The Last Family Lines GP16s Left Alive! Caldwell County #1811 & #1747

We pulled off an absolute dream chase in Western North Carolina! Today, we pursued one of the rarest, most endangered locomotives left in North America: Caldwell County Railroad (CWCY) GP16 #1811. Originally built in April 1958 as an EMD GP7 for the Atlantic Coast Line, this living piece of history was rebuilt in 1982 at the legendary Uceta Shops in Tampa, Florida. Today, it stands as a true survivor, still proudly wearing its iconic Family Lines System gray, red, and yellow paint scheme. While corporate giants like Genesee & Wyoming were legally forced to scrap their entire GP16 fleets due to recent EPA mandates, independent shortlines right here in North Carolina are keeping this historic breed alive and kicking! We started the day tracking #1811 as it handled some tight, heavy switching maneuvers at the Norfolk Southern interchange in Hickory, NC. Once it got its clearance, the real chase was on! We pursued the 1,600-horsepower vintage EMD north along the historic, 150-year-old right-of-way originally graded by the narrow-gauge Chester & Lenoir Railroad. You’ll see this classic engine screaming through the foothills, passing through Granite Falls and Sawmills, before finally wrapping up its run in Lenoir. Best of all? We caught plenty of loud, crisp crossings with that vintage horn echoing through the WNC trees! Turn your volume UP for those EMD 645 prime mover chugs and horn blasts! If you love rare shortline railfanning, vintage diesels, and North Carolina train action, make sure to smash that LIKE button, leave a comment with your favorite shot, and SUBSCRIBE to Loganooo for more high-value railroad content! #Railfanning #CaldwellCountyRailroad #GP16 #FamilyLines #EMD #TrainChase #NorthCarolinaTrains #Loganooo #VintageTrains #ShortlineRailroad