EMD GP7 & GP9 - Rhubarb Loop

The GP7, introduced in 1949, was the first of EMD’s road-switcher line and the forerunner of a dynasty. It carried the same machinery as the F7 — a 16-cylinder 567B engine rated at 1,500 hp — but wrapped in a hood-type carbody that gave crews better visibility and shops easier access to internal equipment. It could do almost anything: heavy freights on mountain grades, suburban passenger turns with a steam generator, yard switching, or standing in for cab units when needed.

The GP9 followed in 1954 with the 567C engine uprated to 1,750 hp. Outwardly near-identical to the GP7, it offered a little more muscle but kept the same winning formula. Together, they set the template for the modern road-switcher. Railroads bought thousands, and they became the everyday diesel: as likely to be found with a short wayfreight on a branch as at the head of a through freight.

Boston & Maine

GP7

No.	Liveries	Notes	Photographs
1555	Maroon & Gold until at least Apr 1968. Blue Dip by Dec 1969. Large “Boston & Maine” and yellow steps by Nov 1979.	Built Sep 1950	RRPA
1556	Maroon & Gold until at least Dec 1973. Blue Dip by 20 Apr 1978		RRPA
1557	Maroon & Gold until at least Feb 1972. Blue Dip by Aug 1974		RRPA
1558	Maroon & Gold until at least. Blue Dip by 21 Apr 1976		RRPA
1559	Maroon & Gold until at least. Blue Dip, white sill stripe includes fuel tank skirt (only one to get this) by 22 Mar 1969. Black fuel tank skirt by 24 Feb 1974. Orange steps by 7 Oct 1978.		RRPA
1560	Maroon & Gold until at least. Blue Dip and orange steps by 4 Sep 1980.
1561	Maroon & Gold until at least.	Atlas Maroon & Gold Standard 40 002 168, DCC 40 002 187.	RRPA
1562	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1563	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1564	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1565	Maroon & Gold until at least.	Atlas Maroon & Gold Standard 40 002 169, DCC 40 002 188.	RRPA
1566	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1567	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1568	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1569	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1570	Maroon & Gold until at least.	Atlas Maroon & Gold Standard 40 002 170, DCC 40 002 189.	RRPA
1571	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1572	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1573	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1574	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1575	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1576	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA
1577	Maroon & Gold until at least.		RRPA

GP9

Boston & Maine EMD GP9 No. 1711 switches freight cars at Portland, Maine, on 25 July 1989, under Guilford Transportation Industries ownership. The locomotive wears the faded blue “Boston and Maine” scheme, with weathering and grime reflecting its hard-working yard duties in the railroad’s later years. © Greg F. Brewer

Boston & Maine GP9 No. 1741 and a trio of blue Geeps are seen at Berlin, New Hampshire, in July 1981. Built by EMD in July 1957, No. 1741 was one of the railroad’s long-serving GP9s and later became Springfield Terminal No. 72 before entering preservation on the Conway Scenic Railroad. The photograph captures a classic Berlin scene during the final years of regular Boston & Maine operations, with the former Grand Trunk Railway trackage around Berlin and nearby Groveton still providing an important connection between the Mountain Division and northern New Hampshire. © David Kruschwitz

No.	Liveries	Notes	Photographs
1700		Atlas Blue & White Standard 40 000 425, DCC 40 000 452.	RRPA
1701			RRPA
1702			RRPA
1703			RRPA
1704			RRPA
1705			RRPA
1706			RRPA
1707			RRPA
1708			RRPA
1709			RRPA
1710			RRPA
1711			RRPA
1712
1713
1714
1715
1716
1717		Atlas Blue & White Standard 40 000 426, DCC 40 000 453.
1718
1719
1720
1721
1722			RRPA
1723			RRPA
1724			RRPA
1725			RRPA
1726			RRPA
1727			RRPA
1728			RRPA
1729			RRPA
1730			RRPA
1731			RRPA
1732		Atlas McGinnis Blue NEN-1.	RRPA
1733	The last McGinnis “Bluebird” until August 1982.		RRPA
1734			RRPA
1735			RRPA
1736			RRPA
1737			RRPA
1738			RRPA
1739			RRPA
1740			RRPA
1741			RRPA
1742			RRPA
1743			RRPA
1744			RRPA
1745			RRPA
1746			RRPA
1747			RRPA
1748			RRPA
1749		Atlas McGinnis Blue NEN-2.	RRPA
1750			RRPA
1751			RRPA
1752			RRPA
1753			RRPA
1754			RRPA
1755			RRPA
1756			RRPA
1757			RRPA
1758			RRPA
1759			RRPA

Maine Central

On the Maine Central, the GP7s were nothing short of transformative. Ordered in several batches, they quickly replaced steam, worked every corner of the system, and became the everyday face of railroading in New England. Delivered in maroon and gold or pine green, they later cycled through Harvest Gold and finally Guilford grey. Waterville shops rebuilt many with chop-noses from the early 1970s onwards, keeping them useful long after second-generation GP38s and U18Bs had taken the main line work.

