The FT made its first appearance on the ACL in 1943 adorned in purple and silver bands with yellow outlines. The first sets were draw-barred together, but after some mechanical failures, ACL began to convert their fleet to coupled A and B units, a program that took until 1962 to complete. ACL FT's were noticeable in that they lacked dynamic brakes and had duel headlights as delivered. The FT remained one of the major freight workhorses for the ACL until 1967 shortly before their merger into Seaboard Coast Line in July of that year.