Nostalgia & History > Four months out of San Berdoo and "Looking Good".....

Beginning on February 27, 1970, the Santa Fe embarked upon what would turn out to be the most ambitious locomotive refurbishing program in railroading history, beginning with freight F7A 262C, which would emerge - reincarnated - as "CF7" 2649. They would not relent until the last "SF30C" (former U36C) - the 9569 - would be released from their Cleburne (Texas) shops, in October of 1986. The immense task of these transformations was confined to the aforementioned Cleburne facilities, as well as their complex in San Bernardino, California.

The protocol was to take in a whole particular class of locomotive model, which afforded them "production line" fabrication, versus a one at a time basis.

When they got around to their SD40's (in San Bernardino), it would not take much time off the calendar - as only 19 units remained out of the 20 delivered to them. In December of 1981, it would be the 5004's turn. At the time, they were experimenting with exhaust deflectors, and snow shields over the hood air intakes, both of which are in evidence here.

The third and fourth units are two examples of their "SD26" model, rebuilt from a fleet of 80 aging SD24's, whereby they removed the 567 power assembly, and replaced it with a 645 version, rated at 2625 horsepower - hence - an "SD26".

Anyway, while on a trip to Arizona in the Spring of 1982, I encountered a "glaringly" clean 5004, still immaculate from her release date just four months earlier - leading this eastbound "shooter".

Thank you for looking back with me,

Bob

ATSF100WEST......Out

---

Thanks for the history lesson as well, Bob!

steeplecab

Beautiful framing surrounding a beautiful picture...nicely done Bob. One of your best!! Thanks for sharing.

Kent in Carmel Valley

Thank you very much, Bob, for the beautiful photo
of a most interesting locomotive! ANd I really enjoyed
the history lesson, too! I do lament the passing of those
beautiful F units, but the Santa Fe did an excellent job
with those rebuilds. The blue and yellow is a really sharp
paint scheme.