Clinchfield Diesel Roster (All-Time)

Published: October 7, 2026

The Clinchfield dieselized a 277-mile coal railroad with Electro-Motive cabs and then with six-motor hoods. F3A No. 800 was the first diesel the company bought new, and the covered wagons took the manifest freights while the last Challengers finished the coal trains. GP7s followed for the mine runs and the main line. Twenty-five SD40s and eighteen SD45-2s were the modern coal power. Seven General Electric U36Cs were the only road engines from another builder. The last new locomotives, five SD40-2s in 1980 and 1981, arrived already painted for the Family Lines.

The tables are the all-time list, with builder serials and order numbers on their own columns. The company history is the Clinchfield Railroad. Steam is the steam roster.

Clinchfield F7A No. 817 and F7A No. 823 at Spartanburg, South Carolina, in December 1967

F7A No. 817 and F7A No. 823 at Spartanburg, South Carolina, in December 1967. No. 817 is from the December 1952 order. No. 823 came secondhand from the Louisville & Nashville. Rick Burn photo.

On this page: At a glance · Switchers · Cab units · GP7s, GP9s, GP38s · SD40s, U36Cs, SD45s · Family Lines hoods · How to count the table

At a glance

Item	Detail
Railroad	Clinchfield Railroad. Mark CRR. Company page: Clinchfield
This roster	All-time diesels. The quantity column totals 175. Twelve of those rows are GP7s rebuilt into the 4600s, and three are Alco S4s leased from Relco
First new road diesel	F3A No. 800. Later upgraded. Restored by CSX for the 75th Santa Train in 2017
Cabs	F3A 800–805, F3B 850–852, F7A 806–823, F7B 250 and 853–863 and 869, FP7 200, F9B 864–868
Four-motor hoods	GP7 900–916, GP9 917–918, GP7u 919, GP38 2000–2009
Six-motor hoods	SD40 3000–3024 (25). U36C 3600–3606 (7). SD45-2 3607–3624 (18). SD45 3625–3631 (7)
Family Lines deliveries	GP16, GP38-2, and SD40-2, in Family Lines paint. SD40-2 8127–8129 in August 1980. SD40-2 8131 and 8132 in September 1981
Paint	Gray and yellow on the Clinchfield's own units. Family Lines colors on the late hoods

Serials and dates follow the Clinchfield order list and the diesel shop's all-time roster, revised September 12, 2023. Information compiled October 7, 2026.

Switchers, owned and leased

The yard fleet mixed new SW7s with secondhand EMD switchers. Six SW7s came in July 1950 on order 6034, four of them in one serial block and two more on the same order with a later serial pair. Five NW2s arrived from other railroads: one from the Jacksonville Terminal, four from the Apalachicola Northern. The single NW3, No. 361, was Great Northern 180, one of the stretched NW2s that road had bought with a steam generator and road trucks.

Model	Numbers	Qty	Serial	Order	Built	Notes
SW7	350–353	4	10299–10302	6034	July 1950
SW7	354–355	2	11623, 11624	6034	July 1950
NW2	356	1	9087		October 1949	Ex-Jacksonville Terminal 36
NW2	357–358	2	4812, 4913		September 1947	Ex-Apalachicola Northern 701 and 702
NW2	359–360	2	5139, 5309		September 1947	Ex-Apalachicola Northern 703 and 704
NW3	361	1				Ex-Great Northern 180

Three Alco S4s ran in Clinchfield lettering under lease from Relco, still carrying their Delaware & Hudson numbers. They were on the property as leased engines. The build dates below are Alco's, September and October 1950.

Model	Numbers	Qty	Serial	Order	Built	Notes
S4	3034	1	78030		September 1950	Alco. Leased from Relco. Ex-D&H, same number
S4	3039, 3049	2	78233, 78409		October 1950	Alco. Leased from Relco. Ex-D&H, same numbers

Cab units

The F3As and F3Bs were upgraded in service, which is why the compiled roster marks them F3Au and F3Bu and leaves the original serial and date blank. The F3 serial and date cells stay blank, matching the shop roster and the order list used for the later F units. The F7s are complete. Orders 6309A and 6309B are the 1951 cabs and boosters, 806–814 and 854–860. Orders 3114A and 3114B are the December 1952 group, 815–820 and 861–863. FP7 No. 200, order 6310A, was the passenger-equipped cab, used in freight and on the foliage specials beside F3A 800. Five F9B boosters, 864–868, closed the cab-unit buying in April 1955.

