With all the recent hype about preserving Amtrak F40's, I am wondering if there are any preserved Amtrak SDP40F's. I believe most of the remaining units (the ones not traded in for F40's years ago) went to the AT&SF. It looks like most of those are now being scrapped. These are my favorite Amtrak loco's because they were the first units Amtrak ordered new, and they looked so much like FP45's. And they were the loco's I remember seeing when I first started riding San Diegans in 1975. Though they left the scene with their "tail between their legs" so to speak (because of the derailments) it still would be a shame if there were none preserved. If I was a diesel guy I would surely step up to the plate and buy one for preservation, but I've got my hands full with passenger cars. Is there any interest out there in the "preservation community" in preserving one of these? Or has one already been preserved that I don't know about?

domeliner@hotmail.com

At least one will tentatively be preserved - the unit that was painted blue and silver for Maersk recently was offered to any preservation group that wanted it. I have heard that there were numerous interested groups that asked for it, not sure of anything specific though, or when a decision will be made on this.

Anyone else that wants one should contact BNSF ASAP - they won't be around for long.

I too would like to see a few preserved in the original Amtrak paint scheme as these units pulled the National Limited on my very first train ride in the early '70's.

Rob Piecuch
Chemung Valley RHS

> With all the recent hype about preserving
> Amtrak F40's, I am wondering if there are
> any preserved Amtrak SDP40F's. I believe
> most of the remaining units (the ones not
> traded in for F40's years ago) went to the
> AT&SF. It looks like most of those are
> now being scrapped. These are my favorite
> Amtrak loco's because they were the first
> units Amtrak ordered new, and they looked so
> much like FP45's. And they were the loco's I
> remember seeing when I first started riding
> San Diegans in 1975. Though they left the
> scene with their "tail between their
> legs" so to speak (because of the
> derailments) it still would be a shame if
> there were none preserved. If I was a diesel
> guy I would surely step up to the plate and
> buy one for preservation, but I've got my
> hands full with passenger cars. Is there any
> interest out there in the "preservation
> community" in preserving one of these?
> Or has one already been preserved that I
> don't know about?


http://chemungvalleyrhs.com
chemungvalleyrhs@aol.com

I have been following the demise of the former Santa Fe SDP40Fs (sorry, can't bring myself to call them SDF40-2s) over on Trainorders. I think the Maersk unit is the only one that they have left. The others have been cut up at Topeka.

If memory serves me right (and it usually doesn't), I think EMD has retained one or two SDP40Fs as test beds ... I remember seeing the 169 in the consist of a westbound Santa Fe freight at La Plata Missouri around 10 years or so ago. As test beds, I can't remember if they still have traction motors or not...any EMD experts out there?

Regards from San Diego,
Burlington John



Burlington Route Historical Society
BurlingtonJohn@trainorders.com

> I have been following the demise of the
> former Santa Fe SDP40Fs (sorry, can't bring
> myself to call them SDF40-2s) over on
> Trainorders. I think the Maersk unit is the
> only one that they have left. The others
> have been cut up at Topeka.

> If memory serves me right (and it usually
> doesn't), I think EMD has retained one or
> two SDP40Fs as test beds ... I remember
> seeing the 169 in the consist of a westbound
> Santa Fe freight at La Plata Missouri around
> 10 years or so ago. As test beds, I can't
> remember if they still have traction motors
> or not...any EMD experts out there?

> Regards from San Diego,
> Burlington John

EMD took 2 units in on trade,one was used to test a "marine" version of the 645 prime mover,and the other was for high altitude testing, there was an article in diesel era about 2 or 3 years ago about odd balls,and they were in that list,as for preserved SDP40Fs,their is a kissing cosine SDP40 preserved in Roanoke Virginia ,it is in sorry shape at present time,It was bought new by the Norfolk and Western,leased to the Erie Railroad,Conrail returned the locomotive several years ago to NS,looks just like a SD40, excepts there is a squared off area on the rear of the locomotive where the steam generation equipment was housed.


andy_jj@valink.com

The unit referenced below is commonly referred to as an SDP45. it is carried on EMD product reference data as an SD45m, it is Not an SDP40 Erie Lackawanna referred to them as road class MFE36D6A These units were built without steam generators but with a longer frame than a standard SD45 to allow for greater fuel capacity for longer range

> preserved SDP40Fs,their is a kissing cosine
> SDP40 preserved in Roanoke Virginia ,it is
> in sorry shape at present time,It was bought
> new by the Norfolk and Western,leased to the
> Erie Railroad,Conrail returned the
> locomotive several years ago to NS,looks
> just like a SD40, excepts there is a squared
> off area on the rear of the locomotive where
> the steam generation equipment was housed.


jjbx@twcny.rr.com