LOS ANGELES — Santa Fe No. 5704, the SD45-2 locomotive cosmetically restored to its bicentennial paint scheme, will make its California public debut at Los Angeles Union Station’s Train Festival 2023: A Celebration of Past, Present & Future on September 9-10.
The locomotive, which was donated by BNSF to the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris, Calif., was restored to the red, white, and blue scheme in late 2021 and early 2022 at Mid-America Car in Kansas City, Mo. [see “Preserved Santa Fe SD45-2 restored …,” Trains News Wire, March 2, 2022].
Following its first public display in June 2022 at Kansas City Union Station, No. 5704 traveled more than 1,500 miles on a BNSF intermodal train to Commerce, Calif., where the engine has remained in storage for more than a year. The Southern California Railway Museum is working to install a switch off nearby Metrolink tracks in Perris, Calif., so that No. 5704 and other donated equipment can be brought onto the museum grounds by rail.
The SD45-2 will join other historic rail equipment at the September event including Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751 and the private railcars Tioga Pass (ex-CN business car) and the National Forum (ex-UP sleeping car). Modern equipment from Amtrak, Metrolink, BNSF, and LA Metro will also on display, while a wide variety of model train layouts, interactive booths, and more will be found inside the station.
This will be the first large-scale, railroad-themed event at Los Angeles Union Station since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The other difference is an SD45-2 is longer than a stock SD45, which allowed EL to buy stock SD45-2 units rather than SDP45’s to get the greater fuel capacity (Chicago-Croxton without refuelling). This also allowed the radiators to be longer and they could get to the required surface area without having to be flared.
The paint scheme marks the 200th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. In three short years it will be the 250th.
The majestic Santa Fe Bicentennial SD45-2 No. 5704 is 50 years old but in marvelous shape.
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In partnership with @metrolosangeles, @amtrak and @metrolink, Los Angeles Union Station Train Festival 2023 invites guests of all ages to check out rail equipment on the tracks from various decades since the opening of the station, marvel at the rarest of model train exhibits and participate in tours about the history, restoration and art throughout the building.
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The 3600 hp (2680 kW) EMD SD45-2 is a 6-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD). EMD built 136 locomotives between 1972–1974, primarily for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF). The SD45-2 was an improved version of the EMD SD45; the primary visual difference is the lack of flared radiators on the SD45-2.
On August 31, 2018, CSX donated former SD45-2 #8954 (ex: SCL #2049) to the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, GA, making it the first SD45-2 to be preserved.
On October 6th, 2021, BNSF donated SD45-2 #6484 (ex: ATSF #5704, one of 5 units to receive a bicentennial scheme) to the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris, CA, and is being restored to its ATSF Bicentennial scheme.
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