NTS Salt Lake Report

[Mark5]

I recall (when still in HO back in the 80's) considering B and O, but the F units were gone in 1973 and the SD40-2 came in 1974, so they couldn't run together. 

April 1975 http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo4599gof.jpg
October 1974 http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo4598goa.jpg
February 1974 http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo4622goc.jpg

From: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-4000.htm

I remember seeing WM F units in helper service on the B&O Metropolitan Division up to the late 70s.

Mark

[Kuchler10]

The B&O retired their F7's before 1975, but they inherited and then ran the WM F7's into the ground. When they experienced any major mechanical failure, they were scrapped. Based on my research, the last of them held out until late 1978. The new SD40-2's were delivered in B&O reporting marks starting in late 1977. The B&O had already taken in a few SD40's new, C&O had many SD40's, and Chessie had absorbed the SD40 fleet from WM, a total of 12 units in both circus scheme and speed lettering.
WM SD 40 #'s    Chessie #'s (1976)
7445                 7545 (Circus)
7446                 7546 (Circus)
7447                 7547 (Circus)
7448                 7548 (Circus)
7449                 7549 (Circus)
7470                 7570 (Speed)
7471                 7571 (Speed)
7472                 7572 (Speed)
7473                 7573 (Speed)
7474                 7574 (Speed)
7495                 7595 (Speed)
7496                 7596 (Speed)

B&O SD40's
7591
7592
7593
7594

B&O SD40-2's
7600-7619 (20 units)

C&O SD40's
7501-7581 (63 Units)

[Rossford Yard]

Thanks for the info. For some reason, at the time, I never considered the WM units.  I guess it was harder to find pre-internet.  Oh well.  That said, if I had really wanted to do the B and O/Chessie, I would have had little problem extending the days of the B and O F units.  Seems like I even painted one in 4599, perhaps knowing it was one of the last? 

Like I said, when I got to N, joint routes like Cajon Pass or city themes (thanks to Walthers) and belt lines seemed like a natural for my ever expanding taste for paint schemes and model types. Once Kato came out with SD70-Macs, I wanted to update the layout well past that era anyway.  I suspect there are many other with the collector mentality when it comes to diesel units.....