I had always thought that BN had some F45’s in the early post-merger period because they inherited them from GN passenger operations. As it turns out, I was wrong. GN purchased 14 of the cowl units in 1969 for use in freight operations. ( At a cost of $300,000 each.) They liked them so much, that they ordered more, which were delivered to BN. BN got 12 in 1970, and 20 more in 1971. By this time, cowl units were long thought to be old fashioned(?). Can someone enlighten me, on why cowl units showed up this late in the game? Thanks
My guess is that they were much safer for crew members when walking between units at track speed, especially in the “frozen north” where GN ran. Also, they looked really good on “premium” trains. And, as a P.S., their more aerodynamic shape might have saved a few gallons of diesel fuel.
EMD made the F45 sale purely based on making things safer for the crews. Problem was that the trip through the interior of an F45 could be rather LOUD! Warmer? Not really, up there along “Rocky’s road”, in mid-winter! Fuel efficiency was no problem in 1969. Ten years later, EMD could not give an SD45-2 away,hence no F45-2s.
Was/is it common for crew members to walk between units at track speed?
I’m sure I’ve seen photos of GN F45s on passenger trains, and believe they had train heating boiler controls, and through steam pipes so they could lead passenger trains with other boiler equipped units (SDP40s, F units) and boiler equipped heating cars. They didn’t have their own boilers of course.
M636C
Not especially, but not uncommon.
I’ve walked between Two SD40-2’s at 40 mph. They do have walk ways so if you need to walk in between them you can.
James
Ohhhh, I thought he meant on the ground…
Yes it is common to go from locomotive to locomotive at speed.
“. By this time, cowl units were long thought to be old fashioned(?).”
Who says? Cowl units were pretty new at that time, don’t get the term confused with cab units. They’re not the same.
I see what you’re saying. I guess I meant that full-bodied(?) units, like vab units or cowl units were not in favor. Since the introduction of the GP7’s in the late 1940’s, every railroad seemed to want hood units. That why it surprised me to read that GN had ordered the F45’s for freight service.
The original cowl units were the Santa Fe FP45s and these were designed by EMD at ATSF request to provide a fleet of new units for their passenger trains. The U30CG was GE’s version. It isn’t clear why the F45s were built for ATSF and GN, other than the railroads wanted to compare how these units compared in accessibility and general maintenance with hood units.
M636C
Twenty of the ATSF F45’s (1920-1939) were equipped with steam and signal lines for passenger service. I recall seeing an FP45/F45/F45 lash-up with a steam generator car on the front end of an 18-car Super Chief/El Capitan out of Dearborn Station. The F45’s were painted blue and the FP45 was on the point to provide cab signals.