into the 3400 series in 1984 until they were retired. The 3496 and 3497 became R.J. Corman's 1940 and 1941 and are used for their Dinner Train in Bardstown Kentucky. The 3498 and 3499 work the Stone Mountain Railway. The 6133 at Spencer wasn't part of this group.
Attached images are at Waddy Ky. in September 1983 and Louisville Ky. in January 2008.

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> When were they painted Green? Were they all originally black?

Delivered green, then painted in the tuxedo scheme (like all other Southern power) in 1958. In 1975 Southern chose five FP7's for retention and began repainting them green. The remaining FP7's died in tuxedo.

Were just the FP's delivered in green and freight service F's delivered in black?
Or did all F's start out in green?
SR

Posted from iPhone

Neat pics, if only there were sound and video to go with it...

Pre-1949: passenger units delivered green, freight units delivered black.
1949-1958: everything (old or new) in green, except some switchers in black.
1959-1970s: everything (old or new) in black, except as noted in next two items.
Early 1970s: E units chosen for retention repainted green.
Mid-late 1970s: FP7 units chosen for retention repainted green.

Thanks- interesting!
They sure kept the paint shop humming!
SR

Posted from iPhone

Thank you, Southern, for running the steam and diesel excursions, and thank you Norfolk Southern for restarting the steam program.

I wish the legal department would recognize that it's reasonably safe to have railfans stand in dutch doors and in slatted-door baggage cars and sit in open-window coaches while on the main line. They did it safely in the photos you've posted, and it would sure be nice if we could do it again today.

But the best thing is that NS continues to operate the trains. Thanks for that.

Not so sure about that. I worked safety crew for the Atlanta Chapter NRHS on steam excursions. Over the years I probably took 100+ passengers to the on-board paramedics to remove cinders from eyes. We also had a few cases of passengers slapped by vines as the train went through a siding. I won't linger in a vestibule with an open upper door without full goggles.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/14 11:32 by ctillnc.

srman Wrote:
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> The four Southern FP7's 3496,3497,3498 and 3499
> were built in 1950 as the 6138,6141,6143 and the
> 6147 and were renumbered into the 3400 series in
> 1984 until they were retired. The 3496 and 3497
> became R.J. Corman's 1940 and 1941 and are used
> for their Dinner Train in Bardstown Kentucky. The
> 3498 and 3499 work the Stone Mountain Railway. The
> 6133 at Spencer wasn't part of this group.
> Attached images are at Waddy Ky. in September 1983
> and Louisville Ky. in January 2008.

Thanks. That clears up the "missing" unit in my recollections.

Now, is the one at Spencer the 5th unit that was painted by SR in the green scheme, mentioned elsewhere in this thread?

Jay