Nostalgia & History > 5 AT&SF with SDFP45's leading?

Looking for info on this one ... including the model type ... unit up front is #5997.

I found this on Wikipedia: "Between April 1980 and December 1982, Santa Fe's San Bernardino shops rebuilt eight FP45s 5940-5943, 5945-5948. They emerged as 5990-5993, 5995-5998, and were redesignated SDFP45s".
Looks like these 5 are that model ...



 

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I believe only the lead unit is an FP45, while the trailing units are only F45 units. Corrections welcome.

Wow! 
Location?  The mountain in the background make it look like San Berdoo but I don't recognize that diamond in the bottom of the frame. 

.   .   .   this was one of a number of specials organized by Mike Martin of Santa Fe. The diamond was on the "short cut" just west of San Bernardino station and the shot is just west of Mt Vernon overpass. The diamond can be seen in this photo take from Mt Vernon Ave 55 years ago.
JB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/22 10:24 by 3rdswitch.

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Former Santa Fe PR man Mike Martin had an article explaining this event in the Fourth Quarter 2019 issue of The Warbonnet.  The genesis was another article, one that Martin was working on for the company magazine documenting the locomotive remanufacturing process at Santa Fe's San Bernardino Shops.  He followed FP45 5947 through the shops as it became SDFP45 5997 during 1982, and wanted a photo of the finished 5997 pulling a train as the cover shot.  The late Homer Henry pulled the necessary strings and got 5997 along with SDF45's 5989, 5960, 5950, and 5986 on the point of eastbound pig train 883-S-1 out of LA on the morning of February 19, 1983 so Martin (and others in the know) could shoot the train climbing Cajon Pass in good light:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,858992,859039#859039
https://www.flickr.com/photos/155784920@N02/47959896916

Due to some internal issues/politics at the magazine, the article ran in the July 1983 issue of the magazine while the cover shot ended up on the September issue, but oh well. 

Thanks Evan!

WOW! What a great historical gem!
Bob

I'll concur with HotWater that the lead unit was built as an FP45 while trailing units as F45s.  The difference can be seen in the sheet metal behind the intake grills on the lead unit, while on trailing units the intake grill is quite close to the end of the unit.  Distance from the rear entry ladder to the rear of the unit is another quick visual ID.  On the trailing units the ladder is quite close to the end of the unit, not so for the lead unit.

Nice photo, JB.
Tim Costello

tgcostello Wrote:
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> I'll concur with HotWater that the lead unit was
> built as an FP45 while trailing units as F45s. 
> The difference can be seen in the sheet metal
> behind the intake grills on the lead unit, while
> on trailing units the intake grill is quite close
> to the end of the unit.  Distance from the rear
> entry ladder to the rear of the unit is another
> quick visual ID.  On the trailing units the
> ladder is quite close to the end of the unit, not
> so for the lead unit.
>
> Nice photo, JB.
> Tim Costello

More info!!! Thank you ...

 

this photo was a Ron Hawkins photo posted yesterday, i look above the air tanks

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