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Columbus & Greenville Railway
EMD General Purpose
The Columbus & Greenville Railway emerged from Illinois Central Gulf control in 1974 beleaguered but determined to survive,
once again through the efforts of local shippers making local decisions.
The venerated Baldwins survived ICG control, but by the late 1970s were well past their ability to provide regular daily freight service from the hills to the Delta.
As such, in 1978, the C&G purchased through a locomotive dealer six second-hand GP7 road switchers, all ex Florida East Coast locomotives.
Retaining their FEC numbers, the new Geeps were quickly put to work handling the mainline pulls across the state.
The arrival of the blue Geeps eventually spelled the end for most of the remaining Baldwins, although 601 and 606 could be found in switching service into the early 1980s.
The 80s also brought two more batches of B-B road switchers to Columbus.
The first came in the form of several ex Southern Railway GP9s, interesting units in that each had dynamic brakes added by Southern shops long after their construction.
The second batch of new power turned out to be ten CF7s, all rebuilt from "covered wagons" in the mid 1970s by the Sante Fe's Cleburne (Texas) shops.
Although considered eyesores by most railfans, the CF7s proved to be dependable power for many Deep South shortlines ... and the CAGY was no exception.
The boxy CF7s bumped the early Geeps to switching duties in Greenville, Greenwood, and Columbus, and on most daily freights of this era one could find a pair or trio of the ex ATSF rebuilds.
In more recent years, but prior to the Gennesse & Wyoming purchase, Columbus forces acquired various small batches of B-B power: ex Chicago & Northewestern GP7r rebuilds, ex Illinois Central Gulf GP11 rebuilds, and two high-nose GP38s from the Norfolk Southern--these last units, the largest power the CAGY has even seen.
GP7
Columbus & Greenville #608
Greenville, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #608
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP7
- type:B-B road switcher
- built:Sep 1952, EMD #17345
- series:2610 produced 1949-54
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
- notes:
- named "City of West Point"
ex Florida East Coast #608
Greenville, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #614
Greenville, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #614
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP7
- type:B-B road switcher
- built:Sep 1952, EMD #17351
- series:2610 produced 1949-54
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
- notes:
- named "City of Cleveland"
ex Florida East Coast #614
ex Chicago, Sou Shore & Sou Bend #614
Columbus, Ms / 1986 / collection
Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #615
Columbus, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #615
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP7
- type:B-B road switcher
- built:Sep 1952, EMD #17352
- series:2610 produced 1949-54
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
- notes:
- ex Florida East Coast #615
ex Chicago, Sou Shore & Sou Bend #615
Columbus, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #618
Columbus, Ms / 1995 / JCH
Columbus & Greenville #618
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP7
- type:B-B road switcher
- built:Oct 1952, EMD #17355
- series:2610 produced 1949-54
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
- notes:
- ex Florida East Coast #618
ex Chicago, Sou Shore & Sou Bend #618
Columbus & Greenville #619
Columbus, Ms / Sep 1986 / JCH
Columbus & Greenville #619
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP7
- type:B-B road switcher
- built:Oct 1952, EMD #17356
- series:2610 produced 1949-54
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
- notes:
- named "City of Indianola"
ex Florida East Coast #619
Columbus, Ms / 1979 / collection
Greenwood, Ms / 1983 / collection
Columbus & Greenville #621
Greenwood, Ms / Dec 1989 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #621
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP7
- type:B-B road switcher
- built:Oct 1952, EMD #17358
- series:2610 produced 1949-54
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
- notes:
- named "City of Greenwood"
ex Florida East Coast #621
Greenwood, Ms / Dec 1989 / RWH
Columbus, Ms / 1986 / collection
Columbus, Ms / 1986 / collection
GP9
Columbus & Greenville #701
Greenwood, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #701
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP9
- type:B-B road switcher
- built:Jul 1955, EMD #20587
- series:3436 produced 1954-59
- engine:EMD 567C (16 cyls. 1750 hp)
- notes:
- ex Southern (CNOTP) #6247
dynamic brakes added by Southern
Greenwood, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus, Ms / Sep 1986 / JCH
Columbus & Greenville #702
Columbus, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #702
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP9
- type:B-B road switcher
- built:Jul 1955, EMD #20586
- series:3436 produced 1954-59
- engine:EMD 567C (16 cyls. 1750 hp)
- notes:
- ex Southern (CNOTP) #6246
dynamic brakes added by Southern
last operating Southern GP9
Columbus, Ms / Jul 1989 / RWH
Columbus, Ms / 2000 / JCH
Columbus & Greenville #704
Columbus, Ms / Sep 1986 / JCH
Columbus & Greenville #704
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP9
- type:B-B road switcher
- built:Jul 1955, EMD #20590
- series:3436 produced 1954-59
- engine:EMD 567C (16 cyls. 1750 hp)
- notes:
- ex Southern (CNOTP) #6256
dynamic brakes added by Southern
CF7
Columbus & Greenville #801
Columbus, Ms / Sep 1986 / RWH
Columbus & Greenville #801
- builder:Santa Fe Cleburne Shops
- model:CF7
- type:B-B road switcher
- rebuilt:Jul 1977, phase III
- series:233 produced 1970-78
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500hp)
- notes:
- rebuilt from ATSF F7 #254C
ex ATSF #2450
Columbus & Greenville #803
Greenwood, Ms / 1999 / Saillard photo / collection
Columbus & Greenville #803
- builder:Santa Fe Cleburne Shops
- model:CF7
- type:B-B road switcher
- rebuilt:Mar 1977, phase III
- series:233 produced 1970-78
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500hp)
- notes:
- rebuilt from ATSF F7 #273L
ex ATSF #2465
Columbus & Greenville #805
Columbus, Ms / Sep 1986 / JCH
Columbus & Greenville #805
- builder:Santa Fe Cleburne Shops
- model:CF7
- type:B-B road switcher
- rebuilt:Oct 1977, phase III
- series:233 produced 1970-78
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500hp)
- notes:
- rebuilt from ATSF F7 #285L
ex ATSF #2434
Columbus, Ms / Sep 1986 / JCH
Columbus, Ms / Sep 1986 / JCH
Columbus & Greenville #808
Greenwood, Ms / Dec 1989 / Saillard photo / collection
Columbus & Greenville #808
- builder:Santa Fe Cleburne Shops
- model:CF7
- type:B-B road switcher
- rebuilt:Jan 1975, phase III
- series:233 produced 1970-78
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500hp)
- notes:
- rebuilt from ATSF F7 #224C
ex ATSF #2483
Columbus & Greenville #810
Greenwood, Ms / Dec 1989 / JCH
Columbus & Greenville #810
- builder:Santa Fe Cleburne Shops
- model:CF7
- type:B-B road switcher
- rebuilt:Jan 1975, phase III
- series:233 produced 1970-78
- engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500hp)
- notes:
- rebuilt from ATSF F7 #284L
ex ATSF #2482
later Chattooga & Chickamauga #103
Dec 1989 / JCH
GP38
Columbus & Greenville #2000
Heathman, Ms / 2000 / Saillard photo / collection
Columbus & Greenville #2000
- builder:Electro Motive Division
- model:GP38
- type: B-B road switcher
- built:Jan 1970, EMD #36033
- series:466 produced 1966-71
- engine:EMD 645E (16 cyls. 2000hp)
- notes:
- ex Southern Railway #2785
Links / Sources
- Louis R. Saillard, Delta Route: A History of the C&G Railway - First Edition (1981) 105
- Edward A. Lewis, American Shortline Railway Guide - Fifth Edition (Kalmbach, 1996) 89