The original twenty units were joined in 1978 by four second-hand GP7s from the Louisville & Nashville (renumbered 590–593) and in 1981 by a single GP9 from the Algoma Central, built as late as 1963. Several carried steam generators when new, visible by the extra fittings on the short hood, but these were long out of use by the time Guilford arrived. A handful of survivors escaped the scrapper and can still be found on tourist or short-line duty today.

class DRS-3a = MU & dynamic brakes (561-569)
class DRS-3b = MU & steam generator (571-580)
class DRS-3d = steam generator

Maine Central GP7 No. 561 stands in a yard at South Portland, Maine, wearing the railroad’s maroon and gold livery, with sister unit No. 563 visible behind. The scene captures everyday diesel operations in the early 1970s, with weathering and grime reflecting regular freight service on the MEC system. 1972. © Unknown

On 17 April 1977, Maine Central GP7 No. 561 stands at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, wearing the classic maroon and gold livery. A Burlington Northern boxcar is visible behind, highlighting interchange traffic typical of the period. © Bob Sheridan

On 13 August 1985, Maine Central GP7 No. 561 stands at Bucksport, Maine, in Harvest Gold and black livery, with sister unit No. 568 partially visible at right. © Richard Merriam

Maine Central GP7 No. 561 in Harvest Gold and black livery stands at Bangor, Maine, with a crew member visible in the cab on 24 August 1988. © Richard Louderback

On 11 June 1976, Maine Central GP7 No. 562 stands at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, in Harvest Gold and black livery. Buildings of the town rise behind the locomotive, including prominent church spires overlooking the yard. © Richard Merriam

Maine Central GP7 No. 563 is photographed at Rigby Yard in South Portland, Maine, in September 1967. Built by Electro-Motive Division in October 1950 (serial 12364), the locomotive was among the railroad’s earliest GP7s, delivered as part of an initial order of five dynamic brake-equipped locomotives, numbered 561–565. It still wears the handsome Boston & Maine-inspired maroon and gold livery introduced during the dieselisation era, complete with the Pine Tree herald. No. 563 handled both road freight and local assignments across the system during the 1950s and 1960s, becoming one of the Maine Central’s most recognisable first-generation diesel types. © David S. Hutchinson Collection

Maine Central GP7 No. 563 at Rigby Yard, South Portland, Maine, in June 1976. From the Henry Allen Collection. © James Boudreaux

Maine Central GP7 no. 564 shuffles a boxcar through the yard at St. Johnsbury in July 1976. Wearing one of several variations of the green and gold scheme carried by the class in this period, the veteran road-switcher handles local work in a yard that remained busy with interchange traffic. © Brian Nicholson

Maine Central EMD GP7 No. 565 stands at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on 12 July 1979, in a heavily weathered Harvest Gold scheme. The locomotive carries large cab-side numerals and the rectangular Maine Central herald on the short hood. © Bill Rogerson

Maine Central GP7 no. 566 stands in the yard at St. Johnsbury in May 1975, wearing the road’s green and gold scheme typical of the era. One of the veteran first-generation road-switchers, it handled local and yard duties at this important junction with Canadian Pacific and the St. Johnsbury & Lamoille County, just a few years before Mountain Division through service came to an end. © Brian Nicholson

A Maine Central local freight, led by EMD GP7 No. 567, works through Waterville, Maine, on 22 August 1978. The train includes a load of pulpwood, reflecting the core traffic that sustained the railroad, while yard activity continues in the background. A BFI (Browning-Ferris Industries) rear-loading refuse truck stands beside the yard office, possibly a Mack cab-over. If anyone can confirm the make and model, it would be great to know. © Bill Rogerson

Maine Central EMD GP7 No. 567 stands at Calais, Maine, in July 1982, wearing the familiar harvest gold and green livery. The locomotive is shown in a yard setting alongside service equipment, with a caboose to the right and the surrounding townscape visible beyond. © Greg F. Brewer

