R219
Baltimore-Cincinnati

The lead unit, CSXT GP39-2 4318, still carries its Delaware & Hudson Lightning Stripe paint scheme. Built in December 1974 for the Reading Railroad as RDG 3418, it became D&H 7418 and then Guilford 387 before being returned to CSX and renumered CSXT 4318.

In 1974 Chessie System financed the purchase of an order of 20 GP39-2s placed by the Reading Railroad, which took delivery of them in late 1974 and early 1975 as RDG 3401-3420. The D&H assumed the leases after Conrail Day One in Spring 1976. Guilford Industries inherited the units when they took control of the D&H in 1984, and thus did Canadian Pacific when they purchased the D&H. Four of the GP39-2s, 7401, 7403, 7407, and 7418, were rebuilt at the Morrison-Knudsen shops in Mountain Top PA during the Spring/Summer of 1990. The 15-year lease on the fleet ran out in 1990, and new D&H owner CP opted not to purchase them, so they went back to Chessie System that September. By then Chessie was a part of CSX. Interesting sidebar: the four rebuilds, rebuilt to Canadian specifications, were probably the first ditch-light equipped units owned by CSXT.

All 20 are still active on CSX, are assigned to the Florida Business Unit, and wear numbers 4300-4319. For any Reading fans out there, the 4300's still retain the angled roof gutters that were delivered on Reading power.