Classy looking EL SDP45's at Hohokus NJ in 1975

[kevinb721]

def. some old school power...wish i was around in the 70's man i love these old gp's. EMD!

[icrails]

They are not sdp s sdp s were carbody units

[1jackdk]

@icrails Do your homework lad!!! They are SDP45 units...

[1jackdk]

@icrails Do your homework lad!!! They are SDP45 units.

[1jackdk]

@icrails Do your homework lad! They are SDP45 units.

[starguard]

I wonder are any of those cas still in use today

[EastMountain81]

Old school power!

[fredstuckmann]

That's good stuff Jack. The longer frame on the SDP45 also allowed for a 5000 gallon fuel tank. This would allow the unit to run from Chicago to NY without having to refuel. This rarely worked because all too often, we ran other units with the SDP45s and so the power still needed to be refueled enroute.

[glocker98]

The Erie Lackawanna Railroad ordered 34 AC130s in 1969 and 1970. Intended only for freight service, these units had a pointed long metal head end; the extra space aft of the radiators had concrete ballast. Their longer frames permitted a larger fuel tank which gave the locomotives a greater range between fueling stops.

[paultup]

There's an error here somewhere - if this is 1975, it must be EL, in which case the train symbols are wrong (those are Conrail symbols). Else, it's not 1975 and we're in early Conrail years - which is it?

Great video, BTW!

[whitingguy]

is it going to indiana

[TheVerdeCuervo]

Those were the days when you could go right at the Tracks to train spot without fear of being arrested for trespassing.

[htc6600]

I've always liked E-L's logo and paint scheme. Too bad they didn't have SD40-2's!

[IncredibotsSteam3]

@RRSpectra Indeed.

Those GP-35's were MOVING!

[notalott]

@IncredibotsSteam3 Notice the red-trimmed trailers behind them. UPS rode the EL, not PC!!

[Zillion43]

EL, engines heading 4 Port Jervis and BEYOND!

[TheZeke1974]

Its almost hard to believe that IHB-7 once ran through Decatur, Indiana.

[StoneTrainz944]

This is going to sound like a "noobish" question, but what kind of horn is on the leading SDP45? I've heard it before, but I don't remember the name of it.

[FGLK1751]

WOW EL SDP45!!! NICE JOB!!!

[joshmeister4449]

man i wish railroading was still like this

[cbalducc]

Was this near the former Ford factory at Mahwah?  God bless.

[1jackdk]

@cbalducc Maybe 5 miles away from there.

[veronicafan2000]

@elgoalio29, if you want to see bad track, check out Penn Central XD. Nah, the Erie Lackawanna's track wasn't THAT bad. It was about...CSX quality. Which, when you consider the fact that CSX is solvent and the Erie Lackawanna was bankrupt, seems quite impressive. :-)

[erief7]

Not bad for 8mm film. Awesome display of vintage EL power in NJ.

[MarcusVermilion]

I spent my first 9 years in Clifton NJ near Montclair and sometimes my parents would drive to the Normal Ave station parking lot-a gravel road I believe-and we would wait for trains. We usually saw the U34CHs commuters trains but sometimes we'd see the freights. One had pushers! I also had granparents who lived right by the Bergen County line in Elmwood Park so I'd see the EL there as well. It broke my heart to see the EL diamonds painted over with "CR" and then Conrail Blue took over :(

[ACLTony]

Classic turbocharged EMD power, nice! Amazing how fast time has flown by. It was also so nice to see freight trains with virtually NO GRAFFITTI back then. Of course many more parents taught their children to respect public and private property back then. Thank you for posting :-)

[NJW1973]

4 GP-35's on a pig train?? I almost passed out!

[blueticecho]

Maybe they had to pick up some more vans. Or maybe they were dead-heading some extra power to some where.... And I dont know the grade on that road in that part of the country........

[elgoalio29]

that's some great track conditions there ... just a little bit of wobble!

[jwerren78]

Look at all the fallen flags in that train! Totally classic!

[2005GLI]

There is nothing better sounding then a combined 40 cyclinders, 7200HP of EMD power!

[ERIELACKU34CH]

brillilant!! my beloved EL

[ALS2001]

block proweathere and superhoodnigga2, they have been stalking me

[ALS2001]

You need to stop fuckin stalking me. Its gotten to the point of an obsession of yours

[steven8979]

wow! my dad grew up around the EL! great video!

[kosar357]

Long live the EL!

[elrodjones]

That's terrific stuff! Thanks for sharing.

[robmasterman]

Amazing quality footage that's now 34 years old Jack, fascinating to watch, thanks 5* Bob

[owlking149]

Aren't they SD-45s? Because SDP45s had a different shape nose. Thanx fur sharin'!

[1jackdk]

No. These where ordered and built in 1969 for the EL. They where intended to be able to haul the long distance passenger trains, and retire the E units. If you look at the rear of the long hood, you will see it extends another 3' or so past the rear radiator flair. This is where the steam generator was suppose to go. Thanks for looking. Jackmp294

[Conrail4022]

I hate to nitpick, but the EL SDP45s (designated by EMD as SD45Ms unlike those of the SP and Great Northern) were not built to pull passenger trains, but rather because the design offered a larger tank which was used for all fuel (as opposed to fuel and water in a true SDP45). EL could avail itself of cheaper diesel in NJ, as much as possible. The SD45-2s also had larger fuel tanks, which is why those units have larger tanks than similar units on RRs like the Clinchfield and Santa Fe.

[RRSpectra]

@1jackdk Those units were never intended to haul passengers, PERIOD. The longer SDP45 was ordered so that EL could have larger fuel tanks on their units. You couldn't install a steam generator on an EL SDP45 if you wanted to without "flattening" the end like an SP SDP45.

[murjax]

Were all those people in the first clip railfans, or tresspassers?

[1jackdk]

This weekend they had Ridgewood Railroad days. That brought in Whipany River #148 an ex-FEC 4-6-2. It ran back and forth between Ridgewood and Waldwick the entire weekend. It brought out hundreds of people to the railside. I will post this clip soon. It was pretty neat. Thanks for looking, jackmp294

[NJT4111]

wow, fantastic! I live it, all my favorite spots in the 70s!

[1jackdk]

That was one of my favorite places. Don't know what its is now, but use to be the old die works. We where alway at Ridgewood Juction, and spent many hours in WJ tower with Walt, and Geroge. Have many pictures, videos, and great memories. Thanks for looking. Jackm294

[NJT4111]

Really? I wish WJ was still maned. I still spend time at Ridgewood Jct. but it's getting harder to do with the NJT hy-rails stopping by. Collin's curve is a fantastic place as well, the speed limit is 40 still, but for some reason, engineers creep around it. I wish they would fly like EL and conrail did. Another thing I miss is regular freights, HO7 and HO8, aside from the locals, are the only chances of 6-axel power now.

[1jackdk]

Thats a shame how things change. We usually got between 6-8 freights, then the locals, Ford in Mawah was pumping out Fairmonts, and T-birds, then plenty of transit action still under EL name. Got cab rides from the juction to Paterson, then upt to Suffrin and return to WJ. It was great. I moved to SW Pennsylvania in 1980, and have only been back to that area a handfull of times since. I probably wouldn't even recognize it.

[bubba2781]

Great stuff, thanks for sharing. The caboose on the end of the first train looked great.

[chessie4155]

That was great! Thanks for the trip down memory lane

[ALS2001]

SWEET!

[cuzinitr]

Excellant Jack! Love the vintage stuff! 5/5 Rich