Preservation
The GP7 can still be seen on Short-line railroads and in museums.
One of the largest preserved rosters can be found in Portola, California, at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum. The WPRM is home to Western Pacific (WP) units 705, 707 and 708 and Sacramento Northern unit 712. WP 707 is fully restored and is maintained in mainline ready condition.
The United Railways Historical Society owns two former NJT, ex CR, née Central Railroad of New Jersey GP7Ps, #1523 and 1524.
The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States, also has a few operating GP7s. Visitors can charter one of these locomotives for an hour and operate it themselves (under the watchful eye of a TVRM engineer) along two miles (3 km) of TVRM's line. TVRM uses its GP7s not only for charters, but also for pulling excursion trains and for servicing its one industrial customer.
The Minnesota Transportation Museum operates a GP7 on its Osceola and St Croix Valley Railway. Painted as Soo Line 559, it was built as Rock Island 1223, rebuilt as their 4505, sold to the Chicago & North Western as their 4159, spun off to the Fox River Valley then acquired with the railroad by the Wisconsin Central. The locomotive was purchased by the museum from the Wisconsin Central.
The first production GP7, Chicago and North Western Railway 1518, along with Illinois Terminal GP7 1605 and Chicago & North Western 4160 - former Rock Island 1266, then 4506 - are preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois.
The Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway, New Hampshire operates the former Maine Central RR GP-7 #573 on its valley train. #573 was the last MEC unit to retain an operating steam generator, and thus was used by railroad president E Spencer Miller on his inspection train. #573 is reputed to be the most painted unit on the Maine Central, and was known as "Mr. Miller's engine." To this day, the name of a MEC engineer, Jim Campbell, is still displayed on the inside of the short hood door in the cab, presumably placed there by Mr. Campbell during one of his trips in the unit.
The Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad in Lebanon, Ohio operates one of the oldest GP7 locomotives. It was delivered by EMD in 1950 as C&O #5705 and was purchased by the Indiana and Ohio in 1987 to become #55. It is estimated to have run over 2.5 million miles (4 million km) to date.
The Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville, Indiana operates Nickel Plate Road GP7L #426.
The Orrville (Ohio)Railroad Heritage Society is currently (2012) operating the MEC 571 GP-7 (now repainted in ORHS colors and numbered 471). The locomotive was rebuilt by Amtrack in 1994 (now has a low short hood, dynamic brakes,a 645 rebuilt prime mover, a larger cab, and updated controls). It is used on short trips in Orrville, Ohio and on Operation Lifesaver, Santa Claus, and excursion trips on the W&LE railroad. See the www.orrvillerailroad.com website.
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