Buckingham Branch

Description

Residents of Buckingham have recently noticed a renewed look on one of the locomotives of the Buckingham Branch Railroad. Everyone is familiar with the red and grey color scheme of the BB, but now a shiny cobalt blue and grey engine is traveling the rails. Rail fans and historians will immediately recognize this color scheme as that of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company (RF&P) and the freshly painted locomotive is the RF&P 101. Until its demise in October 1991, the RF&P had the distinction of being the oldest railroad in America still operating under its original name and charter. It remained in continuous operation for 157 years until it was acquired by CSX Corporation. While one of the shortest railroads in the country with only 113 miles of track, it was also one of the most successful due to its strategic location. It formed one of the principal routes between the northern and southern cities of the Atlantic seaboard. The RF&P 101 was one of four GP-7 diesel locomotives placed in service in the early 1950s. It is a 1500 horsepower unit built by EMD in 1951. While originally place into freight service, it was built to accommodate passenger service with the inclusion of a steam generator and an expanded underbelly tank partitioned for additional fuel and water. The 101 made its initial trip on January 4, 1951 and remained in continuous service until 1980 when it was placed in storage. In 1986 the mechanics at the RF&P Bryan Park Terminal began a painstaking restoration of the 101 using parts from all four of the now retired GP-7s. The

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