Rare is anything that is UNpatched. In my book, any pure BN, ATSF, SP, CNW, D&RGW, etc. Rare is also by number. Montana Rail Link has 4 of the very few existing F45's, and all are still equipped with 20-cyl. prime movers. With ACez taking over on MRL in helper service, and such, finding F or SD45's in pure sets also qualifies in my book!
Those are pretty good! Your "garbage power" name is similar to what I call a "dog's breakfast"- that is, everything and anything that can load up & pull tonnage, regardless of paint scheme (or condition of same). "Rare" power around here is anything Ferromex, obviously UP, or anything off a CLass 2 or shortline being transferred from one place to another. Also, anything not patched for BNSF, not including the "Grimestain" SD70MACs. One very rare example was a BNSF GP15-1 in the old "whiteface" scheme, in the consist of an eastbound freight. I shot it just west of Acoma. After further research, I discovered it was former Frisco 100, the first diesel I ever got a cab ride in- on the North Switcher in Ft. Smith back in the spring of 1980!
We see MRL power down thisaway now & then, mostly SD40s and SD45s. None of the F45......must keep 'em up on home rails. Even shot an ex-Sesquehanna SD45 lettered for Merle, it was part of a "dog's breakfast" consist that included an ex-Santa Fe SD45-2 and a GP60M still in Warbonnet colors, all on the point of a junk freight.
Prime example of a dog's breakfast consist- this sad, sorry-looking ex-SP SD40, its nose "grayed" over and covered with a poster from Sonic Drive-In, and "Borg-patched" in the bargain. It's coupled to an ex-BN SD40-2 with HCLX reporting marks crudely stenciled on the long hood and the number 8139 applied. At the other end is this: UP GP38-2 592, complete with lightning stripes. One can only hope that this aberration was power for a local. I caught this mess in Ray Yard in Denison, TX back in April of this year.
