When the Clinchfield took delivery of their new GP7's in December 1950, it did not take management and crews to realize that they should have purchased the units with dynamic brakes. With the next round they purchased in 1952, they were equipped with dynamic brakes, but still did not meet the expectations that management desired for them. Despite this, the first generation geeps lasted well into the 70's, and several of them underwent rebuild programs in Paducah, KY on ICG and Tampa, FL in the Uceta shops on SCL. Here, 914, a second round purchase of GP7's sits in Erwin, TN. and has been painted in black and yellow, and 2 years from the time of the photo, the unit would be sent to Tampa and was rebuilt into a GP16. 35mm slide from my collection, photo by Arnie Burchardt.
