We'll get this weekend's Proto Fun with a shot I took two weeks ago. This little switcher works a plant just off of I-85 north of Spartanburg SC. I've seen this thing so many time in the last 20+ years and every time I was in a position to be able to stop and see it, it was always out of photo range. Well, the stars finally aligned on Friday March 25, 2022 and she was parked in a decent spot for a picture. I could only safely get a shot of the cab end. I have not researched this engine yet so about all I can do is post the picture. This one I can check off the bucket list now.
Whoa, would love to hear the story behind this switcher, definitely a rebuild some time ago. The cab and the hood look home built for sure.
A funny place to see a BNSF SD70MAC hanging out, at first light at the CP yard depot in Minot, ND. Later that morning, a CP westbound's DPU shoves past the historic Soo Line 1912 depot in the Magic City.
Looks to me like an EMD switcher hood (check out the slight angle in the hood just ahead of the cab) with a home rebuild job on the cab. It looks like they pushed the back wall of the cab right up flush with the battery boxes on the rear to make a sort of "comfort cab". The engine was definitely replaced - note the stack peeking out with the "flap" slightly open. There's also radio control equipment added - row of lights on the side of the cab and the antenna at the front side of the hood.
That was my thought as well. But it certainly adds good visibility for the engineer. Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk