Southern Railway 3170

About Southern Railway 3170

This locomotive was manufactured by General Motors in April, 1971 for the Southern Railway as the first unit in a series of 31 SD40 locomotives. Equipped with a 3,000 horsepower, turbocharged diesel engine, the 3170 served the Southern and later the Norfolk Southern Railway companies. It was retired in 2007, and placed in storage at Altoona, Pennsylvania. In 2014, the locomotive was selected for preservation due to its historical significance, resulting in the locomotive being restored to operating condition at the Juniata Locomotive Shops in Altoona. It was repainted into its original Southern Railway “Tuxedo” paint scheme at the Chattanooga Paint Shop. Following the return to active service, the 3170 operated for the Norfolk Southern in freight service all over the system, as well as being a goodwill ambassador for NS by being used at various museum events. It was also used in the 21st Century Steam program, including assisting the Southern Railway 4501 on trips out of Bristol, Virginia in 2015. In May, 2016, it was announced that the locomotive would be donated to TVRM, where upon its arrival, was placed into freight service at the Enterprise South Industrial Park. The locomotive operated until the beginning of 2017, when mechanical issues resulted in the locomotive being removed from service. Until repairs needed to return the locomotive to service are completed, you can find the most powerful locomotive on TVRM’s roster on display at Grand Junction.