The odd numbers are the secondhand cabs. F7B 250 had been Louisville & Nashville 723, the first engine to carry that number on the L&N. F7A 821 and 822 had been L&N 1814 and 1822, and before that Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis 814 and 822. F7A 823 had been L&N 914. F7B 853, serial 8707, later became L&N 723, the second use of that number. F7B 869 had been L&N 1918, nee NC&StL 918. There is a gap in the F7B numbers: 864–868 are the F9Bs.

Model	Numbers	Qty	Serial	Order	Built	Notes
FP7	200	1	14804	6310A	February 1952	Steam generator. Used in freight service
F7B	250	1				Ex-L&N 723 (1st)
F3A	800–805	6				Upgraded. 800 was the first new diesel, and CSX restored it in 2017
F7A	806–814	9	14788–14796	6309A	October–December 1951
F7A	815–820	6	17480–17485	3114A	December 1952	817 is one of these
F7A	821	1	5798		April 1949	Ex-L&N 1814, nee NC&StL 814
F7A	822	1	11953		June 1950	Ex-L&N 1822, nee NC&StL 822
F7A	823	1				Ex-L&N 914
F3B	850–852	3				Upgraded
F7B	853	1	8707	E1175B	March 1949	Later L&N 723 (2nd)
F7B	854–860	7	14797–14803	6309B	October–December 1951
F7B	861–863	3	17486–17488	3114B	December 1952
F9B	864–868	5	20357–20361	3183B	April 1955
F7B	869	1	11957		June 1950	Ex-L&N 1918, nee NC&StL 918

GP7s, two GP9s, and the GP38s

Seventeen GP7s came on two orders. Order 5006, in December 1950, was twelve locomotives in two serial blocks, 900–911, built without dynamic brakes. Order 6464 added 912–916 in December 1952. Two GP9s, 917 and 918, followed in December 1956. GP7u 919 was a secondhand NC&StL engine that had become L&N 1753. Ten GP38s, 2000–2009, arrived in April 1967. No. 2006 is the GP38 in the Erwin photograph on the company page.

Model	Numbers	Qty	Serial	Order	Built	Notes
GP7	900–907	8	12295–12302	5006	December 1950	Built without dynamic brakes
GP7	908–911	4	13535–13538	5006	December 1950	Built without dynamic brakes
GP7	912–916	5	17492–17496	6464	December 1952
GP9	917–918	2	22696, 22697	5501	December 1956
GP7u	919	1	11982		August 1950	Ex-L&N 1753, nee NC&StL 753
GP38	2000–2009	10	33062–33071		April 1967	2006 photographed at Erwin, April 3, 1971

Twenty-five SD40s, seven U36Cs, eighteen SD45-2s, seven SD45s

The SD40s fill 3000–3024, twenty-five locomotives, in six builder batches from September 1966 through June 1971. The 1969 group is 3009–3014. The June 1971 engines are 3015–3024, split between order 7311 (3015–3019) and order 5776 (3020, then 3021–3024).

Seven U36Cs, 3600–3606, came from General Electric in October and November 1971, the Clinchfield's GE road engines. The six-motor EMD fleet then moved to the SD45-2. Ten of them, 3607–3616, are order 7382, November 1972, serials 7382-1 through 7382-10. Eight more, 3617–3624, are order 73773, February 1974, serials 73773-1 through 73773-8. The next seven numbers, 3625–3631, are straight SD45s built in October 1968 for the Seaboard Coast Line as 2038–2044.

