Nostalgia & History > A Locomtive Suffering the Blues

Reading Railroad EMD SD45 #7603 would be working for a new owner after April 1, 1976 and as a result would suffer the blues, that is as in blue paint.
First image December 22, 1975 with Santa aboard to deliver cookies to the Bethany Children's Home in Womelsdorf, Pa courtesy of Reading conductor Forrest Trittenbach.
Second image on the former Reading at West Reading, now as Conrail #6103. Any doubts look at the "drip strip" above the cab windows, a unique Reading spotting feature.

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The only decent shot I ever got of RDG SD45's was a pair of them on what had been the "Star" in Bethlehem a couple days after the merger.

Wonder why it didn't have the CR "can opener" logo.

RRTom Wrote:
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> Wonder why it didn't have the CR "can opener" logo.

CR didn't always completely letter repaints. The radiator section doesn't match the rest of the hood and nose . . . a hasty fix to get it on the road? Good power was in short supply in the early days. Neither of the EL units had been patched yet, so this is an early photo.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/18 19:17 by CPR_4000.

Photo #2 looks like a train of iron ore cars.

The Reading SD45's also had the extended cab with the middle windows several inches further forward than normal due to what I believe was the space needed for dual controls. Were they the only SD45's so equipped with the extended cab?

Yes. PRSL had GP38s with the same extended cab as well.