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Lehigh Valley Railroad Alco C420 #408 is one of 8 surviving LV C420's still in existance today.
(see the LV survivors page for the list)
There were originally 12 of them (4 are no longer with us)
They were all built new for the LV by Alco in 1964.
LV 404 - 415
They all were originally delievered, in 1964, in the "Yellow Jacket" scheme.
By 1976 all but 2 had been repainted in the Red scheme. 

Then in 1976, when the LV died, the 12 C420's went to work for their second owner, the Delaware & Hudson.
They operated on the D&H until 1987-1988, when they were all sold off.
408 was then sold to the Arkansas & Missouri railroad, but she never made it out there...
(The A&M today has the largest block of LV C420s! 5 are still operating on the A&M!)

(the following info is in doubt..not sure if we went to CNY NRHS first, or directly to CNY Locomotive)

...instead she was sold to the Central New York Chapter NRHS,
then,  sold to "Central New York Locomotive" which is her current owner.
CNY Locomotive leases her to the Adirondack.

LV 408                 1964-1976
D&H 408             1976-1987
Sold briefly to A&M, then to CNY NRHS (year?)
then to CNY locomotive, (year?)
who today leases her to the Adirondack railroad as Adirondack 2064.

Here are some pictures of 408 in her previous lives.
Her original Yellowjacket scheme, 1960's.

In her LV Red scheme, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, September 25, 1975

As D&H 408, Oneonta, NY 1982

(Some accounts show that She was renumbered from D&H 408 to 418 during Guilford, along with some of the other C420's..
This is untrue, She was never actually 418.)

And now, appearing in her 4th paint scheme, as Adirondack 2064
 

In October 2003 my Girlfriend and I traveled to the Adirondacks.
as part of our trip, we took a ride on the Northern end of the Adirondack Scenic Railway.
The Lake Placid - Saranac Lake section.
even though we were staying closer to Thendara, I wanted to ride the North end specifically because I
suspected 408 might be up there! and She was! :)
 

Arriving at the Lake Placid Station, 408 is right there attached to the train!
This is great! 408 is going to be the power for our train! :)
So not only did I *find* the 408 to document her for the LV Survivors page, She is also going to be our locomotive today!

We got on the train, and 408 started moving around the train,
to prepare for the run to Saranac Lake.

 

Alco C424 4243 was also operating in the yard today.
(4243 and 2064 are the only 2 locomotives on the Placid-Saranac run.)

 

hmmm..whats going on here?
are they going to pick up that extra coach?
oh no! 408 isnt pulling the train afterall! :(
4243 is!
looks like they take turns with the 2 locomotives,
408 does a run, then rests while 4243 does a run..
so our train is being pulled by the C424..
oh well..a bit disappointing because I really wanted to be pulled by 408!
but what the heck..4243 is still an operating Alco Century! cant complain about that! :)

 

Here is our locomotive, 4243 after arriving at Saranac Lake..
it was a gorgeous day! and a great ride..

 
 

return to the LVRR Surviving Locomotives page
 

Scot Lawrence
October 2003