Nostalgia & History > Santa Fe F45's and ditch lights

Do anyone know if any F45's got ditch lights while still owned and in full Santa Fe markings? I have only seen ditch lights on MKM F45's after all Santa Fe markings were painted over. And if so, any photos?

Thanks,
Mike Nelson
Highland, CA

Never saw any F45's with ditch lights in Torrance CA.

BNSF 6550, ex-ATSF 5953, did receive ditch lights at some point. Can't find any pictures online of it having them while it was still the 5953, but here it is with them as the 6550.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/57688015@N08/7450461350

I've never seen a photo of a cowl unit with ditchlights in full pre-BNSF Santa Fe markings. BNSF 6550 and 6551 got them eventually, but I've never seen a photo of the unpatched version of either of those units (5953 and 5970) with ditchlights.

Late in their lives they were banned from the point of trains and I'm wondering if this wasn't one of the reasons.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

ntharalson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Late in their lives they were banned from the
> point of trains and I'm wondering if this wasn't
> one of the reasons.

BNSF issued a general order restricting from leading trains all full-width carbody ATSF/ex-ATSF units. The impetus for this order stemmed from safety concerns, primarily the side-ladders (viewed as a greater safety risk).

Habu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ntharalson Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Late in their lives they were banned from the
> > point of trains and I'm wondering if this
> wasn't
> > one of the reasons.
>
> BNSF issued a general order restricting from
> leading trains all full-width carbody ATSF/ex-ATSF
> units. The impetus for this order stemmed from
> safety concerns, primarily the side-ladders
> (viewed as a greater safety risk).

That's what I thought, but it started in the Santa Fe era. Really.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA