Greetings All,
Welcome to the HO Scale Tribute to the
EMD Special Duty Locomotives
Another Locomotive Spotlight Series
Today's tribute will focus on some of the EMD Special Duty series of locomotives commonly referred to as SD units from their inception to the SD40s and SD45s using the HO scale EMD SD locomotives in the combined fleets of myself, my sons, PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR.
Electro Motive Division Special Duty Locomotives
The SD unit was a six axle C+C locomotive that was based on the counterpart General Purpose B+B GP series of locomotives. The two extra traction motors of the SD units were to provide the units with addition pulling power for heavy transfer and yard service.
In later years the SD units left the yards and ventured out onto the high iron. The EMDs of this period ruled the locomotive marketplace and were well regarded by RR management and the engineers.
The Special Duty series started in 1952 with the 1,500 HP SD7 and continued with the SD70AC3-T4 in 2015.
"Southern Pacific EMD SD7 1420" by Digital Rail Artist is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/?ref=openverse.
As locomotive needs changed the six axle SD units became the manufacturing focus at EMD and the last four axle GP and six axle SD combo was the GP60-SD60 manufactured from 1984 to 1991.
"Electro-Motive Division EMD 9004 (SD60)" by Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. is marked with CC0 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/?ref=openverse.
With so much rich history I'm going to limit this SD Tribute to the glory years of EMD using photos of the prototype and the models of these units ranging from the SD9 to the SD45.
The SD9
EMDs second special duty six axle locomotive based on the GP9 and built on an extended GP9 frame had the nickname of "Cadillacs" for its smooth ride. Using a 567C prime mover the SD9 put out 1,750 horsepower.
A total 515 SD9s were produced with 471 going to American railroads and 44 going for export. The big buyers were the Southern Pacific purchasing 150 SD9s of which 52 were equipped with steam generators and the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range signing up for 73 units, two of which were equipped with steam generators.
"Back in it's original colors" by Patrick Dirden is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd-nc/2.0/jp/?ref=openverse. The Pennsy purchased 25 SD9s (7600-7624) in 1957-58 for their advertised Special Duty characteristics replacing 2-10-0 I1a's in yard and hump service and rarely saw mainline service.
The family's combined fleet of HO scale locomotives includes this pair of Athearn BB SD9s that I renumbered to 6921 and 6924 following the mid 1960s renumbering program with the NYC for the pending Penn Central merger. The SD9s are working the Terminal Yard TOFC Ramp.
The PC 6000 series belonged to the PRR as neither the NYC or New Haven RR had six axle(C+C) units. The 6000 designation was a handy reminder to engineers to keep these big pawed locomotives off of certain tracks.
PC 6922, ex PRR 7622 is an Atlas model of an SD24 that I painted, lettered and numbered as the PC 6922. This was a used locomotive purchase in the mid 1990s from a fellow running the Long Island RR Museum in Riverhead, NY. It was in a D&H scheme and lettered for the sellers freelanced railroad.
A better representation of the prototype the 6922 sees mainline service only occasionally to blow out its stacks and can usually be found working the West Mill Float Yard on PC Ralph's Kings Port Division.
Counterpart PC SD9 #6925 can usually be found on the other side of the river at the Port Owen Car Float Yard that receives cars from West Mill, and works the Port Owen Yard and local industries.
Although mostly assigned to yard service I did catch an SD35-SD9 lash up in one of the Penn Central Green Frog videos that I like to replicate thinking the SD9 is out on main cleaning out the carbon.
PC ex PRR SD9s 6921 and 6924 are out of the yard with a transfer run from Terminal Yard to North Side Yard. Heavy transfer engines for a heavy transfer freight!
PC Ralph's Kings Port & Western Railroad features two used SD9s purchased from the Milwaukee Road to augment its Williams Yard yard power. Here they are early in their KP&W careers.
After working for the KP&W and proving their worth the SD9s were repainted in KP&W corporate colors retaining their 896 and 897 road numbers. EMD SD18, SD20, SD24
Between 1960 and 1966 EMD erected and sold the 1,800 hp SD18, the 2,000 hp SD20 and the 2,400 hp SD24.
"CB&Q 504" by contemplative imaging is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.
EMD SD35
The Gateway Engine
The second generation of diesel electric locomotives changed the role of the special duty six axle units as EMD marketed the high horsepower high adhesion units not so much as yard and transfer units but as road units that would be superior in performance to their four axle brothers in mountain territories.
"Chesapeake & Ohio EMD SD35 7421" by Digital Rail Artist is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/?ref=openverse.
In 1964 the locomotive horsepower race was on between the big three locomotive builders with EMD selling a total of 360 2,500 HP SD35s to eleven class one railroads with the Southern Railway being the big buyer purchasing 100 high hood units. The success of the SD35s opened the eyes and doors for EMDs next SD models which had record sales to both flat and mountainous railroads.
