Heritage Units

n 1992, a request for a special commemorative Southern Railway locomotive was made to Norfolk Southern from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers - Southern Railway General Committee of Adjustment. The project was the idea of Ben Lee, BLE local Chairman at Charlotte, NC. Mr. Lee made the request, designed the altered Southern passenger paint scheme, designed the commemorative plaque honoring NS-BLE Thoroughbred Quality joint projects and Southern Railway engineers. The locomotive would also commemorate the centennial of the Southern Railway (1894-1994) and was intended as an occasional helper engine for the then active Southern 4501 steam locomotive. The request was made to NS executives Arnold McKinnon and Paul Rudder. NS realized the significance of all aspects of the project and approval was given.

Although rumors circulated that a new EMD SD70 locomotive would receive the commemorative paint, NS instead chose to repaint a 3-1/2 year old EMD GP59. The reasoning was that it would be better to have a lower horsepower, four-axle GP59 tied up when the unit was sent to special events, rather than a high-adhesion, high horsepower, six-axle locomotive.

In April of 1994, the NS locomotive paint shop at Chattanooga, Tennessee, outshopped the 4610 in its special commemorative Southern Railway paint. It was painted in classic Southern Sylvan Green and Imitation Aluminum, with black frame, trucks and fuel tank, and dulux gold (yellow) lettering and logos. The special commemorative plaque was located on the left side of the long hood, just under the radiator grilles. The 4610 was used across the NS system, although much of its time was spent at different locations in the south. The unit also appeared for display at many railfan events.

After 10 years in service, the special paint on the 4610 was looking a bit weathered and rumors surfaced that the unit would be repainted, presumably back into NS black. However, in May 2004, the 4610 was again repainted at the NS paint shop at Chattanooga, TN, in fresh Southern commemorative green. It was released just in time for the 50th anniversary celebration of the NS Debutts Yard in Chattanooga, TN. A couple differences in the paint were that the SR end logos were in gold leaf rather than dulux gold (yellow) and the commemorative plaque, which had "disappeared" during its first 10 years in service, was not replaced. Two additional changed occurred, the first in May 2005 when the unit received a rooftop air conditioning unit on the cab, and the second was in April 2008, when it received the FRA-mandated 4" solid white reflective striping on both sides of the frame.

In late 2011, rumors again surfaced, saying that the 4610 was to be repainted. In December 2011, it was placed into storage at the NS Juniata Locomotive Shops at Altoona, PA, while it awaited shop time for some needed mechanical repairs. and repainting. On January 21, 2012, the 4610 was released from the NS Juniata Shops, freshly painted in NS black and white "horsehead" Operation Lifesaver paint scheme. After nearly 18 years of service in the Southern commemorative paint, the 4610 was repainted as NS was making plans for its 30th anniversary heritage locomotive fleet. A new Southern Railway GE ES44AC heritage unit was released from Chattanooga, TN, on March 20, 2012.

Chris R. Toth / nsdash9.com