This run presents an interesting history for these locomotives. The larger group numbers 200 through 221 were ordered by the LIRR prior to MTA involvement. They were delivered in the orange and grey sweep colors beginning in December 1963 through July 1964. The LIRR had an option with ALCO for additional locomotives which the MTA did eventually authorize, taking delivery of engines 222 through 229 in august of 1968. These arrived in MTA colors.
The orange and grey sweeps were around for a while in the MTA era, eventually being repainted in the Blue and white scheme with some units having the center red stripe. These were the colors and scheme that the GP 39s were delivered in in 1976. The railroads locomotive fleet now had a unified attractive paint scheme in 1976 going forward. The Eight locomotives MTA purchased remained on the system for a while after the first group of C430s were sold off.
I recall we had a fan trip with a pair of C420s in newly painted blue and white solid colors. running out on the Garden City secondary. A week after that trip, these two locomotives were on a ship headed to a new owner in Argentina.
