APPN F7A US Passenger

The ubiquitous bulldog-nose F units manufactured by EMD and its Canadian subsidiary, GMDD, were the face of dieselization in North America. The number of railroads to purchase these locomotives was colossal, and the APPN was no exception. Though reluctant to abandon the locomotives and infrastructure that had served the company during the steam era, APPN saw the advantages of diesel-electric power. The high tractive effort of the diesel proved to be too tempting for the mountain railroad to resist, and it would soon find itself flush with the new locomotives. The F7s were fewer in number on the APPN than the prior F3s, but could still be found on many trains in both passenger and freight service. Carbody units of other manufacture, such as ALCO/MLW, Fairbanks Morse/CLC, and even a few Baldwin units shared the roster with the iconic F7. Many F units would later be rebuilt with the newer 645 series diesel engines, and redesignated as F38s, and some still operate on APPN branch routes today. The F7s in passenger service were designated "RPD-15-4", denoting a Road Passenger Diesel locomotive with 1500 Horsepower and 4 powered axles. This locomotive sports the white, green, and gray "sawblade" paint scheme used on all APPN passenger diesels even to modern day.