- EMD FP45
Infobox Locomotive
name=EMD FP45
powertype=Diesel-electric
gauge=RailGauge|ussg
imagesize=175
caption=Santa Fe #93 photographed at the Great Plains Transportation Museum.
aarwheels=C-C
builder=General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
buildmodel=FP45
builddate=1967 –
totalproduction=14
cylindercount=V20
primemover=EMD 645E3
poweroutput=3,600 hp (2,700 kW)
locale=westernUnited States
railroad=Santa Fe and Milwaukee Road
disposition=several preserved in museums
length=72 ft 4 in (22.1 m)
wheelbase=45 ft (13.2 m)
The EMD FP45 is acowl unit type of C-Cdiesel locomotive produced in theUnited States by General Motors Electro-Motive Division. It was produced beginning in 1967 at the request of theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , which did not want its prestigious "Super Chief " and otherpassenger train s pulled by freight stylehood unit locomotives, which have external walkways. The Santa Fe preferred acowl unit .History and development
The
EMD SDP45 was a good passenger locomotive, but to the Santa Fe it did not look the part. EMD therefore designed a lightweight "cowl" body to cover the locomotive, though it did not, as in earliercab unit s, provide any structural strength, which remained in the frame. The cowl provided sleeker looks, better aerodynamics at speed, and allowed the crew to enter the engine compartment en route for diagnostics and maintenance.The Santa Fe purchased nine of the locomotives (road numbers 90 through 98), and the
Milwaukee Road bought five for its passenger service (road numbers 1 through 5). Such low production was feasible and profitable for EMD since the locomotive was fundamentally just a re-clothed SDP45. Power, as in the SDP45, was from aV20 645E3 engine (or "prime mover") developing 3600 horsepower (2700 kW).When
Amtrak took over passenger service, the FP45s were reassigned to fast freight service, especially Santa Fe's "Super C" high-speed intermodal run. They were soon repainted from their original red and silver "Warbonnet" scheme to the standard blue and yellow freight scheme when thesteam generator s were removed and they were permanently assigned to the freight pool. In June, 1989 two of the units, #5992 and #5998, were repainted once more in a modified version of the "Warbonnet" scheme (this time, displaying "Santa Fe" in large, red letters "billboard"–style across the side) and re–designated as #101 and #102. The units reentered service onJuly 4 as part of the new "Super Fleet" — the first Santa Fe units to be so decorated for freight service. The six remaining units were thereafter similarly repainted and renumbered, and remained in this scheme (some re–lettered BNSF after the merger) until their retirement in the late 1990s, after some 30 years of service.A freight-only derivative, the
EMD F45 , was sold in greater numbers (86) to the Santa Fe, theGreat Northern Railroad , and theBurlington Northern Railroad .Amtrak bought a similar passenger locomotive based on the 3000 horsepower (2200 kW) SDP40, theEMD SDP40F . At least one F45 example remains in service on the Montana Rail Link in the northern United States as of January 2008, and it sees regular freight service on the line.Additional specifications
* Final drive gear ratio: 59:18
Preservation
Those that weren't wrecked in service are on display in museums:
* Santa Fe 90: was donated to theOklahoma Railway Museum inOklahoma City in a non-operational state. #90 was the last FP45 donated by the Santa Fe and had resided on aRIP track for two years before being delivered to the museum.
* Santa Fe 92: was donated to theIllinois Railway Museum inUnion, Illinois .
* Santa Fe 93: preserved at theGreat Plains Transportation Museum inWichita, Kansas .
* Santa Fe 95: preserved at theWestern America Railroad Museum inBarstow, California .
* Santa Fe 97: preserved at theMuseum of the American Railroad inDallas, Texas .
* Santa Fe 98: was donated in operating condition less the cab's air conditioner to theOrange Empire Railway Museum atPerris, California . It is still used for demonstration runs, though infrequently because of its sheer size and slightly low compression in two cylinders. This historic locomotive has the distinction of being the last passenger locomotive ever purchased by the Santa Fe.References
*
External links
* [http://members.aol.com/JFuhrtrain/FP45data.htm Additional photos, specifications and information on the surviving FP45 locomotives] -by Jim Fuhrman
* [http://www.irm.org/cgi-bin/rsearch.cgi?diesel=Atchison+Topeka+&+Santa+Fe+Railroad=92 Santa Fe 92 specifications] as preserved at IRM
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