N&W's Green Machines

A while back in the post "Shadows of the Past" I wrote about the neat green Illinois Terminal SD-39 engines the N&W received when they purchased that railroad. In the early 80's these hastily relettered green engines prowled the eastern end of the old ex-Wheeling valley lines. They hauled coal out the Adena and AC&NA branches, worked the mills along the Ohio River and moved other freight to and from Brewster. The unique green N&W engines among a roster of all black diesels seemed to draw many railfans down into SE Ohio to photograph them in action.

N&W 2965 SD-39 Pine Valley yard, Dillonvale, OH 1982

So naturally in my research of the Adena Railroad these green engines show up in many pictures around Adena, Dillonvale and along the Ohio River. They even appear in two out of the only four "in action" photos I have of my favorite bridge in that area, the Jug Run bridge on the Adena branch.

N&W Adena Branch SD-39 2963 2965 2964 Jug Run Bridge 3-12-81 Jim Marcus - Mark Lynn Photo

So because of all that I've grown pretty fond of them and always felt if the SD-39 was ever made in HO scale and offered in the green Illinois Terminal paint, I would probably have get a couple.

Well today Athearn announced a new model in their Ready to Run line, the SD-39, and they also offered it lettered for the Illinois Terminal!

Athearn is also doing these as repainted into N&W black with the full name spelled out on the sides. They look pretty nifty too, but the oddity of green N&W units is the attraction for me and all those who wandered down into SE Ohio to photograph those engines many years ago.

I think a couple of these patched with N&W lettering and heavily weathered would go great with my other N&W engines! With these supposedly due in late October 2016, I'll have plenty of time to save some pennies.