This past Sunday while working at the Old Dominion Railway Museum in Richmond, the NS local rolled by the property on its way to the CSX (SAL) interchange a few hundred yards to the east. ("Rocketts") The power was a NS GP-38-2 No.5052, and under the engineer's window was 'GSF'.I am not familiar with how NS assigns their power in operating 'districts', but can only surmise that this locomotive was (at one time) assigned to GSF territory. Can anyone shed any light on such lettering underneath windows on NS engines? I used to see 'CofG' on such engines from time to time also.

-- Greg Hodges (ghodges@smpsfa.com), January 24, 2002

Answers

Greg:

I wished that I could have seen #5052 (GS&F) unit! The GS&F had several diesels with the sublettering GS&F indicating the road that they were assigned. However as it has been pointed out to me by some of Norfolk Southern Railroad officials, it does not necessarily mean that the particular locomotive is assigned to that district or area; merely it was done for paper reasons. This had gotten my interest in the GS&F by noticing the sublettering just like you did. You did not happen to get a photo did you?

Mark Mosely (MOSEGSF@aol.com)

-- Mark S. Mosely (MOSEGSF@aol.com), January 25, 2002.

The sublettering on a locomotive in no way indicates the assignment of the unit. It shows which of the NS's subsidiaries owns the unit. Each of the subsidiaries is(legally, anyway) an independent company. Each owns its right of way, track, structures, and equipment. While this equipment may be lettered "Norfolk Southern",which indicates the operating entity, the owning entity isindicated by the small "GSF", "CG", "AGS", etc. under the number on the cab side.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), January 25, 2002.