In 2020, the Adrian & Blissfield Rail Road’s management let it be known that even though they weren’t actively looking to be bought out, they’d not outright decline a reasonable offer, and when the South Shore Line took them up on their hint they found themselves – in 2022, after regulatory approvals – the owner of a brand new subsidiary.
Part of the terms for the purchase was that the ADBF would continue as a separate railroad with their current motive power, labour rules, and separate subsidiaries. So none of the existing power was merged into the Parsons Vale’s roster (to the intense dismay of the motive power department), though the railroad’s motive power upgrades would still be paid for out of Parsons Vale funds.
Adrian & Blissfield motive power
In the two years after the merger all of the ADBF’s GP9 fleet were sent to ILW to be remanufactured as GP9d’s, while all of the ADBF’s GP15s were used as trade-ins on new AC motors from the PV&T’s Portland shops.
| ADBF number | type | builder | built | assigned | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 65 ton | GE | 1942 | DCON | reserve locomotive |
| 5 | 65 ton | GE | 1955 | LIRR | reserve locomotive |
| 10-13 | JS | Portland | 2022 | JAIL | |
| 14 | M3 | Portland | 2022 | JAIL | |
| 836 | SW900 | EMD | 1954 | DCON | Ex-Checker Motor Corporation 1 |
| 1223 | SW9 | EMD | 1953 | ADBF | Blissfield switcher |
| 1752 | GP9d | EMD | 1957 | ADBF | In Lionel Lines paint |
| 1755 | GP9d | EMD | 1957 | ADBF | |
| 1758 | GP9d | EMD | 1956 | JAIL | Lansing switcher |
| 1759 | GP9d | EMD | 1956 | ADBF | |
| 1760 | GP9d | EMD | 1955 | LIRR | transferred from Jackson & Lansing in 2024 |