CSX 5107. What's the story?

[5292nate]

Is there anybody here who can tell me the story behind CSX AC44CW #5107, being the Thomas Rice special? I'm curious to learn about it. Why is it named after this man? What is the significance of his name?

Thanks!

[buzz456]

William Thomas Rice’s career started with the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1934,[1] after graduating top of his civil engineering class at Virginia Tech. By 1955, he became president of the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad. In 1957, he was made president of Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. By 1967, he was named president, director and CEO of Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Co., after merging Atlantic Coast Line with Seaboard Air Line Railroad. William Thomas Rice rose to chairman of Seaboard Coast Line Industries and Family Lines System. In 1980, William Thomas Rice and Hays T. Watkins guided the creation of CSX Corp. by merging Chessie System inc. and Seaboard Coast Line. After the merger was complete, Rice was named chairman emeritus.

William Thomas Rice earned many honors, including “Transportation Man of the Year” (1972) and “Railroad Man of the Year” (1975).[2] William Thomas Rice died in 2006, at the age of 93.

[5292nate]

Thanks Buzz!