The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE — Chesapeake and Ohio SD40 diesel locomotive No. 7534 is now on display at the C&O Historical Society’s Railway Heritage Center museum in Clifton Forge.
Completing a journey for a famous locomotive that started its life as one of the modern Chesapeake and Ohio Railway’s workhorses, it became a darling of railfans as the last CSX Transportation locomotive still wearing an original C&O Railway paint scheme. It was then donated and restored by CSX to the C&O Historical Society.
In addition to the major equipment donation, a museum-quality restoration was performed over an approximately six-month period by CSX employees at the locomotive shops in Huntington, W.Va.
The interior and exterior restoration of the 7534 will allow the C&OHS to utilize the engine as an educational tool and exhibit piece at the C&O Railway Heritage Center, which features an array of other historic rail equipment, including a restored dining car and two former C&O Railway business cars.
Expressing satisfaction with seeing the historic SD40 on public display and positioned at the C&O Railway Heritage Center’s replica passenger station platform, C&O Historical Society President Mark Totten stated, “Even though its home is just across the Virginia border in Alleghany County, I hope the CSX craftsmen in West Virginia see the 7534 as the Pride of Huntington.
“Their months of work performed to lovingly return this 49-year-old locomotive to its original paint and lettering as C&O 7534 is remarkable in every way,” Totten continued. “Our visitors will see the locomotive dazzle as soon as they step on the property, and the 7534 will be our interpretive museum’s showpiece for years to come, as well as an economic driver for the town of Clifton Forge and our 51-year-old non-profit organization.”
“CSX is proud to honor the heritage of one of our predecessor roads through the donation of the SD40 No. 7534 to the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society,” said John Kitchens, CSX director of Corporate Citizenship. “This locomotive represents an important era in CSX history as well as the ongoing pride of workmanship that has carried across generations of employees at the CSX Huntington locomotive shop.
“We are delighted that such a meaningful piece of CSX history has found a new home where it will be used to educate new generations of rail enthusiasts for years to come,” Kitchens added.
In an additional honor for the C&OHS, CSX Transportation has added the C&O 7534 to its “A Legacy of Locomotives” website, which features historical projects sponsored by the railroad to commemorate its predecessor rail lines, such as the C&O Railway.
The featurette on the SD40 can be viewed at https://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-us/legacy-locomotives/sd40-7534/.
The 7534 was the third-to-last SD40 locomotive purchased by the C&O in March 1971, at the same time Kentucky native Hays T. Watkins was elected by the C&O board to be president and CEO of the combined Chesapeake and Ohio and Baltimore and Ohio. Watkins later became the first president of CSX Transportation in 1980.
Upon seeing pictures of the restored SD40 locomotive on public display in Clifton Forge, Watkins expressed approval, “The locomotive looks great.”
Totten added, “The C&O Historical Society, our officers, board of directors, and over 2,200 members worldwide want to express our profound gratitude to CSX Transportation for their incredible generosity and to the employees of the Huntington locomotive shop in West Virginia where this meticulous restoration was performed.”
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway purchased 63 SD40 diesel locomotive units between July 1966 and March 1971.
General Motors Electro-Motive Division produced its groundbreaking SD40 model 3,000-horsepower diesel electric locomotives between 1966 and 1971, delivering 1,220 engines to U.S. and Canadian railroads. These were part of C&O’s early higher-horsepower engine fleet.
They were part of what is termed the “second generation” of diesel motive power. C&O used the SD40s in all regions of the C&O and B&O systems and then Chessie System, hauling main-line trains. They continued in service during the era of Chessie System up through 1985, and most were incorporated into the CSX motivepower fleet.
The 7534 was built in March 1971 as part of the railway’s last SD40 order, for engines numbered 7527-7536, and was one of the last SD40s built. The unit ended service lettered as CSX 4617.
The C&O Railway Heritage Center, where the restored locomotive will be displayed for the public, offers a multi-dimensional railroad heritage experience that tells the story of the C&O Railway from its beginning in 1836 to today’s CSX.
The story is told through a variety of historic railroad freight and passenger cars, a C&O steam locomotive, C&O diesel locomotives, railroad buildings, and displays of historic artifacts in the former Smith Creek Yard freight station.
The C&O Railway Heritage Center remains closed in support of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s declaration that recreation and entertainment businesses are considered non-essential and Executive Order 53.
The Clifton Forge museum will re-open no earlier than June, according to the Commonwealth’s phased reopening plan, and the C&OHS looks forward to beginning the 2020 season and celebrating the historic C&O 7534 as its showpiece.
The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society is a non-profit corporation dedicated to interpreting the American railway experience using C&O’s history through drawings, documents and artifacts which the society collects, preserves, and makes available to as broad an audience as possible.
The C&O Historical Society was organized in January 1969 and in 1975 was incorporated as a non-profit organization.
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Chesapeake and Ohio SD40 diesel locomotive No. 7534 is now on display at the C&O Historical Society’s Railway Heritage Center museum in Clifton Forge. CSX Transportation donated the locomotive to the C&OHS after restoring it at the CSX locomotive shops in Huntington, W.Va. (Photo Courtesy C&O Historical Society, Doug Andre)
