Because it was the only C-420 to be repainted blue, CR 2072 has a unique place in the Conrail pantheon. Originally built in 1963 as L&HR 21 and later modified in 1966 by ALCo, the unit was one of only six out of nine L&HR C-420's to find their way onto the Conrail roster in 1976. Here we see the 2072 with its original L&HR scheme painted out and renumbered for Conrail. By the looks of things, the Bethlehem shop crews were getting the unit ready for its repaint into Conrail blue, which would occur shortly after this photo was taken.
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Photo Date: 10-77
Photographer: Roger Durfee     Added: June 13, 2002

Though Marty no longer has the date for this photo, logic suggests that it was taken shortly after being repainted into Conrail blue. While we cannot yet pinpoint the exact date that Conrail repainted the 2072, we do know that it was sometime between November 1977 and April 1978. Conrail Motive Power Review 1 has a photo of a blue 2072 taken on 4-23-78 in Warwick, NY. Marty also shot this photo of 2072 in Warwick, but there is still no sign of green on any of the trees in the background. So you all can figure out about when the 2072 got its blue paint.
Location: Warwick, NY
Photo Date: Unknown
Photographer: Marty Feldner     Added: June 13, 2002

CR 2072 didn’t go through the typical repainting process at a large facility, such as Juniata. Instead, the crews at Bethlehem cleaned up the engine as best they could and then applied the blue using roller brushes. Therefore, CR 2072 lacks large Conrail heralds. Instead, it has the typical CR decals because the Allentown crews didn't have access to the large herald stencils. An interesting note about CR 2072 is that ALCo rebuilt the unit in August 1966, replacing the original 2,000-gallon fuel tank with a 3,100-gallon unit.
Location: Warwick, NY
Photo Date: Unknown
Photographer: Marty Feldner     Added: June 13, 2002

CR 2072's life in Conrail blue didn't last long. In March 1979, Roger Durfee photographed it on the Collinwood deadlines. He saw it once again in September 1979, when it had been pulled from the deadlines and was being worked on, probably for its trip off the line to its new owner. In December 1979, Conrail officially retired CR 2072. Thanks to Roger Durfee, Rich Shirey, and Dan Halpert for information on this unit.
Location: Cleveland, OH (Collinwood Yard)
Photo Date: 9-79
Photographer: Roger Durfee     Added: June 13, 2002

Lehigh & Hudson River Railway Alco C-420 23 waits out the weekend in Bethlehem, PA, in December 1976. It would become CR 2073. L&HR 23 and L&HR 24 were built in 1965 but were involved in a horrible collision at Laurel Run while being transported in-tow to the L&HR. Both units were sent back to ALCo for rebuilding.
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Photo Date: 12-76
Photographer: Roger Durfee     Added: January 8, 2008

A tired and painted-out LHR C-420 #2074 sits on Bethlehem Service Track outside the roundhouse.
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Photo Date: 2-28-80
Photographer: John Durant     Added: May 13, 1999

Location: Croxton, NJ
Photo Date: 2-12-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 13, 2000

John recalls CR 2077's long and interesting life. Originally built in July 1966 as L&HR 29, the unit survived on the Conrail roster as CR 2077. In late 1980, the Delaware & Hudson bought the unit for parts, but CR 2077 was in such good shape that the D&H decided to run it in revenue service, renumbering the unit as D&H 401. Starting in early 1981, the D&H ran the 401 for several years, until Guilford ran it through the paint shops, where it became numbered into the Guilford system roster as 420. Sometime in the late 1980’s, Guilford sold the unit off to the A&M, an ALCo haven at the time.
Location: Warwick, NY
Photo Date: 7-77
Photographer: John Durant     Added: November 24, 1998

Location: Croxton, NJ
Photo Date: 2-12-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: November 25, 2019