George Andrews Wrote:
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> Are you sure about the date ??? I'm thinking that
> by 1973 any F - Unit that needed mechanical work
> serious enough to warrant load testing would have
> been sent to Cleburne Shops for conversion to a CF
> - 7. Or perhaps the F - Unit pictured is being
> used as a static load test rack ???

In the photo, the unit is on shop trucks. San Bernardino was the system shop for traction motor rebuilding, so the unit is likely there for a truck rebuild or swap. From the mid 1960s to the early 1970s, freight F's were occasionally sent there for that work. In fact, at least one unit around 1970 was repainted while awaiting work.

The 274C in the photo shows to have been retired on 3/12/76 and held for the CF7 conversion program. It's likely that it had been stored at Cleburne for a period of time before acually being retired. In any rate, it was released as the 2428 in December 1977.