GE C39-8

Conrail's C39-8 fleet is almost physically identical to the earlier C32-8 model. These units are interesting to follow. The factory painted units sport a very non-Conrail style road number and are easy to tell apart. GE's cab side numbers are tall and skinny, while the CR version are more symmetric. The front of the locomotive also wore "CONRAIL" on the lower third of the nose until it was re-applied by Conrail on the top, above the single grab iron. Sometime in 1991 shop forces began removing the single, horizontal mounted nose grab iron and replacing it with 2 upside down "L" irons to better accommodate mounting and dismounting the unit.

The fleet spent very little time on CR between 1993 and 1997 as the company placed them in an active lease service spending 1993 on Southern Pacific and again in 1996.

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C39-8 Technical Information

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CR 6000 at Fox Ridge, NY

The class unit of Conrail's C39-8 fleet, 6000, leads an eastbound freight across Montezuma Swamp near Fox Ridge, NY

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CR 6002 at Chester, MA. on 8/29/92. (1)

CR 6002 with TV6 in Chester, MA. on Aug. 29, 1992.

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CR 6006 in Chester, MA. on 12/5/92.

C39-8 6006 leads SESP nearing the Middlefield Rd. overhead in Chester, MA. at 07:02 on Dec. 5, 1992.

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CR 6009 Leads NS Train 151 at Cumberland Falls, KY 10/89

C39-8 leads NS Train 151 in Kentucky, ten years behind blue units would belong to Norfolk Southern.

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CR 6010 at Derby, NY

Conrail C39-8 6010 is seen trailing on an eastbound at Derby, NY

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CR 6010 in Brookfield, MA. on 1/16/88. (1)

C39-8 6010 leads TV8B across the flats in Brookfield, MA. on Jan. 16, 1988.

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CR 6010 in Brookfield, MA. on 1/16/88. (2)

TV8B on the flats approaching Brookfield station at MP 67 on Jan. 16, 1988.

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CR 6011 on PREL-8 at Porter, IN

CR 6011 and 6144 power PREL-8 at Porter, IN on November 8, 1997.

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CR 6012 at Conneaut, Ohio

Conrail 6012 leads a Westbound Conrail intermodal train at MP 114.5 track number one

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CR 6014 inside Juniata in 1993

Conrail C39-8 6014 is seen inside the A-bay at Juniata, having some repairs done to her rear end in 1993.

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CR 6015 on ELIN-1A

Conrail ELIN-1A pauses on the Red Key Main at 33rd St. in Marion, IN on June 1, 1987 waiting on a Northbound on the Marion Branch to pass. CR 6015 is just about 11 months old at this time. Kevin Nelson photo with permission

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CR 6016 at Chester, MA. on 2/20/99.

C39-8 6016 is on the point of ML482 passing the coal tower at the former helper terminal in Chester, MA. on Feb. 20, 1999.

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CR 6018 Ridgefield Park, NJ 4-1999

CR 6018 is on the point of TV-10 at Ridgefield Park, NJ 4/1999

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CR 6019 at CP Wyomissing Jct. January 1998

This is a shot I took right after dawn at Wyomissing. We operated through town instead of going on the Belt. The train is OIPI B. The "B" train was a second OIPI that among other things carried Pig Iron from Naporanos at Port Newark (Yes Port Newark...same company that scraps but different operation) We usually carried 40 loaded pig iron loads head out on the train and then the balance of the train. Very heavy train...

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CR 6019 on PIBR-8 at Delta, OH

CR 6019 and friend lead PIBR-8 under the ex DT&I at Delta, OH on October 28, 1998. Chris Howe photo

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CR 6019 with ENBU at Lock Haven 4/1990

ENBU pulls past the yard in Lock Haven with CR 6019 in the lead, as SW1200 9337 sleeps. April, 1990.

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CR 6021 at Middlefield, MA. on 8/15/92.

C39-8 6021 leading SEBO at Middlefield, MA. on Aug. 15, 1992.

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CR 6729, CR 6011 at Berea, OH

SD50 6729 at C39-8 6011 are just about to pass Berea Tower on an overcast summer 1997 day pulling a general merchandise train. This train is eastbound on the Chicago Line through Cleveland.