Springfield Terminal GP7 No. 25, formerly Maine Central No. 567, is seen at Binghamton, New York, on 17 April 1988. Built by EMD in November 1953, the locomotive was delivered in Maine Central’s original Pine Green and Yellow livery before receiving the railroad’s harvest gold paint scheme by July 1978. Hastily patched with Springfield Terminal lettering and renumbered No. 25, it still retains its Pine Tree herald and harvest gold finish, although it would later be repainted into Guilford grey. The locomotive is pictured alongside Boston & Maine SD39 No. 692, an ex-Norfolk & Western locomotive, illustrating the colourful mix of motive power that could still be found around Binghamton during the Guilford era. © John Mech

Maine Central GP7 No. 569 stands at South Portland, Maine, on 5 October 1963. Built by EMD in December 1953, the locomotive was delivered new to the Maine Central and is seen here in the railroad’s attractive green and gold paint scheme. In later years it passed into the Guilford fleet, becoming Delaware & Hudson No. 569 in 1984 and Springfield Terminal No. 26 in 1988 before retirement in 1993. © Matt Herson

Maine Central GP7 no. 569 stands at Rigby Yard, South Portland, Maine, on the night of 18 February 1972. Fresh snow lies across the yard as the locomotive idles under yard lights, its numberboards and ground light glowing in the winter haze. A classic view of first-generation power in everyday service, captured during a quiet moment on a cold Maine night. © George Pitarys

Maine Central GP7 No. 569, in simplified Pine Green, leads sister unit 565 westbound past Tower Two at Rigby Yard in August 1972. © Glen Perry

Maine Central GP7 no. 569 leads westbound XW-2 through Corinna, Maine, on 10 January 1978, with sister GP7 no. 573 trailing. The train is made up largely of pulpwood loads bound for the International Paper mill at Rileyville and will soon reach Newport Junction to head west for Waterville. Snow-covered fields and a low winter sky set the scene on the lightly built Foxcroft Branch, a line later abandoned and lifted. © Don Marson

Maine Central EMD GP7 no. 569, in worn Simplified Pine Green, leads an eastbound freight past CP-Mills, 4.6 miles from Portland on the Mountain Division near Westbrook, Maine, in the early 1980s. “CP” denotes a Controlled Point, while “Mills” takes its name from Cumberland Mills. A blue Boston & Maine boxcar trails immediately behind, with a string of sand hoppers behind, possibly moving as a detour off the Conway Branch. The train passes a General Railway Signal searchlight signal marking the end of CTC territory. © Jack Hughes

Maine Central GP7 no. 569, in Guilford “G” livery but lettered for the Delaware & Hudson, stands at Mechanicville, New York, on 11 January 1984 while crew attend to the MU hoses in deep winter conditions. Behind is Maine Central GP7 no. 573, also lettered for the Delaware & Hudson. Snow and ice cling to the locomotives and trackside equipment, capturing the harsh realities of operations during the early Guilford era. © Glen Perry

Maine Central GP7 no. 569, in Guilford “G” livery but lettered for the Delaware & Hudson, works at Bucksport, Maine, on 19 May 1984. Immediately behind is Maine Central U18B no. 402 General John Stark, one of the railroad’s “Independence Class” units. Tank cars are standing in a siding behind the buggy. © Glen Perry

WH-1, the Waterville–Bangor Hill Yard through freight at Oakland, Maine, in March 1971. This was the last Maine Central unit repainted into green before the switch to Harvest Gold, with GP7 No. 578 next through Waterville after a wreck and chop-nose rebuild. © George Melvin

Maine Central GP7 no. 571 stands with a caboose at Lewiston, Maine, on 24 August 1978. Immediately behind the locomotive is a Trailer Train flatcar carrying a highway trailer, a reminder of the growing importance of TOFC traffic even on secondary lines. One of the road’s dependable early road-switchers, the GP7 remained a mainstay of local and yard work into the late 1970s, its Pine Tree Green scheme well suited to the workaday setting. The lightly overgrown yard and caboose bring the scene firmly into the everyday rhythm of Maine Central operations in this period. © Bill Rogerson

Maine Central GP7 no. 571 leads a westbound freight past the station at Lincoln, Maine, in March 1979, as a crew member stands ready with an order hoop. Despite the clear order board, trains could still receive paperwork on the move, particularly when maintaining momentum was important for the stiff climb west toward Pollard Brook. The exhaust and posture of the train suggest it is moving at speed, reflecting the need to keep tonnage rolling. The locomotive wears Maine Central’s green scheme with yellow striping, standing out against the snow-covered scene, while the station building and parked Ford pickup firmly place the moment in everyday late-era operations. © Richard E. Samsel

