L&N eventually acquired a pretty big group of C420s, but not in the usual way. First, L&N purchased 16 new C420s from Alco, then two more were acquired with the takeover of the Tennessee Central, then 18 more with the Monon takeover. The last group of used C420s comprised 28 acquired from Family Lines' partner SCL (originally owned by SAL and P&N) in 1976 to ease a power crunch on L&N. Of the total of 64 C420s eventually on the L&N roster, only five were adapted to control slugs like 2052, itself a conversion from an L&N RS-3 done by Railway Supply Company in Montgomery, AL.
