 |
The locomotive was built in 1966 and eventually ended up on the Union Pacific roster. It was donated to the Utah State Railroad Museum in 2002 and since then has sat on display at the Spencer S. Eccles Rail Center, near Union Station. Along with the SD45, a collection of former Union Pacific and Rio Grande locomotives are on display.
While on the UP, the SD45 lost its unique SP-style light package. Earlier this fall, a group of volunteers led by Derrick Klarr started restoring the locomotive’s front end. Last week, the crew cut into the engine’s nose and installed a new Gyralite headlight above the cab. They also began the process of installing class lights, a nose-mounted headlight and a nose-mounted red Gyralite. Unlike a Mars Light that moves in a figure-eight, a Gyralte makes a circular motion.
Volunteer Chris Fussell tells Trains News Wire that finding the spots to cutout the class lights was pretty easy because volunteers could see where UP patched it years earlier.
Fussell says that there are currently no plans of restoring the entire locomotive, but he hopes that this little addition will generate more interest in the locomotive.
“Taking a little bit of care for these locomotives will go a long way,” he says.
For more information, visit www.theunionstation.org.
Are they going to renumber it back to the (original) 8800 as part of the restoration?
This would seem to be an appropriate amenity to make it as authentic as possible (?).
Nice jot! Too bad none of the 3200 class SDP-45s were saved – they were good mules.
No L-shaped window. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=298548
Looking forward to seeing it finished. I presume it may have been built with an "L" shaped windshield too?
A similar restoration of headlamps should be done on ex-Southern Railway E8-A diesel units. Gyrating and Mars Lights can be restored to their noses with lamps on the frontal doors below. Skirting can be restored on the ends of fuel tanks in the meantime. The E8's would then look factory-delivered like in the cover picture on Southern Railway Passenger System Timetable from 1953 to 1964.
William, I'm "no sabe" until I learn this site; I'm with you.
It's likely I ran the engine as SP 8800.
To restore to the appearance of its youth……
The "ditch lights" have got to go. Torch 'em.
The…original cutting lever, the…uh…pin lifting device has white painted rectangular metal stuff, handgrips, welded to and extendig upward…..tortch 'em,,
The big block letter "SP"….no….just "8800" in its place on the nose of the short hood..
The "7457"….put it in the history.
Find or fabriicate the slotted 5 slide acommodating train ID indicator racks which lived behind the "numberboard" glass…..White translucent plastic slotted behind sheet metal cut to represent numbers and (punctuayion dashes.
Did I miss other restortation points?.
Taking Dash 2 mods out of the electrical infernal workins?".
Not important!.
How do you see the pictures on this new site?
Did you try clicking on (or touching if you have a touch-screen) the small thumbnail pictures below the large photo?