Model	Numbers	Qty	Serial	Order	Built	Notes
SD40	3000–3007	8	32141–32148	5710	September 1966
SD40	3008	1	34177	7124	September 1968
SD40	3009–3014	6	34742–34747	7152	February 1969
SD40	3015–3019	5	37417–37421	7311	June 1971
SD40	3020	1	37422	5776	June 1971
SD40	3021–3024	4	37538–37541	5776	June 1971
U36C	3600–3606	7	38228–38234		October–November 1971	GE
SD45-2	3607–3616	10	7382-1–7382-10	7382	November 1972	3611 is serial 7382-5
SD45-2	3617–3624	8	73773-1–73773-8	73773	February 1974
SD45	3625–3631	7	37728–37734		October 1968	Ex-SCL 2038–2044. SD45, built for the Coast Line

Rebuilds, and the Family Lines deliveries

At the end of the railroad's separate life, Clinchfield GP7s were rebuilt and renumbered into the 4600s, and a pair of Seaboard Coast Line rebuilds joined them. The compiled roster calls 4600–4605 GP11s and 4606–4613 GP16s. The GP11s went on to CSX 1700–1705. They had been Clinchfield 910, 908, 900, 901, 904, and 907. GP16 4606 had been SCL 767, and before that Atlantic Coast Line 236. GP16 4607 had been SCL 887, nee Seaboard Air Line 1701. The other six GP16s, 4608–4613, were Clinchfield GP7s 913–915, 909, 911, and 912. Original serials are already on the GP7 rows above. The rebuild rows leave the serial cell blank.

Eight GP38-2s and five SD40-2s were new, and all of them, with the GP16s, were delivered in Family Lines paint. The GP38-2s are three orders, all dated April 1979: 6000–6004, then 6005 and 6006, then the single unit 6045. The SD40-2s are 8127–8129 in August 1980 and 8131 and 8132 in September 1981. Number 8130 is a Seaboard Coast Line SD40-2 and stays with that railroad's own roster.

Model	Numbers	Qty	Serial	Order	Built	Notes
GP11	4600–4605	6				Rebuilds. To CSX 1700–1705. Ex-CRR 910, 908, 900, 901, 904, and 907
GP16	4606	1				Ex-SCL 767, nee ACL 236
GP16	4607	1				Ex-SCL 887, nee SAL 1701
GP16	4608–4613	6				Ex-CRR 913–915, 909, 911, and 912
GP38-2	6000–6004	5	777132-1–777132-5	777132	April 1979	Family Lines paint
GP38-2	6005–6006	2	786206-1, 786206-2	786206	April 1979	Family Lines paint
GP38-2	6045	1	796312-1	796312	April 1979	Family Lines paint. Its own order
SD40-2	8127–8129	3	796335-1–796335-3	796335	August 1980	Family Lines paint
SD40-2	8131	1	816009-1	816009	September 1981	Family Lines paint
SD40-2	8132	1	817012-1	817012	September 1981	Family Lines paint

How the quantity column adds

The quantity column totals 175. Twelve numbers in the 4600s are Clinchfield GP7s already listed as 900, 901, 904, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 913, 914, and 915, rebuilt and given new road numbers. Three Alco S4s were on the property under lease from Relco. The remaining rows are locomotives the Clinchfield owned under the numbers in the tables, including the secondhand cabs, switchers, GP7u 919, the two ex-SCL GP16s, and the seven ex-SCL SD45s.

ACL Atlantic Coast Line. CRR Clinchfield. D&H Delaware & Hudson. L&N Louisville & Nashville. NC&StL Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis. SAL Seaboard Air Line. SCL Seaboard Coast Line. A serial written as 7382-1 is the EMD order-and-unit number used on Dash-2 locomotives.

Sources

The Diesel Shop, Clinchfield all-time roster, revised September 12, 2023, formatted by R. Craig, from Extra 2200 South and Railroad Magazine. Road numbers, secondhand lineages, the leased S4s, the GP11 and GP16 rebuilds, and the Family Lines paint note
Clinchfield RR order numbers, trainweb.us/emdloco/crr.htm, the Andre Kristopans EMD order compilation. Orders and serials for the FP7, SW7s, F7s, F9Bs, GP7s, GP9s, SD40s, and SD40-2s, including December 1952 on order 3114A and August 1980 on order 796335
Louisville & Nashville diesel roster, The Diesel Shop, for F7B serial 8707 becoming L&N 723 (2nd), and for the NC&StL lineages of 821, 822, 869, and 919
Seaboard Coast Line SD45 production of 1968, serials 37715–37734 on SCL 2024–2044, which places 2038–2044, and therefore Clinchfield 3625–3631, in the SD45 group
Railfan & Railroad, January 16, 2018: F3A 800 as the first diesel the Clinchfield bought new, restored for the 75th Santa Train

Facebook X Pinterest Tumblr Reddit WhatsApp Messenger