hi group. this could be a question for Jim B. who models the milw.- when did the milw. renumber their 2200 series SD9’s to the 500 numbers? i am most interested in #2234 becoming #508. thanks for any info. mike r.
Mike,
Ready for a ‘long’ story? In 1952, the Milwaukee purchased 24 SD7 locomotives. They were numbered 2200-2223. In 1954 they purchased 14 SD9’s, and they were numbered 2224-2237.
By 1957, the Milw had cleared out most steam engines, and this opened up some 3 digit number series. This started a general renumbering of road switchers from 4 digit numbers to 3 digit numbers in the 1957-1959 time range. The SD7’s got renumbered 500-523 & the SD9’s got renumbered 530-543. Note that #508 is an SD7 - The ‘plot’ thickens…
In 1974, the Milw started a rebuild program for the SD7/9 class engines. They were rebuilt into ‘SD10’ locomotives - starting with #550 and going up to #560, and down into the existing SD9 numbers. SD7 #508 was rebuilt into SD10 #558. This left #508 ‘open’. SD9 #540 was renumbered to #508 to make room for future SD10 rebuilds. The SD10 rebuild program stopped around #544 or #543, so #540 was never used. So SD9 #2234 became #540 and was again renumbered to #508. It left the roster around 1980. I heard that it may of became DVRR 508 later on.
Of special note, BLI has release SD9 #508 in their new HO ‘Blue Line’ run this year! And now you ‘know the rest of the story’…
Jim
thank you much. quite an interesting bit. i knew you would come thru. i am familiar with the BLI new sd9 line. one reason i was interested. wanted to know what “era” it would fit in. the 508 would be way too new for the early sixties. maybe i’ll just keep my proto GP9 #2436 to fill in, but i also read they chopped the nose on that one. about when? thank you for all your timely info. michael, Wisc.
GP9 #2436 was built in June 1954. It was a phase 1 GP9 with D/B. It was re-numbered to #270 in the 1957-1959 renumbering. It was rebuilt to a ‘GP20’ by Milwaukee Shops(and re-numbered to #980) in December of 1972. It was gone around August of 1984.
Jim
ok jim, to avoid any confusion on my part, if i purchase a BLI #508 [ and i sure do want to], what would be the earliest year it came to be? [still being a SD9]. i got a little lost in the chronology, sorry. regards, mike.
The ‘original’ #508(SD7) was rebuilt into SD10 #558 in Aug 1974. That number slot would now be ‘open’. Sometime between there and 1975(there is a picture of it in rrpicturearchives taken in March of 1975) it got renumbered to #508. It was off the roster around 1980. So you basically have a 5-6 year ‘window’ when it was on the Milwaukee Road with that number. Sometime after August 1974 it was renumbered to #508.
Jim
thank you once more. i checked the photo[s] . a little confusing- the top photo shows SD9 508 in Darlington,Wi in July of 1971. could that be a typo?
Yes - that is a ‘typo’. That is SD7 #508(note that the ‘class’ lights are inboard of the ends) running on the Mineral Point local. SD9’s have ‘outboard’ class lights(similar to GP7 and GP9 engines.
Jim
i stand sheepishly guilty of not observing that. more than a simple typo i guess, a mislabeling. i’m sure getting a “milwaukee education” from you! i will order that BLI unit. it’s just too much a beauty to let go. maybe they could have offered a couple different road #'s tho. regards.