GP7 No. 571 stands at St. Johnsbury on 30 May 1980. It was the first of eleven Maine Central GP7s delivered with steam generators, visible by the stack on the short hood and boiler water fill under the “N” in Maine. By this date, the equipment was likely out of use. © Richard Merriam

Maine Central GP7 No. 572 at Newport Junction, Maine, in 1982. By this time, only sister unit 573 retained water tanks for its steam generator, while 572 had lost its own and no longer carried steam-heating equipment. The locomotive had been repainted in the original green-and-gold “heritage” scheme in 1978. © Michael Shufelt

Maine Central GP7 No. 573 stands at Waterville, Maine, on 21 February 1983. Built by EMD in September 1950, the locomotive is seen in Guilford’s orange, grey and black “Big G” livery while still carrying Maine Central reporting marks. The following year it was renumbered Delaware & Hudson No. 573 before becoming Springfield Terminal No. 27 in 1988. The locomotive was later preserved by the Conway Scenic Railroad, where it remains in service. © Michael Spearing

Maine Central GP7 No. 575 stands at South Portland, Maine, on 5 October 1963. Built by EMD in October 1952, the locomotive is seen in the Maine Central’s striking maroon and gold paint scheme. Another GP7, No. 567, can be seen in the background wearing the railroad’s later green and gold livery. No. 575 passed into the Guilford fleet in 1981, became Springfield Terminal No. 17 in 1987, and remained in service until 1993. © Matt Herson

Maine Central GP7 No. 577 stands at Waterville, Maine, on 15 December 1977. Built by EMD in October 1952, the locomotive is seen wearing a heavily weathered version of Maine Central’s maroon and gold paint scheme. The fading paint and rust streaking reflect the difficult New England climate and the railroad’s increasingly constrained finances during the 1970s. No. 577 later became part of the Guilford fleet following the company’s acquisition of the Maine Central in 1981. © Matt Herson

Photographed by Steven M Geisler at the Maine Central engine facility, Rigby Yard, South Portland, in June 1976. With the crew’s cooperation, locomotives were positioned for better photographs, capturing a representative mix of GP7, GP38, and U18B power then in use. © Steven M Geisler

Maine Central GP7 No. 579 stands at Waterville, Maine, on 24 October 1978. Built by EMD in October 1952, the locomotive is seen in Maine Central’s maroon and gold paint scheme, weathered by more than 25 years of service. The locomotive became part of Guilford Transportation Industries following its acquisition of the Maine Central in 1981 and was later sold to Midwest Steel & Alloy, where it was scrapped in 1988. © Warren Calloway

GP7 No. 580, the last Maine Central unit to carry the Boston & Maine–inspired maroon and gold scheme, shunts cars at Waterville in 1980. © Michael Shufelt

Maine Central EMD GP7 #581 (formerly Portland Terminal #1081) at Waterville, Maine, summer 1978. Equipped with a steam generator for passenger service. © William Johnson

