Central Gateway Turtle Railroad

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Central Gateway Turtle Railroad
CGTR Logo.png
CGTR 3723.png
CGTR #3723, a Hydrogold livery GE U25C in 1973 (enhanced).
Reporting markCGTR, GTLW, CGTZ, GTLX, TRTM
Dates of operation1874 (1874)–Present (Present)
PredecessorGAEA, TRLN
Track gauge4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationThird Rail
HeadquartersFort Worth, TX
Websitecgtr.com

The Central Gateway Turtle Railroad (Reporting mark CGTR, GTLW, CGTZ, GTLX, TRTM) is a Class I railroad located primarily in the Southern, Eastern, and Central regions of the United States, and headquarted in Fort Worth, Texas. The Central Gateway Turtle Railroad was founded in 1874 by the merger of Gateway Eastern and Turtle Northern, and has been operating since. In 1951, CGTR completely switched to diesel locomotives, ditching steam locomotives in favor of increasing profits. In recent years, CGTR has focused on cargo and shifted most passenger operations to TurtleTram, an experimental passenger/freight railway created by CGTR in 1989.

History

After the merger of Gateway Eastern and Turtle Northern in 1874, CGTR quickly placed the locomotives from both railways into service. These locomotives would be used until they were either replaced or retired. In 1940, CGTR would purchase their first diesel electric switching locomotive, an ALCO HH1000. CGTR would continue buying diesel-electric switchers after the HH1000, including EMD NW2s, Baldwin VO-660s, and many others. In 1948, CGTR would purchase 20 E7s and 6 Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2s, marking the first non-switching diesel-electric locomotives purchased by CGTR. These would be unscheduled or leased out until mid-1951, when CGTR would ditch steam locomotives in favor of switching to diesel to increase profits. Some of the earliest diesel locomotives placed into operation on the CGTR would be the E7s, the DR-12-8-1500/2s, an FM Erie-Built and 2 B-Units purchased in 1949, and 9 EMD BL2s. These would be shortly followed by an expiremental diesel-hydraulic switcher built by EMD (the DH1), 3 ILW 17-As, and 57 EMD GP7s.

Incidents

Gulfport Runaway Incident

CGTR #3723 after derailing near Gulfport, MS

Equipment

Locomotives

As of late 2023, CGTR rosters 3,510 locomotives.

Type Quantity Road Numbers Notes
EMD F125 74 1-3, 14-25, 42-50, 300-349
GE P32AC-DM 35 4-13, 6900-6924
EMD GP40FH-2 26 26-41, 6300-6309
EMD F59PHI 8 51-58
GE ET44AC 150 100-149, 9900-9999
EMD SD70ACe-T4 50 200-249
Wabtec FLXDrive 90 400-459, 500-529
GTLW GP20-GT 6 600-605 Ex. GRR GP20
GTLW SD40-GTHH 55 5000-5054 Rebuilt from SD40-2s
GTLW SD40-GTS 39 5064-5102 Rebuilt from SD40-2s
GTLW SD40-GT 64 5116-5179 Rebuilt from SD40-2s
EMD SW1504 24 5400-5423
EMD MP15AC 50 5500-5549
GE B23-7 36 5700-5735
EMD GP39-2 17 5800-5816
GE C30-7 22 5900-5921
GE B30-7 78 6000-6077
GE B39-8 20 6100-6119
EMD MP15T 20 6200-6219
GE C40-8 40 6400-6439
EMD F59PH 33 6500-6532
EMD SD60M 50 6600-6649
GE C40-8W 70 6700-6769
GE C44-9W 50 6800-6849
GE AC4400CW 645 7000-7644
GE P42DC 30 7700-7729
GE AC6000CW 50 7800-7849
EMD SD70MAC 30 7900-7929
EMD GP20D 35 8000-8034
EMD SD9043MAC 48 8100-8147
EMD SD70ACe 308 8200-8457
GE ES44DC 300 8500-8799
GE ES44AC 455 8800-9254
GE ES44C4 553 9300-9852

Liveries

Classic Freight

Classic Passenger

Bluewashed

Bluelined

EMD FP45 in CGTR Bluelined scheme.

The Bluelined scheme was a CGTR scheme first seen in the early 1970s, appearing on passenger locomotives such as the

Hydrogold

Bluewashed

Golden Ember

Thundering Lapis

Phase I

Phase II

Phase III

Phase IV