"Norfolk & Western N&W 1523 (SD35)" by Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. is marked with CC0 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/?ref=openverse.
Pennsylvania and Penn Central SD35s
Long thought of as simply a transfer or very heavy yard diesels as the "Special Duty" tag applied to them by EMD implied the PRR purchased two specially ballasted SD7s for the Madison Indiana hill service and the 25 SD9s mentioned above.
When shown the advantages of the high horsepower C+C units in its mountain routes the PRR tested the six axle units from all three manufacturers. The PRR ordered 40 EMD SD35s (6000-6039) and never purchased another four axle road switcher again!
Ex PRR SD35 #6017 still in PRR paint leads PC symbol freight VKW-3 thru Kings Port NY on PC Ralph's Kings Port Division layout.PC SD35s 6024 and 6018 bring a train thru Empire City. Both are Atlas Yellow Box models that I painted and lettered as seen below. The 6018 is one of a group of SD35s to wear the red P that was applied early in the merger.
On the other side of the Hudson River Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific Railroad features two SD35s that can be found running between Weehawken and the APRR's Rock Ridge Yard. The 6031 is another SD35 sporting the red P as it rolls caboose lite from Rock Ridge Yard after dropping off a block of cars.
EMD SD40 / SD40-2
The Best Locomotive Ever?
Possibly the best locomotive of all time and the best selling in its various configurations from the original SD40 to the SD40-2 that also includes the SD40A, SD40T-2, the SD40-2W, the SD40-2S and the SDP-40 which we'll cover next.
"UP 3741 EMD SD40-2" by terry cantrell is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.
The three thousand horsepower locomotive with its long porches that are big enough to hold a small party was a sure footed and very reliable engine that was a favorite among railroaders and railroad management and continues to ply the rails with a series of rebuilds.
"File:BC Rail 759 (SD40-2) 756 (SD40-2) 4642 (Dash 9-44CW) at Pembertron BC 25-Jun-1995.jpg" by SoftwareSimian is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/?ref=openverse.
The EMD SD40 locomotives were manufactured from 1966 to 1989 selling a total of 5,741 units, a testament to its reliability and popularity.
"SOO 6616, EMD SD40-2; CP 5521, EMD SD40; SOO 6615, EMD SD40-2; Undated" by San Diego Model Railroad Museum is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.
On the layout one of my favorite photos is of 1:87 scale PC Ralph setting up the lounge chairs on the big porch of SD40 #6282 with a stern 1:87 Sir Neal giving him "the look". You can almost hear PC Ralph saying "What? I got you a chair".
Penn Central 6102 is an ex Conrail SD40-2 Athearn BB model that I painted as a PC SD40. As a CR unit the engine spent most of its life in the box but was given a new lease on life went it went back in time. The 6102 was maintenance based at Enola Yard as noted by the small lettering under the road number.
PC SD40 #6282 was one of the first Penn Central units I painted back in 2012. The 1:1 PC assigned the 6282 to Harrisburg. The 1:87 NYCTL assigned it to West 72nd Street in New York City. I might change that one of these days but it reminds me of my first foray in dipping my toe into the PC dip job black.BN SD40-2 #7151 is a factory painted Athearn BB unit that is part of the combined fleet and features my early adhesive label number boards.HLCX 6773, obviously an ex BN unit, was a Train Show purchase for my son. The Athearn BB model features some added details and decals.The 7151 and 6773 can often be found working as a pair on the layout.PC 6282 leads the BN and HLCX SD40-2s on a hotshot TOFC Train. I like to put the home road units on the head end for cab signaling purposes like the prototype.
Another Athearn BB SD40-2 of the combined family fleet is this B&O SD40-2 #7614 coupled up to a B&O SDP40. More on that coming up.
The 7614 is on the ready track awaiting its next call to duty. The 7614 will be a trailing unit with a PC unit leading the consist EMD SDP40
In 1966 EMD built twenty SDP40s which were basically SD40s with steam generators. The Northern Pacific bought six and the NdeM fourteen. The NP SDP40 were conveyed to the BN upon the 1970 merger.
"Burlington Northern BN 6397 (SDP40) & 7132 (SD40-2)" by Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. is marked with CC0 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/?ref=openverse.
The NdeM was later split and eight SDP40s ended up with the KCS. Looking at the below photo you can see the long hood extended to accommodate the passenger steam equipment.
"File:KCS 3057.jpg" by terry cantrell is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.
So imagine my surprise after I purchased several HO scale Athearn BB SDP40s in road names like the NYC, NH and B&O and found out the NYC, NH and B&O never had such units!!! For years I though they were 1:87 versions of actual engines!
