PREORDER Athearn Genesis ATHG18386 HO FP45 Locomotive With DCC & Sound, MILW #3

PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION

In By the early 1960’s the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) was at a big disadvantage. Their 567 engine, in use for over 20 years, had reached it’s peak at 2,500 horsepower in a turbocharged 16-cylinder version. EMD released a new 645 engine in 1966. The most powerful locomotive using this series of engine was the SD45, powered by a 20-cylinder turbocharged 645E engine producing 3600 horsepower. EMD then offered the V20 645E engine in the SDP45 in a standard hood configuration and longer frame to occomodate the steam generator needed for passenger service. The EMD SDP45 was a good passenger locomotive, but to the Santa Fe Railway it did not look the part. EMD therefore designed a lightweight “cowl” body to cover the locomotive, though it did not, as in earlier cab units, provide any structural strength, which remained in the frame. The cowl provided sleeker looks, better aerodynamics at speed, and allowed the crew to enter the engine compartment en route for diagnostics and maintenance. After sponsoring the development of the FP45 passenger locomotive, the Santa Fe requested a similar freight locomotive from Electro-Motive. Where the FP45 was an SDP45 wrapped in a full-width Cowl carbody, the new F45 was essentially an SD45 given the same treatment.

Milwaukee Road’s five FP45s were a mere four years old when Amtrak took over passenger operations in the United States. These five, plus another order of five that was cancelled, were intended to replace Milwaukee’s aging E9 fleet. Crews disliked how the FP45s rode so much that they were demoted to freight service soon after word of Amtrak’s impending formation. The steam generators and water tanks were removed and additional concrete ballast was added to improve pulling power and ride quality. The first application of Milwaukee’s orange and black freight livery didn’t adhere well and before long the underlying Armour Yellow began showing so the locomotives were painted once more, receiving variations of the then current “Billboard” livery before being retired to the deadline by 1984.