No.	Liveries	Notes	Photographs	Modelling
561	Maroon & Gold until at least Dec 1979, Harvest Gold by April 1980	Class DRS-3a, Built Oct 1950, Serial 12362. Springfield Terminal #22 in 1988. East Penn Railroad #22 Nov 1997. It was sold as AF Railway Industries Inc #22 in 2007.	RRPA	Atlas 48045 Maine Central (Maroon/Gold) June 2001 ★.
562	Maroon & Gold until at least May 1973, Harvest Gold by April 1975	Class DRS-3a, Built Oct 1950, Serial 12363. Springfield Terminal #23 in 1988. Larry’s Truck Equipment #23 Dec 1998.	RRPA	Atlas 48063 Maine Central (Harvest Gold/Pine Green) June 2005 ★.
563	Maroon & Gold until at least Aug 1973, Harvest Gold by Jan 1976	Class DRS-3a, Built Oct 1950, Serial 12364564. Springfield Terminal #24	RRPA
564	Maroon & Gold, Simplified Pine Green by Sep 1967.	Class DRS-3a, Built Oct 1950, Serial 12365. Rebuilt with chopped nose and renumbered #470 in Dec 1982.	RRPA	Atlas 48046 Maine Central (Maroon/Gold) June 2001 ★.
565	Maroon & Gold. Pine Green & Gold by 1956, until at least Jul 1972. Harvest Gold by Nov 1974.	Class DRS-3a, Built Oct 1950, Serial 12366. Springfield Terminal #14 in Feb 1987, retired in Jul 1990. Scrapped Oct 1995.	RRPA	Atlas 48064 Maine Central (Harvest Gold/Green) June 2005 ★.
566	Delivered in Pine Green & Yellow. Simplified Pine Green by Mar 1969 until at least Oct 1981. Harvest Gold by Feb 1982.	Class DRS-3a, Built Nov 1953, Serial 19041.	RRPA	Atlas 40 000 419 Maine Central (Pine Green/Gold) November 2011 ★. Atlas 40 000 448 Maine Central (Pine Green/Gold) DCC November 2011 ★.
567	Delivered in Pine Green & Yellow. Harvest Gold by Jul 1978.	Class DRS-3a, Built Nov 1953, Serial 19042. Springfield Terminal #25.	RRPA
568	Delivered in Pine Green & Yellow. Harvest Gold by May 1979 until at least May 1984.	Class DRS-3a, Built Dec 1953, Serial 19302. Springfield Terminal #15 in 1987.	RRPA	Atlas 40 000 420 Maine Central (Pine Green/Gold) November 2011 ★. Atlas 40 000 449 Maine Central (Pine Green/Gold) November 2011 DCC ★.
569	Pine Green & Yellow. Simplified Pine Green Guilford Grey in Jan 1984 lettered for Delaware & Hudson until 1988.	Class DRS-3a, Built Dec 1953, Serial 19303. Delaware & Hudson #569 Jan 1984; Springfield Terminal #26 in 1988; Retired Nov 1993; Scrapped Jul 1994 by Industrial Marine Service at Waterville, ME.	RRPA	Atlas 40 000 421 Maine Central (Pine Green/Gold) November 2011 ★.
571	Delivered in Maroon & Yellow, retained until at least Feb 1967. Simplified Pine Green in the late 1960s until at least Aug 1981.	Class DRS-3b, Built Sep 1950, Serial 12367. Rebuilt with chop nose as MEC 471	RRPA
572	Maroon & Gold. Sponsored repaint by the 470 Railroad Club of Maine by Sep 1979 until at least Oct 1985.	Class DRS-3b, Built Sep 1950, Serial 12368. Springfield Terminal #16 Feb 1987. Larry’s Truck Equipment #16 Dec 1997.	RRPA
573	Mr Miller’s Engine. In early 1963 was painted in a unique scheme with three wide yellow stripes instead of the curved “cat’s whiskers.” Repainted by Sep 1977 with another unique Pine Green “layer cake” paint scheme with silver trucks as Maine Central’s last steam-generator-equipped locomotive. Repainted in original Maroon & Gold following a wreck on 28 Oct 1981. Guilford Grey by Feb 1983. Crash in East Concord Vt. 1987.	Class DRS-3b, Built Sep 1950, Serial 12369. Regular performer on the Guilford Office Car Special (OCS). To Delaware & Hudson 573 Jan 1984; to Springfield Terminal 27 in 1988; Conway Scenic Railroad 573 Apr 1996.	RRPA
574	Maroon & Gold, Pine Green & Gold by Oct 1963. Harvest Gold in Aug 1972.	Class DRS-3b, Built Oct 1951, Serial 14755. Chop nose/Short hood lowered at MEC’s Waterville shops in Aug 1972. Springfield Terminal #13 1987, retired Jul 1996. Scrapped.	RRPA
575	Maroon & Gold until at least Jun 1977. Harvest Gold by?	Class DRS-3b, Built Oct 1952, Serial 17416. To Springfield Terminal 17 1987, retired Nov 1993. Scrapped Aug 1994 by Industrial Marine Service at Waterville, ME.	RRPA
576	Maroon & Gold until at least Jan 1973. Harvest Gold by Aug 1978.	Class DRS-3b, Built Oct 1952, Serial 17417. Springfield Terminal #28	RRPA
577	Maroon & Gold until at least Dec 1977. Harvest Gold by Jan 1981.	Class DRS-3b, Built Oct 1952, Serial 17418. Springfield Terminal 19 in 1987; to Larry’s Truck Electric 12th Dec 1997; to Tube City, Inc./Olympic Mill Service Division 18	RRPA
578	Maroon & Gold. Rebuilt and painted Harvest Gold in Jan 1972.	Class DRS-3b, Built Oct 1952, Serial 17419. Rebuilt with chopped nose Jan 1972.	RRPA
579	Maroon & Gold. Rebuilt and painted Harvest Gold in Oct 1980.	Class DRS-3b, Built Oct 1952, Serial 17420. Rebuilt with chopped nose Oct 1980. Retired in 1985; Midwest Steel & Alloy 15th Mar 1988, scrapped.	RRPA
580	Maroon & Gold. Last GP7 wearing original maroon paint in the Fall of 1982. Harvest Gold by Jul 1983.	Class DRS-3b, Built Oct 1952, Serial 17421. Springfield Terminal #19 1987. Larry’s Truck Equipment #19 Jan 1998. Rail Switching Services RSSX 19.	RRPA
581	Maroon & Gold. Harvest Gold by Jul 1976.	Class DRS-3d, Built Dec 1950, Serial 13533. Ex Portland Terminal 1081, to MEC in Dec 1956 (or Mar 1957?). Passenger equipped. Springfield Terminal #20 1987. Retired Oct 1995. Scrapped.	RRPA
590	Harvest Gold	Class unknown, Built Feb 1953, Serial 17770. Louisville & Nashville #439. Purchased by Maine Central 1978, rebuilt as #590. Springfield Terminal #10 Jan 1987. Larry’s Truck Equipment #10 Oct 2002. Rail Switching Services RSSX #10.	RRPA
591	Harvest Gold	Class unknown, Built Feb 1953, Serial 17764, Louisville & Nashville #433. Purchased by Maine Central 1978, rebuilt as #591. Springfield Terminal #11 Jan 1987. Retired Jan 1990. Scrapped 1993.	RRPA
592	Harvest Gold	Class unknown, built Mar 1950, Serial 8872. Chicago & Eastern Illinois #203, #68 in 1967 and became Louisville & Nashville #388 in 1969. Purchased by Maine Central and rebuilt in 1978 as #592. Springfield Terminal #12 Jan 1987. Niagara & Western New York Railroad #592 Apr 2002. Rail Trusts Equipment as RTEX 592 2003.	RRPA

