I was lucky to catch this FEC train yesterday shortly after it crossed the St Johns River bridge. A single GP38 pulling a long train of Tropicanna reefers and double stacked container cars, heading south into Bowden yard.
Correction: its a gp40
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According to this record, #414 is a GP40-2. For us rivet-counters who care about that stuff.
FEC seems to have a number of different paint schemes on their power?
I see FEC has a number of ex-UP SD40-2's, which I was involved with 30+ years ago. I signed off on some of those when they released new from EMD!
FEC has/had some former UP power the same vintage as these, shown here new at EMD LaGrange factory in 1979.
Wow!
good catch guys.
I totally missed that it had 3 radiator fans.
I was too focused on the fact that it had no dynamic brakes. Nearly all of the FEC GP38 locos do not have dynamic brakes.
The original red/yellow/black scheme first used on the FEC passenger cab units has been revived, and all current motive power will eventually be repainted in it. Back in the mid 50's, the FEC went to a mostly blue scheme, which has survived to recent times in the GP38's & 40's(except GP40-2 # 406 which got an early version of the current scheme in 2000). The SD40-2's are the first units to be redone, as they are being shopped for rebuilds and overhauls.
Most of the GP40's don't have dynamics either-- mostly due to the fact that the FEC's ROW is mostly flat, with little change in elevation along the route--
The original red/yellow/black scheme first used on the FEC passenger cab units has been revived, and all current motive power will eventually be repainted in it. Back in the mid 50's, the FEC went to a mostly blue scheme, which has survived to recent times in the GP38's & 40's(except GP40-2 # 406 which got an early version of the current scheme in 2000). The SD40-2's are the first units to be redone, as they are being shopped for rebuilds and overhauls.
Most of the GP40's don't have dynamics either-- mostly due to the fact that the FEC's ROW is mostly flat, with little change in elevation along the route--
I'm glad to see the "old" scheme coming back on FEC. The various blue schemes aren't bad; of them I like the version on 414 the best. The Rail America scheme on the other hand... looks like a circus train IMO.
The red/yellow/black will look great on the SD70M-2's. 
Florida is FLAT. No mountain grades in Florida. Not much need for dynamics...
Rich,
I must protest a bit. Whilst in high school classes in Tallahassee, I watched east-bound SAL freights with pushers required to make the grade out of town.
ChipR
Chip, the terrain in northwest Florida is much different than the east coast. When Henry flagler built his RR, he deliberately chose to put it as close to the coast as possible, due to the fact that the terrain is FLAT!
in an aside: if anyone wants to look at the current scheme, go to Railpictures.net--- there are LOTS of FEC engine photos available.
FF,
Agree totally. Rich's comment though, accused all of FL as being flat. 
ChipR
One of the newly painted SD40-2 locos.
(not my picture)
Not all of Florida is flat. I saw a waste landfill that was quite tall.
The red and orange is a terrific scheme. FEC #714 is a former UP/CNW unit. FEC gets dynamic brakes on their secondhand units.
Yep, we got lots of trash landfill hills in fla. they are usually the tallest manmade structures in fla.
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