Back in the early days of dieselization on the Louisville & Nashville railroad, the road purchased several EMD model E7 locomotives. The photographer captured this view of one of this latest model at the head end of a passenger train. The location is unknown to me, and I’m speculating that this was a publicity photo, based on the setting -and- of the “suit” leaning out of the cab window. I’ll further speculate that the train may have been the Hummingbird. Unit #459 was built in April of 1945, and this photograph was likely taken soon after its delivery.

I noticed in this colorized version of the image that the paint job isn’t one I was accustomed to seeing, so I searched and found this photo by Elliott Kahn taken in 1947. I also found photos of sister units, #758 & #760 (the entire series was renumbered from the 400s to the 700s. #459 became #759). Apparently this paint job was created to match the train cars it pulled. At some point many, if not all, of these units were shopped and had some modifications done, including changing the earlier side-of-nose number boards and class lights to the newer angled number boards with the class lights above (by then “standard” with newer EMD units). They also had several grab irons added for better access for workers to clean and service the windshields. I’ve seen an image of the #760 with a newer version of paint (what I remember in my youth), with the nose striping modified and wrapping further around the nose, and a narrower cream band running down the side. The cream color bands were outlined with orange pin stripes. You’ll note the discrepancy of this colorized image as showing the orange pin striping on the left, but most of the right with none. The black and white images I’ve seen don’t seem to show anything that resembles pin striping on this particular paint job. If anyone knows the facts, please report them in the comments!

At any rate, I do like this image. Unfortunately there was no information as to the photographer or date, with the only information being the watermark Colorized 2016 by Imbued With Hues.