Many people have asked me over the years "What is your favorite shortline?" Well folks, here it is. And this photo typifies why. Two factory-original EMD units in spotless as-delivered paint (although they had been recently repainted when I took this photo in 2003). The A&R is what I call a "true original" in that it has always been a shortline, and still is to this day, even though so many were bought by rapidly expanding major railroads. To top it off, the A&R has only had one owner for over 100 years-- the Blue family. It defies the odds on so many levels.
