Norfolk Southern accelerates Conrail repaint program
Published: March 12, 2012
Still running in Conrail blue, Norfolk Southern C40-8 No. 8303 leads an eastbound near Berea, Ohio, in April 2011. Only 15 CR blue units remain on the roster, and their days are dwindling.
Photo by Jim Wrinn
Atlanta – Norfolk Southern is focused on repainting the handful of units on its roster left in Conrail paint prior to the release of the 18 heritage units which includes a Conrail painted locomotive. Of the more than 1,000 units acquired by Norfolk Southern in 1999 during the breakup of Conrail, only 15 units remain active in Conrail blue.
NS hopes to have the first of its heritage units released for service in late March or early April, with the first two EMD units thought to be the Savannah & Atlanta and New York Central heritage units. General Electric has released a number of Norfolk Southern ES44ACs from its shop in Erie, Pa., in primer but all have moved to Mid America Car in Kansas City, Mo., for a coat of NS black. NS shop forces apparently need additional time to prepare the paint diagrams prior to the arrival of the first GE to be painted in heritage colors.
According to Chris Toth, who maintains a website dedicated to the Norfolk Southern roster, the 15 remaining units are SD60I 6718, C40-8s 8305 and 8312, SD50s 5401, 5406, 5415, 5420, 5424, 5425, 5438, 5441, and 5443, SD38s 3804 and 3810 and GP38-2 528
