Throwback Friday #13 - L&N SD40-2 #3562 and SCL C420 #1223 at Corbin, KY in October 1976

L&N SD40-2 #3562 and SCL C420 #1223 share a quiet moment at Corbin, KY in October 1976. Uncredited slide from author's collection,

Circumstances conspired against me last night when I started to write this, but nonetheless, here’s a slightly delayed Throwback Thursday. It’s October 1976 and we are deep in Louisville & Nashville Territory at Corbin, Kentucky. Very much a railroad town, Corbin lies a few miles north of the Kentucky-Tennessee border and is home to a large yard facility, closely tied to the areas’ coal mining industry. Home to many local mine runs, and later an important inspection point for unit coal trains, the yards and facilities form the main terminal for the L&N/SBD/CSX’s Cumberland Valley Division.

A railroad that wasn’t afraid of mixing it up when it came to motive power, the L&N purchased products from EMD, GE, and Alco, often on the secondhand market. One of many roads that bought EMD’s popular SD40-2, L&N ordered 30 units from EMD on order #74644, with delivery beginning in October 1974. Evidently considering them a fine example of four-axle motive power, L&N acquired a large fleet (if not the largest) of Alco C420’s, amassing units both new and cast off from other railroads. SCL C420 #1223 is an example of the latter. Built in June 1965, the engine was one of 35 C420’s that the SCL rostered, originally wearing road number 121. Retired in April 1982, the engine would go on to become part of the L&N fleet, becoming L&N 1362, continuing the railroad’s penchant for acquiring Alcos second-hand. An interesting visitor at the time of this photo, the unit would likely pass through Corbin many more times while working for its’ second owner.

L&N SD40-2 #3562 would go onto have a rather interesting history itself. Built in October 1974, the unit was approaching its’ second birthday at the time of this photo. A few years later, in 1982, the engine received minor damage to the nose after a washout wreck at Whiteside, TN. Interestingly, the unit emerged from the event with a solid grey short hood, an example of the L&N’s habit of experimenting with nose paint options (solid yellow, solid grey, sawtooth patterns, etc). In the ensuing mergers of the 1980’s, the unit became SBD 3562, to SBD 8190, and subsequently CSX 8190. A renumbering to CSX 2424 and a reconfiguration to a slug “mother” meant a relocation to Rice Yard in Waycross, GA, where recent photos reveal the unit in the current “dark future” paint scheme.

‘Til next time,

Cheers,

Peter.