Roster Review: MEC U23Bs in 1984

#284 (May 1984)

Wait a minute! Why am I posting about Maine Central Railroad (MEC) engines here on a D&H blog? And am I going to try and research every locomotive owned by Guilford as they existed in 1984? The short answer is "no." The long answer is that through a technicality I can include models of the D&H's General Electric U23B class on my layout even though they were gone from the D&H by 1983. When I picked my era to model I knew I would have to make hard choices. But, in my back pocket was the fact that these locomotives were gone but not forgotten. I didn't research every U23B but here are a couple as they appeared on or around May of 1984.

#288 (March 10, 1984)

A brief history of the class might be in order. There were sixteen total engines ordered new from General Electric, originally numbered #301-316, and later renumbered #2301-2316. Interestingly, they were the first U23Bs ever built and were the only ones with radiator fairings. (No, I really don't know enough about U23B engines to spot all the specific differences). They were all sold to MEC in June of 1983 as part of Guilford's shifting of assets. MEC repainted their logos on the nose and gave them new numbers via patch painting, but they didn't consistently do it (see the pictures).

#290 (April 1985)

Most stayed in their lightning stripe scheme but several were different. Engine #2312 was first painted in red, white, and blue for the "Preamble Express" (more info here) and numbered #1776. Then it was painted solid blue in the late 1970s. Later, it received a yellow stripe along the lower side sill. Another "special" job was engine #2311, which was the only D&H unit to be painted in solid gray with a blue lightning stripe. Nicknamed the "Gray ghost," the story is that the paint shop ran out of blue paint and pressed on with just gray. I love it, even though it is pretty weird.

Atlas has released seven (!) engines painted for the D&H, including the Bicentennial #1776 and the Gray ghost #2311. I knew I wanted one or two for my layout but they just didn't fit my time frame. Barely. However, despite not being a good painter I think I am competent enough to patch paint one or two for my layout. So, it won't be long before a couple are added to my roster as MEC engines, including #2311.