UP 2771--Since it's UP, it is most likely a former-Espee unit. What numbers did this SDP45 wear,a nd when was the steam generator equipment removed? Did it actually serve on passenger trains? I have a small 3x5 photo of it, but it's not all that good. It is wearing lightning stripes and is fairly clean as well.
Found this on another Forum: Formerly an SDP45, now an SD40M-2, rebuilt by MK Rail for the Espee. Now sporting dash-2 controls and a 16 cyl. 3000 horsepower engine and reapinted into UP colors. Another former SP SDP45 with an interesting lineage... EL 3662, then CR 6693, then VMV 6693, then SP 8695, and now UP 2771. And here is a link to a pic: http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=17024 Russ
E-L bought their SDP45's simply for increased fuel tank capacity... Info from the 'Second Diesel Spotter's Guide'.
That agrees with my studies also so these were not actually designated SDP-45s but merely long SD-45's
Espee's SDP45s were bought for and did pull the commuter trains out of San Francisco and (I think) Los Angeles. After that, the steam generator was disabled and they were just regular freight engines. The MK rebuild was something else...Espee bought a bunch of six axle engines to be built to a certain specification. MK scoured the USA to get the bodies to build them all. I think that is why the EL engines/frames all appeared at Espee and eventually at UP. Here is a 1994 (I think) SDP45 in San Antonio being used as a regular freight engine. Espee originally bought about 10 SDP45s.
