I was wondering if there are many / Any SDP locomotives still active ? maybe not with there steam generators or orginal prime movers but Still with there orginal Car-bodys with Square backs ? Have any been saved ?
I have seen a BN SDP40 (s/g plated over, blanked out), as well as a ex-EL SDP45. EL bought SDP45's to get the larger fuel tank to go longer between fuel stops. It went to SP, and then to UP. BN still rosters a couple: http://www.trainpix.com/bn/EMDORIG/SDP40/INDEX.HTM And the distinctive UP/EL unit; I dunno how many still run on UP: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/3139/up_2768_ca_sanluisobispo_2749.jpg
" And the distinctive UP/EL unit; I dunno how many still run on UP " DO you know what UP classifies these as ? SD40 or 45 ? I'm betting the 20 cylinder is long gone.
RRpicturearchives.net has photos of seven TFM (now KCSdeM, ex-NdeM) SDP-40's, #1314 - 1320. Some of the pictures were taken as recently as december, so I would guess that they are still in operation, although I can't be sure. Also, Ferromex appears to have one SDP40, FXE3212, also ex-NdeM. I'm just going by what the photos are listed as. I can't tell one diseasel from another without my handy diesel spotter's guide. Regards Ed .
This is my one & only shot of an SDP40- TFM 1314 at Heavener, OK in mid-December of last year. I can't say for sure if it's still in service. I can say that with KCS's plans of buying new locomotives, it's days are numbered.
You're forgetting SDP35s. Squaw Creek Southern has one in a brilliant lime green scheme. Southwest Portland Cement at Victorville, CA also had one a few years ago - does it still?
Actually, N&W bought them for EL and leased them to EL (which became Conrail), when the lease was up they returned to N&W (now NS) in the early 80s. NS used them a bit before unloading them.
UP calls the ex-SP Morrison-Knudsen rebuilds SD40-2M. Espee and M-K called them SD40M-2, but when UP took over, they changed that designation (kinda like how they call SD40T-2s "SD40-2T"). All were former E-L SD45Ms with pointed hood rears (no s/g), bought only for the 5,000 gallon fuel tank. Out of the 133 SD40M-2s M-K rebuilt for SP, 6 were rebuilt from these ex-E-L SD45M cores. All went to UP after the takeover, and all but one are still active; SP 8694 was destroyed last year in the fatal rear-ender wreck at Bertam, CA. on the Sunset Route. Otherwise, they're out there in the general freight pool; here's a shot I took last year of UP 2771 (ex-SP 8695, originally E-L 3662) leaving UP's ex-SP Long Beach Dolores Yard on a stack train. http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=71230
SDP40 & SDP45 Both the SDP40 and SDP45 were purchaced by just two roads each. The SDP40 by the Great Northern and the NdeM. The GN units were all delivered in the simplified Empire Builder colours. All but one recieved the Big Sky Blue. The SDP45 like the SDP40 was purchaced by only two roads GN and Espee. The GN units were delivered in Big Sky Blue while the Espee's ten were less dazzling in Grey and Red. The BNSF has donated one of the SDP40 units to the same museum as SD45 "Hustle Muscle" The EL units were SD45's on a SDP45 frame to allow for a bigger fuel tank but they never has any train heating system.