"EMD SDP40" by salpicados is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.
For a locomotive with only twenty units built I ended up with four of them!!! The B&O unit belongs to my son so it was safe but the NYC and NH units became problematic as prototypical fidelity creeped into my modeling. Here is an ex NYC 7240 painted and lettered as PC 6190 complete with a faded orange C.
The Penn Central repaint only saw limited service and spent most of its time in the box. The NH SDP40 holds memories of a late friend from New York who was a huge NH fan and O scale modeler but it only saw limited service as well.
Wanting to get some usage out of the engines I pondered ways to get them on the layout in a way that would look right to me. Thankfully the freelanced Empire Belt took care of that!!! The New Haven SDP40 is now and Empire Belt unit working out of North Side Yard.The EBRR 6502 is now thought of as a heritage unit which works for me.The three unit EBRR SDP40 consist is a pretty big stretch if I think too much about it but I've mostly come to terms with it and really like this lash up. EMD SD45
The Brute
In 1966 EMD introduced the unprecedented 20 cylinder 3,600 HP SD45. Sales were brisk with 1,260 units sold (SP 317) between December 1965 and December 1971 when the EMD SD45-2(136 sold, ATSF 90) and EMD SD45-T2 Tunnel Motors (247 sold SP 163 and SSW 84) were introduced. EMD also built seven 4,200 hp SD45X locomotives between June 1970 and January 1971 with six going to the SP.
"Southern Pacific SP 7470 (SD45-2)" by Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. is marked with CC0 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/?ref=openverse.
The early SD45s 20 cylinder prime movers however were plagued with crankshaft troubles from engine block flex which EMD eventually corrected. As the years went on some were rebuilt with 16 cylinder prime movers and rated at 3,000 HP.
Montana Rail Link and Wisconsin Central used SD45s retained the 20 cylinder prime movers with the WC units unfortunately getting scrapped after the WC was sold to CN.
"SD45" by contemplative imaging is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.Pennsylvania Railroad / Penn Central
The PRR signed up for 130 SD45s (6105-6234) that were delivered from October 1966 thru January 1968 and the PC added 5 more to the roster (6235-6239) in August 1968.
Of note SD45s 6200,6202, 6204, 6206, and 6208 were ordered as mid train master units.
The 6201, 6203, 6205, 6207 and 6209 were ordered as mid train slave units.
PRR 6119 featuring the 1960s PRR keystone herald only paint scheme.
"Pennsylvania Railroad EMD SD45 6119" by Digital Rail Artist is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/?ref=openverse.
The below SD45s are Athearn BB units. The PRR engines are in factory paint with the trailing unit having been renumbered to a non prototypical number close to the non prototypical 8962 when I was blissfully unaware that model manufacturers weren't always right about locomotive models, paint schemes and numbering. They are part of the combined fleet and may get renumbered to more prototypical numbers
PC SD45 #6190 was an undecorated unit that came to me as a gift in 2017 which I painted with prototypical lettering and numbers.
The Penn Central found the SD45 and SD40 combo's 6,600 HP perfect for helper service. SD45 #6190 and SD40 #6282 wait in the helper pocket at RA Tower for a passenger train to clear the mainline. The Helper Set will be assisting the unit grain train heading to Terminal Yard.
In need of some big power Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR leased two PC SD45s(6197 & 6184) for Rock Ridge-Weehawken-Selkirk service. Below the 6197 arrives in Rock Ridge Yard
The Athearn BB EMD demonstrator unit #4355 is part of the combined fleet and features metal trucks. It was a used item purchase from ebay a very long time ago. I installed a gold flywheel motor in the unit and it runs well with the other Athearn BB units. A prior owner renumbered the locomotive to 4355.
Conrail 6127, ex PC 6127, nee PRR 6127, is another Athearn BB unit that has been in the fleet for around twenty years. I like to run the two powered SD45s with the non powered EL unit in the middle for a good running and good looking summer of '76 consist
The SD Units in Action!
In addition to the above showcased SD locomotives EMD also produced other SD locomotives that were popular and enjoyed good sales like the SD38 series that sold 213 units and brought the SD units back to hump and yard service but still could be found toiling on the mainline.
As railroads were getting out of the passenger business in the late 1960s and early 1970s the dual purpose SDP series became popular with the SDP35 thru the SDP45 being built between 1966 and 1970.
Additional Reading and Links
B&O SD40-2 #7614 at Saginaw, MI in 1986 with the CR unit. Special Thank You
I wan to thank PC Ralph and Sir Neal for their photos and help in putting this tribute together. Thanks guys!!!
Thanks for reading and watching!!!
_756_(SD40-2)_4642_(Dash_9-44CW)_at_Pembertron_BC_25-Jun-1995.jpg)