GP7r (Rebuilt)

From the early 1970s, the Maine Central began rebuilding selected GP7s at Waterville shops with chopped noses, improving visibility and extending their usefulness. Over a span of more than a decade, five locomotives were rebuilt, with the work ranging from simple nose lowering to full cab replacements. These “GP7r” conversions became a familiar sight across the system in the 1970s and 1980s, many later passing into Guilford and Springfield Terminal service.

GP7 No. 578, Waterville’s first chop-nose rebuild, leads GP7 No. 572 at Brunswick yard on a hot August day in 1974, working RS-1 Rigby–Augusta. © Bryan Saul

Maine Central EMD GP7 no. 574 stands at Rigby Yard, South Portland, Maine, during the summer of 1980. The locomotive received its chopped short hood at Waterville Shops in August 1972. © Bill Rogerson

Maine Central’s rebuilt EMD GP7 No. 574 shunts cars at Waterville in 1980. © Michael Shufelt

Maine Central’s rebuilt GP7u No. 470 stands at South Portland, Maine, on 7 May 1984 in Guilford paint. © Chuck Zeiler

Maine Central No. 470 switching at Rumford, Maine, 1985. © Brian Bartlett

Maine Central GP7 No. 470 stands at Conklin, New York, in November 1987. Originally built by EMD in October 1950 as Maine Central No. 564, it was rebuilt with a chopped nose and received Guilford’s distinctive orange, grey and black “Big G” livery in December 1982. The locomotive subsequently became Boston & Maine No. 470 before later service in Canada. © Jim Sorenson

Maine Central GP7 No. 470 switching the paper mill at Rumford, Maine, October 1988. © Ron Wood

Former Louisville & Nashville GP7 No. 433, by then Maine Central No. 591, stands on the fuel track at Rigby Yard in South Portland, Maine, during the summer of 1980. One of the railroad’s second-hand EMD GP7s, the locomotive wears Maine Central’s distinctive Harvest Gold and Pine Green paint scheme as it awaits its next assignment. © Bill Rogerson

Maine Central train YR-1 pauses at Gilman, Vermont, on the Mountain Division on 13 August 1982 as the operator hands up train orders. Leading is GP7 No. 591, followed by U18B No. 407, GP7 No. 590 and another U18B. According to former railroad employee Bruce Toivo Penttinen, the operator on duty was René Michaud, who later transferred to Whitefield after the Gilman and Groveton agencies were consolidated. The photograph captures a classic late-era Mountain Division scene, with traditional train-order operation still in use, Maine Central’s Harvest Gold locomotive fleet, the Gilman agency station, the train-order signal, and the grade crossing. The station has since been demolished, making scenes such as this an increasingly valuable record of everyday Maine Central operations. © Gordon Smith

