Nostalgia & History > Milwaukee Road SDL-39s

The Milwaukee Road offered service only one day a week to Britton, SD in 1976 when I went to work for them. Here's the local headed south toward the transcon line.

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Winter of 75. SDL39 heading back into Aberdeen Yard after a run up to Edgeley. These units were purchased specifically for use on the light rail branch lines so common on the Milwaukee.

Don Hall
Yreka, CA

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You have to love the way the Milwaukee had to use a lawnmower on their branch lines. I don't think I've seen anything like them. That must have been a very strange feeling for the engine crew to have to assume there were rails intact amongst the grass.

Those were the sweetest non-steam engines I'd ever run.

I miss 'em already!

Good stuff! Please post more!

What does the "L" stand for in the "SDL39" model number?

silagi Wrote:
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> What does the "L" stand for in the "SDL39" model
> number?
>

Light or lightweight.

The SDL39's rode on lightweight C-C trucks and the entire carbody was lightened wherever possible, hence, short frame etc.

J.

Under the hood, they had the cutest little 12 cylinder 2400 hp power plant you ever saw, and supersoft suspension. Every time you stopped with the independent brake, the nose end would bounce up and down like a fish bobber due to weight transfer.

You have to realize that these things were designed to tip-toe around on Milwaukees crooked Iowa, Minnesota & Dakota branch lines with 60# rail, each SDL39 replaceing a 4 unit consist of MU'd SW1's. Some of those branch lines were converted narrow gauge lines.

And, with 2400 hp and no turbocharger, they made a h***ofa switch engine.

Very interesting. Did EMD build any SDL units for other railroads?

silagi Wrote:
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> Very interesting. Did EMD build any SDL units for
> other railroads?


No, all 10 units were built for the Milwaukee. Wisconsin Central got some 2nd hand.

Nope, 10 SDL's for the Milwaukee, 5 in 1969 and 5 in 1972 if I remember right. One was wrecked before the Soo line merger. The Soo got the remaining 9, didnt use them much from what I've read and eventually sold them to the WC. Last year they were sent to Chile, probably never to be seen again....

-Mike

SDL39's, like the rest of the '39' line of EMD products, were turbocharged.

MTMEngineer Wrote:

> And, with 2400 hp and no turbocharger, they made a
> h***ofa switch engine.

DSPR3 Wrote:
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> SDL39's, like the rest of the '39' line of EMD
> products, were turbocharged.
>
> MTMEngineer Wrote:
>
> > And, with 2400 hp and no turbocharger, they
> made a
> > h***ofa switch engine.
>
>
>

Checking out the details, I see, yes, they were turbocharged. Come to think of it, how else could they get 2400 hp out of 12 cylinders.

Anyway, they were very snappy performers.

Thanks.

The EMD SD39s, SDL39s, GP39s, and GP39-2 were all rated at 2300 hp. The Milwaukee Road SDL39s served the company well for many years. It's too bad they were all sold off. But thats business.

It did have short frame, Shorter than a GP 39 by 4 feet IIRC and a small tank to. Just what did they weigh and what did a GP 39 weigh? at one axel on the rail?

Let's see, four SW-1's, that's 2400 HP, and no turbo's. He
was right to begin with!!

While the SDL39's where the only domestic 'L' units built, EMD did sell a number of them overseas. I believe Saudi Arabia got some. I know that the SDL50 was produced and I'm pretty sure SDL40-2 units.

I also think the SDL39 replaced the Milwaukee RSC2 or 3 units that where very light on the rails.

There is a picture of a SDL50 and F7A in an Extra 2200 south in my closet somewhere. If I remember, I can look up the details.

The truck on the SDL39's was a standard gauge GC truck that EMD used and continues to use for export locomotives. This is a similar design to the SD Flexicoil truck having a similar motor orientation and coil spring primary and secondary springs. In the secondary (bolster) suspension there are two friction snubbers that are marginally effective at best. The GC truck has been used by EMD in many countries including Ireland, Korea, and India.

Dave