GP39M-2 GP39M-2B
In 2018, Florida & Gulf Industries (FGI) launched its Hurricane Intermodal Service shortly after purchasing the Florida & Gulf Coast Railroad from MDRail Transportation. This regional service was intended to link the Big Bend and Panhandle areas of Florida to The nationwide Georgia Road QuickSilver Intermodal at its terminal in Birmingham, AL. The idea was to create regular service as an extension of the QuickSilver hub and spoke network where long distance intermodals fed regional hubs which in turn linked smaller terminals in a “slingshot” service with short, fast and frequent ramp times matched to these connecting routes. Along with three ex-TM GP60s and four ex-ARR GP49s, FGI purchased two sets of two GP25M-GP25MB-GP25M combinations from the Georgia Road. FGI would quickly go back and purchase two additional GP25MB units from Georgia Road as it rationalized its own fleet of 25M units. These eight units would become the heart of the original Hurricane Intermodal Service pool and were repainted into the Sunburst 2 Hurricane Intermodal scheme prior to delivery to the FGC. FGI opted to change the model numbers to GP39M (GP25M) and GP39MB (GP25MB) to better distinguish them from the Georgia Road fleet that regularly mixed power on the Hurricane Intermodal trains.
The GP25M and GP25MB were part of the 25M program created by Georgia Road and Stephens Railcar in the late-1990s to augment its Eagle Flyer branded land-bridge intermodal trains. Georgia Road ran a collection of new GP60i, GP60B, B40-8s, GP50, GP40X and GP40-2 units in the high priority fleet. The 25M program took retired UP/CNW GP50, CSX GP40 and IC GP38 cores and completely remanufactured them into GP39-3 units. The 25M Program also featured a cabless booster variant similar to the GP60B configuration on the Georgia Road units. This program was a direct result of the fact that EMD stopped offering new four axle units at a time when Georgia Road wanted additional units. As a result, Stephens Railcar Services created the 25M Program to produce units needed by Georgia Road for its high horsepower, fast Eagle Flyer Intermodal pool. rebuilt GP40 and GP50 cores to turbocharged GP39-3 standards. These units were intended to run with the GP60i and GP60B units already in service.
By the early 2000s, the weight and length of these Eagle Flyer trains caused the high speed four axle units to lose favor. In their place, new SD70, SD70M and SD75M six axle power took over as they dramatically increased tractive effort per unit while controlling wheel slip. High horsepower four axle units designed for fast intermodal service were facing longer and heavier trains as container traffic exponentiated, and the configuration had reached its design limits. Wheel slip Issues inherent to high gearing under heavy load were increasing and the extra length and traction motors of the new six axles eliminated the issue. Some 25M Program units were shopped and regeared for general mainline service, but the original design specification hindered their effectiveness as heavy switching power.
Much of the fleet found itself in demand again when Georgia Road launched its Quicksilver Optima Service in the mid 2000s. Using aa hub and spoke system, the larger and heavier QuickSilver Standard trains fed smaller, more frequent and quicker regional “slingshot” trains to connect smaller cities on the system, known as “optimized” or Optima branded service. A great portion of the orphan four axle power than once ruled the rails in the Eagle Flyer pool once again found work pulling trains for which they were designed.
FGI joined the QuickSilver Intermodal network as an independent contractor, moving its own intermodal through its newly branded Hurricane Intermodal Service in 2019. This close relationship with Georgia Road allowed the FGI to purchase surplus 25M four axle power as the basis of its own intermodal pool. assigned to the Hurricane Intermodal trains. FGI re-designated 25M Program GP39M and GP39MB units jointed the FGC roster in full Sunburst 2 colors and continue to compose the heart of the Hurricane intermodal pool, working alongside the GP49s, GP60s and GP40-2 units also assigned.
| Road Number | Number of Units | Paint Scheme | Notes |
| FGC 440-443 | 4 | Sunburst 2 Standard Scheme | Former Georgia Road 25M Rebuild Program GP25M units purchased in 2019 for Hurricane Intermodal Service. FGI re-designated model to GP39M; all in Sunburst 2 Paint scheme |
| FGC 444-449 | 6 | Sunburst 2 Standard Scheme | Former Georgia Road 25M Rebuild Program GP25B units purchased in 2019 for Hurricane Intermodal Service. FGI re-designated model to GP39MB; all in booster unit modified Sunburst 2 Paint scheme |
Georgia Road Transportation 