Maine Central train YR-1 winds through the White Mountains near Fabyans, New Hampshire, on the Mountain Division on 13 August 1982. The train is powered by GP7 No. 591, U18B No. 407, GP7 No. 590 and an unidentified U18B. The tranquil mountain setting contrasts with the hard-working freight as it follows the Ammonoosuc River through one of the most scenic sections of the Mountain Division, a route that by 1982 was nearing the end of regular through freight service. © Gordon Smith

Maine Central train YR-1 passes the classic Boston & Maine station at Fabyans, New Hampshire, on the Mountain Division on 13 August 1982. The train is powered by GP7 No. 591, U18B No. 407, GP7 No. 590 and an unidentified U18B. According to former Maine Central employee Don Marson, No. 591 would be set out at Bartlett to work the Gilman Local, a common practice that made efficient use of the railroad’s locomotive fleet. © Gordon Smith

In order of ‘chopping’…

No.	Liveries	Notes	Photographs
578	Harvest Gold	Chopped nose Jan 1972.	RRPA
574	Harvest Gold	Chopped nose Aug 1972	RRPA
593		Class unknown, built Apr 1950, Serial 8878. Chicago & Eastern Illinois #209, #74 in 1967 and became Louisville & Nashville #393 in 1969. Purchased by Maine Central in December 1978. I don’t believe it ran on the MEC until chop-nose in July 1980. Traded with EMD in 1988.	RRPA
579		Chopped nose Oct 1980. Retired in 1985; Midwest Steel & Alloy 15th Mar 1988, scrapped.	RRPA
470	Guilford Grey	Ex MEC GP7 564. Regular performer on the Guilford Office Car Special (OCS). To Boston & Maine 470 in 1990; to CDOT 470; Quebec Central RG5 “J M Giguere” Apr 2002; to Les Aciers Remi Latulippe in 2015, scrapped Aug 2015.	RRPA
471	Guilford Grey	Class unknown, built Apr 1950, Serial 8878. Chicago & Eastern Illinois #209, #74 in 1967 and became Louisville & Nashville #393 in 1969. Purchased by Maine Central in December 1978. I don’t believe it ran on the MEC until chop-nosed in July 1980. Traded with EMD in 1988.	RRPA

GP9

Maine Central’s only EMD GP9, #450 (ex-Algoma Central #171), photographed at Waterville on 26 December 1981. Acquired in June 1981, it later went to Springfield Terminal as #21 under Guilford ownership. © Glen Perry

No.	Built	Serial				Liveries	Notes	Photographs
450	Aug 1963					Harvest Gold	Ex Algoma Central 171. Purchased Jun 1981. Became Springfield Terminal #21.	RR Pictures Archives

Delaware & Hudson

Conway Scenic

Conway Scenic 1751 is an EMD GP9 locomotive operated by the Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway, New Hampshire. Originally built in September 1956 as CO 6128 for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, this locomotive has had a long and varied history, serving under multiple owners, including Finger Lakes Railway and Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad, before arriving at Conway Scenic. Renowned for its distinctive New York Central paint scheme, 1751 is a popular feature of the railroad’s excursions, often leading scenic and heritage trains through the picturesque White Mountains. Its rich history and classic design make it a favourite among rail enthusiasts and photographers.

No.
1751	Sep 1956

https://archive.atlasrr.com/NLoco/arc-ngp7.htm

Allagash Railway

The Allagash placed its first GP7 order in 1950, making the switch from cab units to road-switchers earlier than many New England neighbours. Delivered in Spruce Green with Deluxe Gold lettering, the Geeps quickly took over from F-units on heavy freights and provided the flexibility the road needed on branch lines. A number were equipped with steam generators for passenger turns in the early 1950s.

By the late 1970s, the Kennebec shops had begun chop-nose rebuilds, extending the Geeps’ lives well into the Guilford era. Two units — 507 and 508 — were chopped in 1981, at a time when the railroad was moving back to solid green after years of yellow dip. The 507 emerged in an experimental scheme with yellow handrails and stanchions, while the 508 wore the final pre-Guilford arrangement. Both became signature locomotives of the late Allagash.

