Nostalgia & History > Rio Grande SD45 last days on home turf

When this picture was taken of Rio Grande SD45 5332 leading a Westbound DVROM (Denver-Roper, UT-Manifest) at Blue Mtn. crossing West of Denver late on an afternoon in March of 1994, most of her flared mates had been sent out to Southern California to run out their last miles in Hauler service. It also appears that the 5332 was retired sometime later in this same year. So catching this old classic SD45, still in her as delivered small lettering, leading a mainline freight on her home territory was a real treat. It is also interesting to note that each of the five engines in this consist wear a different scheme from the SP family. Rio Grande black and orange, a GE lettered for the Cotton Belt, a Speed lettered GP60, a SD45 still in the red and yellow from the aborted SPSF merger and a standard SD40 lettered for SP.

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Nice catch.
JB

Sweet. That sure was a handsome paint scheme.