Nostalgia & History > Big drinkers and long haulers.

Erie Lackawanna was a hard luck road in 1972. It was reeling from the effects of Hurricane Agnes, which devestated the Southern Tier portion of the railroad and through EL into bankruptcy. The only good to come out of that miserable year was the purchase of 13 SD45-2s. I don't remember details, but I am sure this was done through DERECO, and backed by N&W at the time. I'll let my power freak friends fill in the blanks on this one. What I do know is that the monsters were a big morale booster for the operating personnel, and crews loved having the new power on their trains. The weird thing in my "riding" days on the EL, is that I never rode in one of them. I still don't know how I missed that! Anyway, as it turned out, this would be the last new power to ever be delivered to EL. They held down assignments on the full New York to Chicago runs because of their massive 5,000 gallon fuel tanks. It let them run the length of the railroad without refueling. I found this shot , taken in the Spring of 1973 of the first two SD45-2s in the order, sunning themselves at Marion Ohio. They had just been serviced, and "washed!" Note the size of the fuel tanks, which were impressive to say the least. Milwaukee power was ready for a return to Chicago on a pool train they operated with EL.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/19 03:31 by Roadjob.

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Nice Lineup !

Very nice.
That is the way I remember Marion.
Gary

Good shot - too bad the E8 got "punched in the nose" for her picture.

Great shot! My all time favorite locomotives!

The last Dereco power came in 1969. The first 19 SDP45's (3635-3653) and the second order of U33C's (3307-3315). The 15 1970 SDP45's (3654-3668) were financed independently (while the company was under Dereco control) as were sister railroad - the D&H's 9 U33C's (754-762 (the D&H was also under Dereco control)).

The N&W used the June 1972 bankruptcy to cut the EL loose. EL was then on it's own. (The D&H would remain part of Dereco until sold to Guilford in early 1984.) Thus, the SD45-2's were independently financed. Also arriving in 1972 were 13 U36C's (3316-3328) which differed from the U33C's by having dry type (baggy) air filters (low intake position vs high) and plows. (The 3301-3303 also received plows while on the D&H but we're only operated on the EL as such in early 1976). Together, the units were the last new units bought by the EL.

As a bit of a post script. The EL did take delivery of 9 additional NJDOT financed U34CH's in early 1973. They would also order the previously discussed 19 GP38-2's and 20 U23B's in the fall of 1974 for mid to late 1975 delivery. Unfortunately, traffic dropped off so dramatically that the orders were cancelled in late January of 1975.

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/19 11:07 by NYSWSD70M.

Great Marion memory.
Bob

The SD45-2's and the U36C's came along just as I was preparing to leave EL territory and head out into the world. I think I only saw either model once or twice.
Very nice photo and still a terrific paint scheme.

TJY

 

A FYI, the 3669 is now NS 1700 in full EL dress.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/19 11:43 by thebluecomet.

Thanks for that info. I did not know what the orginal number of the HU was. Very interesting!

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

Seeing those massive tanks, I wonder if they ever "bottomed out" on the rail head in areas of very  bouncy track?

Very nice photo witha lot to like.
Those SD45-2's really had nice lines.
ALLEN

So, where'd they hide the air tanks?

TheApostleGreen Wrote:
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> So, where'd they hide the air tanks?

They were/are under the radiators. Note the vents in the carbody doors.

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