From Bryan Seip (10/10/08):

The LEF&C went out of business in 1992 after almost 100 years - that is when the MP15's were sold.

There were 4 of them plus 2 SW1500's. LEF&C was mainly a coal hauler with some other freight. It ran 17 miles from Clarion, PA to Summerville, PA. Interchanging with NYC at one end & PRR at the other. It never made it to either Franklin or to Lake Erie, but plans were big when they started.

A brick factory in Summerville and a glass plant in Clarion were the other biggest customers.

My grandmother lived right beside the brick factory - so as a kid I watched the train come in the evenings to switch out boxcars full of bricks & bring in empties. LEF ran Alco RS-1's in the late '40's & '50's - then went to SW 1500's & MP15's. When my Mom was a girl - they switched the plant with a steam engine.

Alaska 1551 was LEF 25 & 1552 was LEF 26 - bought new by LEF&C

Here are a couple of your subjects in their former lives (see above photos).

#25 on the lead at Summerville 4-20-1989 working along Toadtown Road.

# 26 leads this train at Waterson siding 4-14-1989

A typical LEF consist - 3 MP15's and about 50 loads of coal.

The 2 SW1500's went to Mittal Steel in Wierton, WV - one is in the dead line - the other operates as a back-up loco.

The other 2 MP15's went to American Cast Iron Pipe Co in Brimingham, AL and are still working there the last we knew.

The LEF&C was a victim of declining coal production and of trucking taking over the shipping from the brick plant & glass plant.