"We've been watching the recent discussions regarding Conrail SDP45 #6670 very closely. Here's a statement from The CRHS's Board of Directors regarding the locomotive." https://www.facebook.com/TheCRHS/posts/4590116404345990

FYI folks, EL bought the SDP45's for freight service because the longer frame fit a bigger gas tank, increasing the range and saving the time used for enroute refuelling. Sort of the diesel equivalent of the "coast to coast" tenders used by a competing road in steam days. The SDP45's did not have steam generators.

EL also reassigned its E8's to freight as passenger work disappeared. They mostly worked West of Youngstown, but close to the onset of ConRail they sent 4 E8's from Chicago to North Jersey on a hot train. They made the running time despite having to refuel. They were 25 years old by then.

Phil Mulligan

These were used as Horseshoe Curve helpers. I specifically remember 6666 for its distinctive number.

CR 6666 was an SD45-2, not an SDP45.

Just for history, and to do something a little different that is seldom done in this hobby, here is a list of some of the people involved with the railroad and the locomotive, around the time it was acquired. Please pardon any misspelled names, I have forgotten a few people too, it has been more than 50 years:

Electro-Motive Division of General Motors:
B. Brownell, Chief Engineer and subsequently General Manager
M. Ephraim, Chief Engineer (Successor to BB)
M. Gardner, Sales Manager
W. Fox, Eastern Sales Manager (later Successor to MG)
W. Becker, General Service Manager
W. Hoffman, NE Region Service Manager
D. Wyent, District Engineer, Marion, Ohio

Erie-Lackawanna Railroad (Railway after 1968):
G. Maxwell, President
W. Carlson, Chief Mechanical Officer
H. Zydor, Assistant to CMO
D. Huggins, Chief Mechanical Officer (Successor to WC)
C. Dillon, Master Mechanic, Marion, Ohio
H. Stone, Assistant Master Mechanic, Marion, Ohio
J. Eels, General Foreman, Marion, Ohio
W. Collins, Master Mechanic, Hornell, New York
K. Gerbes, General Foreman, Hornell, New York
J. Ratchford, Master Mechanic, Scranton, Pennsylvania

I believe that two or three people on that list are still alive at this time (8/31/21).

PC

This may or may not be a popular opinion here, but in my opinion, if and when this locomotive is restored, cosmetically or otherwise, it needs to be in its as-built EL paint scheme. The SDP45 is synonymous with long distance freight service in the final decade of the Erie Lackawanna. Conrail inherited these locomotives and never seemed to have any particular affinity for them, holding them just long enough for the lease to expire and no more. I feel that there are far better candidates that are much more representative of Conrail and their motive power philosophy than the SDP. Should they find no better home first, I think trying to work with Progress Rail on acquiring at least the shell of one of the retired SD80MAC's would be a heck of a good start.

I couldn't agree more. An SD80MAC would be a great way to memorialize Conrail (and then that GP30 in the PA museum could be restored to as-delivered PRR colors. And that SDP45 should be restored to as-delivered EL colors. It is too bad that none of SP's survived.

Preston, thanks for listing the guys who made the EL SDP45 project happen.

Seeing these unique engines (always clean!) makes you think one of those guys had the idea and the rest of them made it work.

I can picture somebody at La Grange looking at the proposal and saying "They want a WHAT?"

Phil Mulligan

My recollection is that the freight SDP45 got its start when Charlie Dillon commented to "Wild Bill" Carlson that if they had an SD45 with just a few hundred gallons more fuel capacity, they could run hot trains from New York metro area to Chicago and be able to run the units around town and do the all the Westbound hand-offs and Eastbound pick-ups before bringing them to 51st Street to fuel and wait for the Eastbound departure. Carlson talked with Bill Hoffman, who took it to Warren Fox (Eastern Sales Manager, later General Sales Manager, should add him to the list). Fox took it to Gardner, it got passed over to Engineering, and the Erie Lackawanna freight SDP45 was the eventual result. Many years ago I did a talk for the ELHS that covered the background of the locomotive orders and deliveries.

It is actually much easier for me to research now that I have been working on a timeline chart of the EMD Engineering, Sales, Service and Executives careers that lets me pick a moment in time and see "who" was doing "what' job at that selected time. I may eventually be able to do this kind of summary for some other EMD preserved locomotives in museum collections.

PC

I'm certainly not complaining, as the EL SDP is probably my all time favorite freight carbody, BUT, I have always wondered why the one-off body style was chosen over what was done with the IC "SD40A" units?

As part of the CRHS's Deep State I was part of the discussion behind this statement.

Organization leadership is really rooting for Rick on this one. We think it will be an amazing thing if preserved and restored, regardless of paint scheme (black magnetic "CR" patches are cheap, after all).

It's just not a thing that, with our museum project underway (see https://www.thecrhs.org/243880), the Society can really get involved in beyond being part of a cheering section.

So, that said, good luck Rick! Hopefully it all pans out, but if it doesn't there's no ill will. We all know you miss 100% of the swings you don't take.

Wallyworld washable tempera is even cheaper, Ed, and it'll pretty much mimic the performance of the paint Conrail used for the initial patch jobs as well. LOL

Only if we apply it with a mop.

Yeah Ed, but it was just so awesome seeing our favorite old heralds popping back out through that evil slapped-on PC black at least until they were completely inundated by the big blue or sent off to Naporano.

Best of luck to all involved with this one!!!