When Norfolk Southern acquired an A-B-B-A set of F units in 2006 to pull its executive train, it created a ripple of excitement among railfans. Painted in a striking black and white “tuxedo” scheme with gold trim and lettering that mimicked a former Southern Railway livery, the F units and their train were coveted catches among railfan photographers.
They didn’t come around all that often and many times when they did I was unable to get track side due to work or other obligations. So when I could get out to see and photograph them it was a treat.
My first sighting of the NS F units came on June 16, 2008, on the Cleveland Line at Brady Lake.
Shown above is the NS executive train heading westbound through Olmsted Falls on the Chicago Line on Oct. 16, 2010. It was a glorious sun-splashed day with some fall foliage starting to show its colors.
I don’t recall where the executive train was headed. It might have been Chicago.
Today the NS F units are gone. They were sold in late 2019 with one A-B set going to the Reading & Northern and another to the Aberdeen Carolina & Western.
NS still runs its executive train but it’s pulled by standard freight locomotives.
Like anythings else on the railroad I don’t have as many photographs of NS F units as I might like to have, but, overall, I’m satisfied with what I was able to get. That includes the images above, which are scanned from slides.
Article and Photographs by Craig Sanders
Tags: Norfolk Southern, NS Chicago Line, NS executive train, NS F units, NS OCS train, NS office car train, Ol, Olmsted Falls Ohio
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