Two Navajo locomotives roll west on NS train No. 309 on Saturday.
Michael D. Harding
FARMINGTON, N.M. – Two new diesel locomotives are en route to the Navajo Transitional Energy Co. coal mine railroad in northwestern New Mexico this week. The General Electric ET44AC locomotives, which are lettered for the company and carry Nos. 2026 and 2027, were spotted in westbound Norfolk Southern train No. 309 in northwest Ohio over the weekend. They are former GE demonstrator units of the same numbers with hoods modified to match the standard production units.
The isolated railroad, which now operates with GE electric and Alco diesel locomotives, is located about 20 miles southwest of Farmington. It serves the Four Corners Generating Station. Both the mine and power plant are located within the Navajo Indian Reservation.
