First Generation Diesels

First Geeps L&N acquired were 57 1,500 h.p. GP7s, delivered between 1951-53, 17 equipped with steam boilers for passenger service; by then L&N had retired all but its newest passenger steam and needed replacement power for medium distance and secondary passenger train services. Thirty 1750 h.p. G9s followed, in 1954-6, 10 also with steam boilers. Most would work the Cincy-New Orleans main line and those branches and secondary routes diverging from the main stem; L&N back then preferred to separate builders, the Alco road power working on the east side of the system (Cincy-Atlanta, Coal Fields divisions).

NC&StL put its GP7 fleet in service between 1950-52, buying its first six with AAR switcher type trucks (as a historical footnote, the six were among EMD's first production GPs); another 31 Geeps were ordered for road use, five of those coming with steam boilers for passenger use when needed. Most worked locals or branches, although some also handled transfer and yard duties in Nashville and Atlanta. The five passenger Geeps were painted in blue and silver, matching the F7s; other Geeps wore the same maroon with yellow striping as did yard switchers. All were integrated into L&N's "GP" fleet after 1957. Many Geeps were to see service well into the 1980s before being retired.

Charles B Castner, et al / Louisville & Nashville Diesel Locomotives / 1997

SW1 No. 11 arrived from EMD's LaGrange plant in late September 1939, just two days after Alco had delivered its 660 h.p. HH660 No. 10. The two switchers, assigned to the Louisville Terminals, became the first diesel locomotives to run on L&N, and in 1941, four more SW-1s were ordered. At the same time, NC&StL purchased a lone SW1 as well as bigger SW7s (1,200 h.p.).

L&N went back to EMD for five SW7s 1949, then in the next four years, picked up 51 of EMD's 1,200 HP SW9s, which with the S-7s replaced aging 0-6-0 and 0-8-0 steam switchers. Most of the SWs worked in big city terminals, from Louisville south to New Orleans and west to Evansville, East St. Louis and Memphis. Beginning in 1970, SW 1500s (by then EMD's production switcher), began to take over, 30 purchased in the next three years, followed by 20 MP15s and MP15ACs at the end of the decade. Some of the SW7s and 9s were rewired for use with slugs to work yard hump and transfer assignments; the older switchers were retired or traded in, beginning in the 1970s. Mergers with NC&StL (in 1957), C&EI (1969) and Monon (1971) brought more EMD B-B switchers to the roster, and most were to see service into Seaboard System years (1983-on).

Charles B Castner, et al / Louisville & Nashville Diesel Locomotives / 1997