More LE&E power for the 70's: beaten, battered, run down, and dirty. Towards the end of the 60's and the beginning of the 70's, these old units were systematically relegated to drag and helper service, as the LE&E started to focus on ferrying ore and coal to the N&W at Cincinnati and Columbus. These units, once in charge of fast freights on the high speed mainline from Pittsburgh to Chicago, were by the 1970's at the end of their service lives. The LE&E, strapped for cash, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, and trying to deal with a motive power shortage, soldiered on, repairing first generation power to run as best as they could with what was available.
After I get bored with motive power and rollingstock, I'll prolly move on to actually finishing this route. For now, I have more F3s and F7s, F3 and F7Bs, RS1s, GP7/9s, GP40s, Erie Builts, and pretty much anything else on my roster. SD45s should be appearing soon too, and those SD45-2s are getting touched up soon as well. Lots to do!