GP7

Allagash Railway GP7 No. 502, wearing the railroad’s distinctive Spruce Green livery, stands alongside Oxford County RS3 No. 301 at the gravel road crossing in North Rumford, Maine, as crews exchange freight cars between the two railroads. Before Oxford County assumed operation of the entire White Mountain Branch, Allagash locals worked north several times each week to interchange traffic with the short line. The scene captures two classic first-generation diesel locomotives side by side, with the EMD GP7 and Alco RS3 representing competing builders whose products would serve New England railroads for decades. © Mike Confalone

Allagash Railway GP7 No. 502, finished in the railroad’s Spruce Green and Deluxe Gold livery, rests between assignments at White Mountain Junction during Maine’s annual mud season. Puddles fill the ruts alongside the track, while stacks of rail, discarded tie plates and weathered maintenance equipment hint at the constant battle to keep the railroad running through the thaw. The veteran locomotive’s road-worn appearance is perfectly at home in the damp, grey conditions of an early spring day in the North Woods. © Mike Confalone

Portland Turn past the Ethan Allen manufacturing facility at Allen, on the outskirts of New Sharon, Maine. Bound for the St. Regis paper mill at New Portland, the train carries a modest consist of 40ft and 50ft boxcars typical of central Maine freight operations in the late 1970s. The quiet rural setting, framed by weathered industrial buildings and distant rolling hills, captures a scene once commonplace across New England’s branch lines. © Mike Confalone

Allagash Railway GP7 No. 506, finished in the railroad’s Spruce Green and Deluxe Gold livery, pauses at White Mountain Junction after setting out cars for the Oxford County Railroad. The interchange has been completed under cover of darkness, allowing the crew to avoid waiting for a connecting movement and continue their return trip to Madrid Yard. Illuminated only by the locomotive’s headlight and the pale glow reflecting from a tank car, the scene captures the quiet efficiency of overnight freight operations in Maine. © Mike Confalone

No.	Built	Serial	Livery	Notes
501	1950–51	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	First Allagash GP7s; some steam-generator equipped; traded or rebuilt in 1970s
502	1950–51	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	First Allagash GP7s; some steam-generator equipped; traded or rebuilt in 1970s
503	1950–51	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	First Allagash GP7s; some steam-generator equipped; traded or rebuilt in 1970s.
504	1950–51	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	First Allagash GP7s; some steam-generator equipped; traded or rebuilt in 1970s. (Green – model sold in March 2025).
505	1950–51	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	First Allagash GP7s; some steam-generator equipped; traded or rebuilt in 1970s. Dynamic brakes. (Yellow – model sold in March 2025)
506	1950–51	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	First Allagash GP7s; some steam-generator equipped; traded or rebuilt in 1970s. (Green – model sold in March 2025).
507	1950	–	Solid green with yellow handrails and stanchions (experimental)	Home-chopped at Kennebec shops in 1981; last of the original GP7s in service pre-Guilford
508	1950	–	Solid green (final pre-Guilford scheme)	Home-chopped at Kennebec shops in 1981; paired with 507 as signature late Allagash Geeps

GP9


509	1952–53	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	Standard GP9s; gradually retired or rebuilt
510	1952–53	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	Standard GP9s; gradually retired or rebuilt
511	1952–53	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	Standard GP9s; gradually retired or rebuilt
512	1952–53	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	Standard GP9s; gradually retired or rebuilt
513	1952–53	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	Standard GP9s; gradually retired or rebuilt
514	1952–53	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	Standard GP9s; gradually retired or rebuilt
515	1952–53	–	Spruce Green & Deluxe Gold; later Yellow dip	Standard GP9s; gradually retired or rebuilt.

More Information

Cook, Preston. Before Guilford: The Delaware & Hudson, Boston & Maine, and Maine Central Railroads. Old Line Graphics, 1988.
Marre, Louis. Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years – A Guide To Diesels Built Before 1972 (Railroad Reference Series No. 10). Kalmbach Books, 1995, pp. 46-50.
Melvin, George F. Maine Central in Color Volume 3. Morning Sun Books, 2008, p.10.
Robertson, E. B. (1978). Maine Central Diesel Locomotives. Westbrook, USA: Edwin B. Robertson, pp. 40-53.

Epilogue

For the Maine Central and its neighbours, the GP7 and GP9 marked the moment when the diesel road-switcher became the dominant form. They were versatile, rugged and cheap to keep in service, and they stayed relevant through rebuilds and repaints long after newer power had arrived. Whether in maroon and gold, pine green, Harvest Gold or Guilford grey, the Geeps defined the look of everyday railroading in New England.