Tom,
The SD45 model lagged the introduction of the 40 series locomotives
(officially, January 1, 1966). Some NYC GP40s were delivered in Nov. Dec.,
1965. The SD45 demonstrators (4352 4353 - 4354) were released for service
about March, 1966, if I recall correctly. The early demonstrations were on
eastern railroads. I joined the EMD personnel with the three demonstrators in
in May as a rider on the Reading and Erie-Lackawanna. In early June, I was sent
to Chicago to meet the units as they arrived from east to continue the
demonstration on the C&NW. While I was waiting for the units, I received a call
from my boss to go to Minneapolis to replace a lead installation engineer
assigned to the Great Northern delivery of SD45s and SDP40s, who had just
terminated his employment with EMD. The GN SD45s were the first production
SD45s. I spent the next six weeks with two other EMD field installation
engineers completing the GN delivery. During my time in Minneapolis, the
demonstrators arrived in Minneapolis, still on the C&NW.
I left Minneapolis about mid July for another assignment. I lost track of the
demonstrators after that time. By the end of 1966, the SD45 was well know with
a number already produced. Whether the demonstrators ever operated on the Q, I
don’t know. Like you, I don’t think that I have ever seen a photo of them
operating on the Q. If they did, they probably had little influence on Q’s
later purchase of SD45s, which occurred in Jan. 1969, almost three years after
introduction. Several years after the demonstration tour, the three units were
overhauled and sold to the Delaware & Hudson.
Bill Barber
Gravois Mills, MO
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