Norfolk Southern is honoring its predecessor railroads during 2012, its 30th anniversary year, by painting 19 new locomotives in commemorative schemes that reflect the heritage of those predecessors.

 Since the 1820's, hundreds of railroad companies were built, merged, reorganized, and consolidated into what eventually became Norfolk Southern, itself created from the consolidation of Southern Railway and Norfolk and Western Railway in 1982. In 1999, Norfolk Southern expanded the scope of its heritage with its acquisition of a portion of Conrail. The heritage locomotives will represent most of the railroads that played significant roles in Norfolk Southern’s history. The first units will be delivered in March, and all units are expected to be riding the rails by June 1, Norfolk Southern’s 30th anniversary date.

“The heritage locomotives reflect the pride we take in our long and colorful history,” said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. “As they travel through our system, these state-of-the-art units in vintage livery will serve as reminders to our customers, employees, and communities that the modern rail network that keeps America competitive today and into the future has deep roots in the nation’s past.”

Each paint scheme will be modified to fit contemporary locomotives while staying as true as possible to the original designs. Norfolk Southern employees in Altoona, Pa., and Chattanooga, Tenn., will paint GE ES44AC locomotives, while the EMD SD70ACe units will be painted at Progress Rail Services’ facility in Muncie, Ind. The heritage locomotives will be used to haul freight across Norfolk Southern’s 20,000-mile, 22-state network.

New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (NW, GE) was commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, a moniker it acquired when the Norwalk (Ohio) Chronicle referred to it in 1881 as “the great New York and St. Louis double track, nickel plated railroad,” supposedly indicative of its solid financial backing.

Features:

• Hi-Ad or Steerable Trucks
• Directional Headlight
• Illuminated Ditch Lights
  
• Smooth, Powerful drive with 5 Pole Motor and Dual Flywheels
  
• Separate Cut Levers
  
• Optional Metal Grab Irons
  
• Blackened Metal Wheels
  
• Easy to add DCC with Digitrax DZ125IN or Train Control Systems TCS EUN651