Nostalgia & History > Erie Lakawanna's SDP45s

Growing up in the SF Bay Area I was exposed to SP's massive SDP45 fleet assigned to the commute service. But i find it fascinating that the Erie Lakawanna purchased the model sans boiler so they could take advantage of a much larger fuel tank slung beneath that long frame. A few of those units became leasers as part of the VMV fleet and a couple even made it into SP's order from M/K of SD40M-2s. According to my notes, these EL units were built in 1970.

1. EL 3649 at Binghampton NY on May 28, 1974. (Rattenne Collection)

2. Ten years later, the 3664 became Conrail 6695, seen here at Avon IN on October 23, 1984 (Michael Dolenski photo - Rattenne Collection.)

3. And finally, Conrail 6685 became VMV 6685 (ex-EL 3654) and spent much time on SP as a leaser (sometimes referred to as Rent-a-Wreck). The 6685 is seen here at Mojave CA on May 28, 1988, exactly 14 years after my first photo was taken. 

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EL's SDP were built in 2 orders 3635-53 in 6/69 with dual control stands and 3654-68 in 7-8/70.  One distiguishing external feature was the '70 built batch came with snow plows. 

Thank you for the additional info.

The class unit making good use of those dual controls! Sparrowbush, NY 1-72.

Tom Y

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An interesting feature of the E-L SDPs was that the roof line (as built) was low profile; the dust blower hatch behind the cab, exhaust outlet, dynamic fans and radiator fans were all of a lower design than normal.  Were clearances on the E-L a problem?  Their other EMDs weren't this way, as far as I know.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=32665

Also, I'm not sure I would describe the SP's fleet as "Massive" at just 10 units.  I guess when there were several all lined up at 4th Street ready to get outta town, it seemed that way!  Production totals were Great Northern 8, Southern Pacific 10, Erie-Lackawanna 34.

Mark



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/04/15 00:08 by mwbridgwater.

The SDP45s and SD45-2s EL had were built that way along with a number of Conrail SD60 variants so I would assume there were clearance issues somewhere these ran in the east (NEC?)

MitchGDRMCo Wrote:
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> The SDP45s and SD45-2s EL had were built that way
> along with a number of Conrail SD60 variants so I
> would assume there were clearance issues somewhere
> these ran in the east (NEC?)

Not sure where EL would have had clearance issues as the EL (ie, the ex-Erie) was initially used for double stack trains prior to ex-Penn Central lines having vertical clearances raised. Perhaps there were clearance concerns under ex-DL&W catenary?

All the EL 45's had low profile roof appliances.  In general the Erie did have very generous clerances along its Chicago-Jersey City main.  Clearences became an issue in a few places, specifically under the wires in Bergen tunnels (former DLW) which road units needed to use to get to Hoboken and the Chrysler Auto yard.  And in Cleveland west of 55th Ave yard in the tunnels leading to the Riverbed ore facility were tight enough to even warrant moving the horns on C424/5's.

N&W had a part in financing the units so that is probably the reason for the dual control stands. After 15 years, with the trust certificates paid off, IIRC some or all of the units ended up on NW/NS.

Those things were beasts.

MRL 332 is still in active service. It was one of the SDP45 flared radiator units rebuilt with a near SD45-2 body after a roll over. Later it was updated to -2 electricals.

Posted from iPhone

fbe Wrote:
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> MRL 332 is still in active service. It was one of
> the SDP45 flared radiator units rebuilt with a
> near SD45-2 body after a roll over. Later it was
> updated to -2 electricals.
>
> Posted from iPhone

MRL 332 is the former EL 3657.  It and the EL 3667 were leading Second New York 100 (one of EL's UPS trains) on Thanksgiving Day 1973 when they were derailed at Windham, OH.  They were running at 50 mph eastbound on the westbound main and encountered an open switch into the Harbison Walker Plant.  It was later found that two kids living next to the track had opened the switch.  Both units and about twelve cars left the rails.  The Engineer was killed, the fireman (who was running the train) was badly injured and the head breakman (riding in the second unit (3667)) suffer minor injuries.

Both units were taken to Hornell.   Since the tooling for the SDP45-s carbody was gone, the EL and EMD chose to modify SD45-2 carbodies.  The lesser damaged 3667 kept it's original cab, sub base, short nose and electrical cabinet.  It ended up with a new long hood with an extra carbody door and a 6 inch spacer to lengthen it by 18".  The 3657 (now MRL 332) received the same carbody along with a new -2 style cab, sub-base short nose and a new -2 electrical cabinet.  As such, it became the first pre-1972 or non-2 to be so "upgraded"   After 1974, the EL in effect had 14 SD45-2's. MK scrapped the 3667 but as you point out 3657 survives.  Last I knew, you could still see some of the repairs to the fuel tank damage on 332 from it Windham derailment.

The first order of SDP45's were indeed financed by the N&W.  3635-3653 were returned to NS in late 1984 (less the wrecked 3637 which had been returned in early 1976 and rebuilt into a road slug).  The N&W put these units into service in blue (except for one still painted grey/maroon/yellow).  They ran for about a year mostly as trailing units.  All but one (EL3639) were traded into to EMD on SD60's

The second order were bank financed - not by the N&W.  These also did not have dual controls but were snow plow equipped.  They also had the first "factory" installation of the horn in front of/over the engineer.  These units were returned to their lessor and sat in Sayre, PA for over a year.  They were to be sold to the SOO who in the end, did not accept them.  VMV ended up with them and leased 8 to the CC&P for a time.  They then ended up on the SP where they seemed to find a home for years as leasers.

JPB Wrote:
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> MitchGDRMCo Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The SDP45s and SD45-2s EL had were built that
> way
> > along with a number of Conrail SD60 variants so
> I
> > would assume there were clearance issues
> somewhere
> > these ran in the east (NEC?)
>
> Not sure where EL would have had clearance issues
> as the EL (ie, the ex-Erie) was initially used for
> double stack trains prior to ex-Penn Central lines
> having vertical clearances raised. Perhaps there
> were clearance concerns under ex-DL&W catenary?

I see your point in regards to the word massive - EL had the massive fleet compared to SP and GN. As a sidebar, SP did not have asignle line for their SDP45s at the 7th street terminal but if you went to San Jose on a weekend or late evening, they would be lined up in a single row - all pointing north (railroad west).  Attached is a photo taken on December 23, 1984 with SP 3202 leading a long string of SDP45s. The history of the SDP45 in all its variants fascinates me. I've writtrn two articles on SP's fleet but knew few details of EL's fleet. You all have filled in a lot of blanks and I think you for that.

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Last time I was on the MRL 332 it still had EL paint in the door jamb on the engineers side. Anyway I have heard about that wreck and the story of how those two units became SD45-2's but didn't know they were in it. Neat stuff.