Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Diesel Roster
The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac diesel roster was almost entirely made up of EMD products, save for a small fleet of Alco S2 switchers. For a complete/all-time Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac diesel roster please click here. This list of surviving RF&P diesel locomotives will be categorized by original numbers the railroad assigned its units and where they are today, whether in operation, cosmetically restored, or in some state of preservation at railroad museums and tourist railroads. Also, just as something to keep in mind if you are not aware, while some locomotives may be painted/preserved in RF&P colors this does not necessarily mean that they are of RF&P heritage (and likewise, some locomotives may be of RF&P heritage that are not in RF&P colors).
The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad was not a large system, connecting only Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia, a distance of roughly 113 miles. However, its strategic location allowed it to connect with virtually every major northeastern and southeastern railroad, which made the RF&P very successful.
In 1991, after nearly 160 years of continuous service the RF&P was purchased by CSX Transportation that year and merged into its system (it should be noted that throughout most of the RF&P’s existence it was owned by six of the large eastern carriers and was never an independent operation, although it did carry its own corporate identity and management team). The original RF&P main line continues to serve as an important artery under CSX today.
American Locomotive Company (Alco)
· Alco S2 #65: Preserved by the Westmoreland Heritage Railroad as PRR #5656.
Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
· EMD E8A #1002: Preserved by the Roanoke Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society as RF&P #1002.
· EMD GP7 #101: Preserved by the Old Dominion Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society as RF&P #101.
Also, it should be noted that some former RF&P switcher and road units continue to remain in some state of operation and in active revenue service with Class Is, Regionals, shortlines, or leasing companies. To learn more about the disposition of these locomotives please click here.
While this list will continually be updated it certainly does not completely cover every surviving unit, which was on the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac diesel roster. So, if you know of any other survivors out there, whether they are parked and gleaming in a museum or sitting out in the weeds along a forgotten siding please let me know so we can keep this list growing, and you will be given full credit for your help. For more information on the all types of classic diesel locomotives consider the book The American Diesel Locomotive from author Brian Solomon. The book studies everything from classic to newer diesel locomotive models. In the entire book is a great resource and you shouldn’t be disappointed with it, not to mention that it is loaded with photos (many in color)! If you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit The Railroad Diamond by clicking the tab in the menu to your left marked "TRD Store".
