“L&N” F7A 819

This EMD F7A started out in life in June 1952 as Bessemer and Lake Erie Railway 719. For over fifty years, it was 719’s duty to move iron ore from the docks on Lake Erie to the steel mills near Pittsburgh, PA. 719 and other F Units like this were still moving ore jenny cars around the ore docks at Conneaut, OH and Erie, PA as late as 2000! At the end of this unit’s career, the entire F Unit fleet was sold to locomotive resale company Larry’s Truck and Electric Co. in 2000. TCRM would purchase this unit along with sister 715 and two B-Units.

Although the restoration has been long and daunting, it is hoped that the rechristened 819, wearing the blue and cream colors of the L&N passenger fleet, will soon be hitting the rails on the head end of our trains.