APPALACHIAN SD45'S

A pair of Appalachian EMD SD45's roll a freight into Hillsdale in the late 60's. The engines show off their as-delivered paint scheme. The AP purchased 100 of the 3600hp engines over a three-year period, 1966-1968, primarily for coal trains in West Virginia and Virginia. AP 6239 was delivered in 1967, part of a 50 unit order, 6225-6274. AP 6279 was delivered the following year, part of the final order of SD45's; 25 units, numbered 6275-6299. Like most railroads, the AP found the SD45's to expensive to operate and maintain; after 6299 was delivered, the road turned to 35 GE U36C's and 50 EMD SD40's in 1971, 55 GE U30c's in the early 70's, then ultimately amassed a fleet of 340 EMD SD40-2's between 1977-1984. Even so, the railroad still picked up Erie-Lackawanna's fleet of 34 SD45's, 33 SDP45's and 23 SD45-2's during the 76' Conrail merger, getting a large quantity of EL locomotives along with much of the ex-Erie main line from Chicago to Buffalo, NY (an attempted purchase of the EL before the formation of Conrail fell through).

A close-up of the two units. The two radio antennas on the roof are for the Locotrol equipment. Like many coal-hauling railroads, the AP was an early proponent of remote-controlled helper units to move heavy coal trains through the mountains. Other optional equipment include cab sunshades and a snowplow pilot. As the units got shopped during the late 70's and early 80's, many acquired re-railing frogs and spare coupler knuckle holders mounted on the trucks. Most made it to the 1986 merger, they were renumbered 9200-9299 and joined by 48 ex-Frisco and 20 ex-MC&K units, along with the ex-Erie Lackawanna SD45's. None of the units received the 'Desert Storm' scheme; most were traded-in to EMD for new SD60's by 1992. While most went to the scrapper, some found new homes on regional lines.

The locomotives are Kato units.