Well lets see here. First off, Im almost more excited that the DMVW and NREX bought them. As all of the guys that will help Max and the guys with this project, want NP paint. Well, I find this really unreasonable, because, the WC ran MORE SD45s than the NP, they were clean, well equipped, reliable (yes, believe it or not, on the WC, these were good machines, so all of you people out there saying they werent arent very sure about the facts), crews loved them, management got all of the computers and other gadgets in them at one time, so not making it a long crisis on their budget. I really had a bad feeling about this the first time i heard of it as a possibility. NP was neat, no question at all, but why not leave it in WC paint? But, i guess this talk will go to waste, even though the WC was one of the most succesful regionals ever… Alec
If NREX has them they are going to spray paint N-R-E-X under the cab and either paint or leave the WC logo off the LH and spray paint the logo. Could be wrong since the DMVW?? has them but they should have a meeting of the leaser minds.
kevin
All logos and lettering have been spray painted on the NREX ones. NREX in white spray paint in the middle of the long hood. Alec
Becasue wouldnt it look stupid to have a WC SD45 pulling NP streamlined cars? And WC wouldnt fit in our era.
that’s cuz no museum ever gets stuff from the next era up from the classic diesels. SD40s and SD45s are old enough to be classic now, and nobody gets it…
SD40s and 45s have monetary value in either the lease market or in the scrap market.
Most if not all rail museums can not compete with either of those markets financially; all they can hope for is a sympathetic CEO.
Max, i take it you’ve never seen WCs excursions back in the day? I rode a few when i was younger, and they had SOO passenger cars, ACR streamlined cars, and a few other odd balls. It didnt look stupid, and there is no reason why it would in front of the gorgeous passenger cars you guys have. Alec
Exactly, if we had ACR cars it would look beautiful. But wouldnt you rather have an NP SD45 pulling NP cars rather than a WC one?
Alec, you still have to come up and run the WC simulator.
Lol, ya, one of these days I’ll finally get up there! Alec
The reasoning in your second paragraph is sound, to a point. Once most of the bugs were ironed out, the SD45 served for a long time … I think it was the 20 cyl fuel consumption vs the minimal gain in hp that doomed them.
Anyway, back to your first sentence. The reason behind saving an SD45 (doesn’t matter where it came from) is simple. Because once they are gone, they are gone forever and will never come back How many of you would absolutely go nuts to have one of the _______'s (insert favorite loco type here) from the __________ (insert favorite RR name here) around to photograph and/or see in operation today?
As a CB&Q fan, I would love to have been able to see an M4 or an original Baldwin O5, for example. Heck, I wouldn’t be upset if there were more E5s around.
Fast forward to the modern(?) diesel era. There are plenty of engines that we have lost forever … the orginal psgr SDP45 and the P30CH come to mind, for example (and this list is by no mean all inclusive … feel free to add your own favorite to the list).
Props to those out there that are saving the ‘old, rare, obscure’ before we lose them for all time.
Regards,
Burlington John
If thats the only stuff they strip we will be lucky…last loco we go from them was missing half of its power assemblys .
UPDATE: We will get the unit IF CN wants to donate it. Only then.
I was by Woodcrest yard this morning (12/4/06) and the SD45’s have been replaced by wheel sets sitting on the sidings. There must have been 3-400 wheel sets sitting there three high on all the tracks. I saw no evidence of them being anywhere on site. There were a couple of WC engines in the ready line but no sighting of all the SD45’s being stored there.
Dude, holy crap. Quit while you’re ahead! You’re fighting a losing battle!
what are you talking about? are you just trying to put me down again?
Well the SD45 we have on disposition hold was retired on my birthday, December 20, so now we will see what happens. Will try to keep you posted.
tch. it doesnt matter. you’re just gonna give it NP paint and ruin the point of trying to get one donated anyway
The whole point is getting a unit from a railroad that was around for 106 years! Not 15 or whatever WC was.
WC still has a ton of units in service. NP has NONE! NP is the original owner. WC is not!
Max, your bias is very souring and I am sorry you do not support a quest to preserve history that is almost gone forever.
And no, WC isnt even close to being gone forever yet. Many units still remain and even the 45’s they sold are still in WC paint.
Restoring the SD45 to the original factory scheme is the point.
The Wisconsin Central Limited was around for about 14 to 15 years, starting in 1987.
The original Wisconsin Central was operating in the 1880’s, Leased by the Minneapolis & Sault Saint Marie in the early 1900’s, and then merged into the Soo Line in 1960.
The Soo Line never acquired new SD45 Locos in the 1960s.
Andrew Falconer
don’t make me laugh. sounds like you forgot about the Chicago and North Western. they actually ARE gone! and if i dont support a quest to preserve the history of a fallen flag, then why am i planning to try and get an SD60 or 2 repainted and donated when the leasers start retiring them?
the SD45s were the most symbolic of the WC. they were the main “flagships”. so those other ones shouldnt be considered when it comes to donating and preserving a WC SD45. it’s a machine that’s becoming more and more rare. you cant just buy one off a deadline and donate it. only MRL even still has a fleet. and even of NREX bought 20 or so of the WC SD45s, i feel sure that they’re likely going to gut them for the parts and scrap the remains