Although Akron Barberton Cluster motive power typically has handled the ABC job that serves Kent and Ravenna, locomotives from parent Wheeling & Lake Erie often has pitched in to help when needed.
Such was the case on Nov. 4, 2005, when GP35 No. 2662 worked the job. Apparently the crew had not cars to take back to Akron on this day.
No. 2662, one of two locomotives to received this striking red and gold livery, is passing the former Erie Railroad passenger station in Kent.
Wheeling & Lake Erie GP35-3 No. 2662 is one of the most sought after Wheeling units by railroad photographs because of its bright red and gold scheme.
It is shown working in Brewster on Sept. 2, 2009. The W&LE once had two units painted in these colors.
Early in its history, the modern Wheeling & Lake Erie held a competition among its employees to design a locomotive livery.
The winner was a bright combination of red and gold that was applied to two GP35s, Nos. 2662 and 2679. W&LE CEO Larry Parsons often referred to them as the “painted ladies.”
Parsons believes that the best color for a locomotive is black so the red and gold look was not widely applied.
No. 2679 has since been rebuilt and repainted in the W&LE’s standard livery, but No. 2662 remains on the active roster in its red and gold appearance.
The two units are shown together in the above images in Akron on May 8, 1994.
They had led an excursion train from Bellevue into town and parked it near Summit Street.
Passengers were taken by bus to Quaker Square for dinner. I remember that it was Mother’s Day.
The two “painted ladies” are shown ready to return to Bellevue. The train was sponsored by the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum and operated under the name Bradley Memorial Limited in honor of a boy who had died far too early.
The fact that No. 2662 is still in service means the image is not yet lost history, even if it is historic.
The images also qualify as nostalgic because the W&LE no longer will agree to host excursion trains such as these.
This would be the only time that I saw the two “painted ladies” paired together on the same train.
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