Conrail Cadillacs

With dynamic brakes whinning, Norfolk Southern 7200 leads NS freight 11A though the Turtle Creek valley at Pitcarin.

Nicknamed the Cadillacs of Conrail, the SD80Macs are the next to last order before being taken over by rivals Norfolk Southern and CSX. If not for the merger, Conrail may of ended up with over 100 of these 5,000 HP machines. Instead, only 30 where ever built. (Not to mention the proposed Conrail GP70Ms that were never built.)

Only 2 live on with sky blue paint and Conrail can openers on their side. The rest have faded to Norfolk Southern black and CSX dark future. (July 29th, 2010 EDIT, since I uploaded this, those two have faded to black!!!)

NS 7200 is former Conrail 4101, the first SD80Mac I seen, way back in Febuary 1996. No more than three miles east of this shot at Trafford, PA.

This is the last time I would ever see a pair of SD80Macs in blue...Ahh yes, the only thing constant in life IS CHANGE.