Saw this on the CTT forum and thought it worth sharing.
Posted on CTT by Seayakbill and TMCC Man.
NORFOLK, Va. — To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Norfolk & Western/Southern merger in 1982, Norfolk Southern plans to honor many of the railroads that make up the present day NS system. As Union Pacific did a half-decade ago, NS plans to create a fleet of heritage locomotives, though NS’s plans are bigger: 18 units honoring a wide variety of predecessor roads.
The locomotives will be 10 SD70ACes on order from EMD that are being constructed at its Muncie, Ind., plant, and eight ES44ACs from an upcoming order for 25 units from GE. While EMD will paint all 10 heritage units in-house, NS forces will paint the eight GEs. The railroad’s Altoona, Pa., shop will paint five, while the Chattanooga, Tenn., shop will handle three heritage units.
The 18 predecessor railroads selected for heritage paint are:
• Central of Georgia
• Conrail
• Erie
• Erie Lackawanna
• Leigh Valley (red)
• New Haven (not definite yet)
• New York Central
• Nickel Plate Road
• Norfolk & Western (blue)
• Penn Central
• Pennsylvania (Tuscan Red)
• Pittsburg & West Virginia
• Reading
• Savanna & Atlanta
• Southern
• Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia
• Virginian
• Wabash
NS plans to recreate the paint schemes as accurately as possible. By contrast, UP used the old railroads’ logos and colors, but created new interpretations on the old liveries.
How 'bout honoring the New York Central by building a J-3 Hudson! [:D] Now THAT would be worth celebrating! [Y][8D] I will be interested in seeing the paint scheme on the newer locomotives.
I wonder if Athearn or Proto 2000 will come out with renditions of the proposed fleet? I might give that a possible consideration…
Looks like a couple of Intermountain’s fantasy ES44s may soon become a prototype
This is really cool news though, thanks for sharing. There had been some rumours floating around before, so it’s good to hear an official announcement. I do think NS should be commended for their intention to recreate the original paint schemes as opposed to a modern interpretation. I’m sure that will satisfy many fans of this wide variety of roads!
I’m personally very excited to see a new unit in Conrail blue!
I wonder if CN or CP would ever do something like this. It would be popular I think. I bet its just a matter of time before we start seeing advertising on loco’s too. The VIA Rail units are very popular with their Budweiser, Home Hardware, Spiderman etc wraps on them.
I think that is Kudo’s to NS for the appreciation to their Heritage.
I hope some of those will venture as far West as LaCrosse, WI, &/or the IA WI/IL borders!!!
Thank You NS!!!
PS: Please make a SlideShow styled TV Ad, that has all the new Heritage Schemes (still photo type) flashing for a couple seconds within the same tone of sky & foreground, (slide show style), & then pass a speedy 60+ MPH passthrough with all the loco schemes in-front of the current NS scheme Loco shot…
THAT! would be Powerfully Impressive, both Historically, & Vividly executed with good taste!!!
It would be an incredible statement, & an Iconic visualiation of the evoloution of pride within NS!
Do that! Please!!!
WOW!! a Penn Central SD70ACe or ES44AC with DCC/sound, I may have to crack open the wallet and buy one when the models come out! [:P] (couldn’t find the drooling smiley)
I found this list on the web, so can’t vouch for it at present.
SD70ACe :
Savannah & Atlanta
Pittsburgh & West Virginia
Penn Central
Reading
Erie
Erie Lackawanna
Virginian
New Haven or 1960`s Norfolk Southern
New York Central
Wabash.
- ES44AC :
Conrail
N&W
Pennsy
Lehigh Valley
Nickle Plate Road
Southern Green : E8 style
Tennessee Alabama & Georgia
Central of Georgia
