Actually it was 45 tons and heavier needed a fireman...technically a 44.5 tonner did not need a fireman
I checked my ancient Second Diesel Spotter's Guide and you're right about the frame thickness. Looks like the 65-Tonner's frame also has a lip along its top that the 44-Tonner lacks.
US Navy MRS-1 65-00545 (ex-US Army 2123), Sacramento, CA, early 1990s (Bob Jordan) US Steel SW1200 1130 (ex-MP 1130), St. Paul, MN, Early 1990s (Bob Jordan)
WC-Oxford SD40 4025 (ex-MP 4025), possibly Ohio, Early 1990s (Bob Jordan) WC GP30 709 (ex-Soo 709), Stevens Point, WI, circa 1994 (Bob Jordan)
Wisconsin Central SD45 6517 (ex-BN 6530), Wisconsin, circa 1992 (Bob Jordan) A Baldwin S12, early 1990s (Bob Jordan)
ConAgra SW1200 1134, Denver, CO, mid-1990s (Bob Jordan) The San Diegan in San Diego, early 1990s (Bob Jordan)
The California Zephyr rolls west towards Denver, early 1990s (Bob Jordan) Amtrak GP40 659 (ex-B&M 323, exx-Conrail 3233, nee-PC), Denver, CO, early 1990s (Bob Jordan)
Amtrak GP9 763 (ex-UP 208), Chicago, IL, June 1978 (Bob Jordan) Amtrak's California Zephyr streaks across the prairie east of Denver, early 1990s (Bob Jordan)
BN F91 1, Denver, CO, circa 1994 (Bob Jordan) BN SW1200 247 (ex-CB&Q 9289), Denver, CO, mid-1990s (Bob Jordan)
I remember see'ing BN's Exec train in Seattle with BN-1 and BN-2, along with the E-unit(BN-3?) and thinking that was about the coolest thing ever!! Got pics of it next to the Kingdome, (which is now gone too) near King Street Station. I think it was 1994 as well.
BN F3A 618, ex-GN 276B/367A/267A, Denver, CO, Circa 1971 (Bob Jordan) BN F7A 664, ex-GN 452A, Denver, CO, circa 1971 (Bob Jordan)
Those executive F's were class acts I remember they were rated like GP38's. The emblem on the nose was chrome much of the components inside the cab was polished or plated as well. It was not uncommon to find them in freight service either.
A GN/NP F-Unit pairing at Denver, Circa 1971 (Bob Jordan) BN F3A 702 (ex-NP 6011D/6000D), Auburn, WA, August 1979 (Bob Jordan)
Looks like that switcher to the left is marked for the C&S and AT&SF. Looks like CB&Q paint? Really neat. I've never seen anything like that, though I assume that it has a "Joint Line" purpose.
The C&S was a subsidiary of the CB&Q, so all of their diesels wore Burlington colors. As for that locomotive, the Santa Fe and the C&S shared yard facilities in Denver and Pueblo (as part of the Joint Line agreements), so switchers assigned to the Denver yards wore C&S/CB&Q colors (and later BN) but had the joint C&S/AT&SF lettering (and were owned by C&S) while those further south wore Santa Fe colors with the same C&S/AT&SF lettering (and were owned by Santa Fe).
BN F7A 720 (ex-NP 6010A), Auburn, WA, June 1979 (Bob Jordan) BN F7A 724 (ex-NP 6513C), Auburn, WA, April 1980 (Bob Jordan)
For those of us who were there, it was very interesting to see the various hues of the green. And also how quickly it weathered to a flat finish.