Thank you for your shots of real classic locomotives . A breath of fresh air . Al BN engr.
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To the best of my knowledge only one Ex-Clinchfield F-7 remains, sort of. Some where around 1986 or 1987 R.J. Corman bought an F-7 from either the Illinois Central or VMV at Paducah, Ky. Mr. Corman basically bought a car body, a pair of trucks and a fuel tank. I asked Rick if he knew which railroad his parts came from. His answer was that the unit was built as an F-5 for the Clinchfield, which the railroad then had up rated to an F-7. That "shell" was given a solid floor from the forward wall of the engine room to the rear end. The side truss area and roof and both ends were heavily insulated creating his first Board Room. The Four Roof Fans became skylights and the port holes were retained, both double glazed. The Board Room also has a Lionel track which runs around the room near the roof. The trucks one of which is a Defosco from Canada retain the proper size wheels, but have no traction motors or gearing. The last time that I was in the engine the cab was mostly intact and probably remain so. This "engine" is paired with an Ex - Auto Train Budd short dome car that Rick bought at the Auto Train auction. The dome car was Rick's office until he had his station built. The Station sits in front of the R.J. Corman headquarters in Nicholasville, Kentucky along with the ex- Clinchfield F-7 And Budd dome (both of which are under cover) but highly visible. Sadly Mr. Corman is buried beside the large sign in front of Hanger One. The up stairs portion of hanger one contains the Dispatchers Office which controls all R.J. Corman Railroad Company train movements. Rick was a helicopter pilot and was known to keep an eye on his operations, literally. Hanger one normally holds the corporate jets.
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