NS Purchases A-B-B-A F Units

There is a rumor that NS purchased an A-B-B-A set of F units for their inspection train. They will reportedly be painted in a scheme similar to the Southern's. Can anyone confirm? Didn't they own two of the ex-CR E units from the CR executive train? Why did they sell them in the first place?

Aye they did indeed buy an A-B-B-A set of F units. Infact, here they are!
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=162927
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=162921
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=162926

Awesome! I guess I should have read down more as someone confirmed this as well. Can't wait to see the new paint! Thanks....Mike

It was also reported in Railpace that Norfolk Southern also bought NYSW E9's. Can anyone confirm this?

Boy, I hope they don't do a plain black dip-job on these units..

If I had to hazzard a geuss I would say the locos would be painted in the same deep red as the passenger equipment they would be pulling on a regular basis. Like Conrail, the NS executive train is painted in different colors than their standard dip.

Most reports indicate black and white Southern style Tuxedo with gold lettering and striping on the A units and black and white with gold striping with no lettering on the B units.

Were these former MARC units? NS will have a nice engine set for its executive train-F units are not easy to find today-especially an A-B-B-A set. MACTRAXX

Hi All,

Can't think of a more beautiful way to put 6000 hp at the point of a passenger train. If they turn out as nice as Union Pacific's A-B-A E-9 lashup it will be something to see. Frankly, I think you would have to really put your mind to it to make them not look great. They look like they are moving even when they are standing still.

Yes, I believe those are the ex MARC...xxxxxB&O F units. One of the B's might be CGW? I'm not sure

Supposedly they will be painted in a Southern-esque paint scheme. Black with Gold Striping.

I read none of the units have dynamic brakes.
http://www.nsdash9.com/rosters/4270.html
http://www.nsdash9.com/rosters/4275.html

Well according to the link they are F9's. I did not think MARC still had any before the sale to the previous owners.

The NYSW E9's that were on sale at D.F. Barnhardt are off the current Locomotive list. So they must have been sold, to who, I don't know. They were nice though.

I will be eager to see the new paint job. Hopefully they do a system showing. Would love to get a few pics. However, the colors would look a little odd for the OCS train with the Maroon color of their passenger cars.

Before they were sold to the KCS they were owned by a group I believe was based out of St Louis Mo. The name escapes me for the moment.

According to the January issue of Trains magazine The F's are from Railcruise america based from St Louis. Then they were sold to the KCS along with their paasenger cars. NS then bought the F's from KCS.

The F unit history's according to Trains are:

F-9A- (To be numbered NS 4270) was built as B&O 937 (F-7A)
F-9A- (To be numbered NS 4271) was built as B&O 947 (F-7A)
F-7B- (To be NS 4275) was built as CGW 113D (F-7B)
F-7B- (To be NS 4276) was built as CGW 114B (F-7B)