When did the C of G paint begin to be replaced with Southern paint and C of G lettering (like the new LL SD7 in N), and when did this give way to standard SOU paint with CG on the cab?

-- John Taylor (hhtaylor@toad.net), January 27, 1998

Answers

I distinctly remember 812 (still in brown/orange/yellow and lettered for the CofG) being the second unit (behind IC E9 4036) pulling the northbound City of New Orleans through Batesville, MS in December of 1970.

-- sean edwards (createworks@mindspring.com), November 24, 2000.

On May 16, 1970, E7As 802 and 808 pulled the last runs of the Man O' War. 802 was the engine for the trip from Columbus to Atlanta. 808 was the engine for the trip from Atlanta to Columbus. Both had received "Southern" flanks. 808 had the nose herald. 802 did not. Neither, I recall, had CofG initials.

The morning trip to Atlanta had the Fort Mitchell and the Fort McPherson. The evening trip had those two cars and a Southern coach. Does anyone have info on this car?

Remarkable in all this: on Monday, 5/18/70, the 808 ran as the Raymond Turn; arriving Raymond at 1:45pm with 7/0 585 tons and departing at 2:05pm with 5/2 450 tons. If I had only known!!!

I have always suspected that the passenger equipment that went into Columbus on the final run of the MOW was sent to B'ham on the City of Miami. But, it could have been deadheaded to Macon and then to Atlanta. Does anyone know?

The relettering of the CG diesels had to begin in late 1969 or early 1970. The GP9s were renumbered 6258 - 6268. And one of those diesels was the work train engine when the MOW struck a low-boy in East Newnan after the schedule had been flipped.

About the same time, 201-207 were relettered Southern. 204 was working as 99/100's engine between Cedartown and Chattanooga and had been relettered. At some point, the GP18s were relettered as well. It took a while for the GP7s to be renumbered. I'm not sure if any of the GP7s were relettered before they were renumbered. Photos anyone?

-- David Payne (DavidCofGa@aol.com), November 20, 1998.

Larry is correct. CofG E-7's 802 and 808 were relettered "Southern" around 1970, but the photos I have of these units do not indicate the presence of any sublettering. Also, these units did not carry this lettering very long as both the 802 and the 808 were retired in December 1970 and went in on trade to EMD in early 1971 for an order of SD-40's.

As info, I have photos of both units lettered "Central of Georgia" shot in April 1969 and another photo of the 802 with the 808 in the background in the storage line in Chattanooga in December 1970, and both bear the lettering "Southern".

For what its worth...

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), July 18, 1998.

The CofG lettering was replaced by "Southern" as early as spring of 1970 on at least some E units, per photos that I took.

-- Larry Goolsby (LGoolsby@apwa.org), July 16, 1998.

I'm not certain, but the SR scheme seems to have been phased in in the 1960's beginning shortly after the SOU takeover 6-17-63. Largely accomplished by 66 or so. The Southern began replacing full CofG lettering (along with S&A, G&F, etc.) with "Southern" with sublettering in 1972.

That's the best info I have, anyone with more precise info, I'd like to have it.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), January 30, 1998.