the voice of a dying breed the emd sd45-2

[17br549]

Someone educate me if i am wrong, but i thought the sd45 had flared radiator intakes.

[7nordic]

The SD45-2 they still sound lovely...

[GP9railfan]

Not exactly dying. Alot of these are being rebuilt into SD40M-2's with the smaller 16-645E3 instead of the 20-645 for fuel cost savings.

[SpeakerPolice]

I'd still consider that killing the 20-cylinder beast. >_<

[GP9railfan]

@SpeakerPolice Yeah, true. 

[SpeakerPolice]

I do wonder where they're putting all those 20-cylinder engines.

[GP9railfan]

@SpeakerPolice Probably tugboats. The ship I'm on has 2 or 3 of the 20-645E3's as emergency generators. I heard one running one day, but didn't have my camera. :(

[SpeakerPolice]

Whoa, they were using a 20-645 as backup?! What's the main engine, I wonder? xD

[dodgeramb59]

@SpeakerPolice The v-20s taken out of locomotives find homes in marine (ships/tugs/lake boats) and power generation/emergency genset applications. They don't sit around long, pretty popular in those fields.

[SpeakerPolice]

Cool! It makes me happy to hear that these monsters are not going to waste!

[HUTCHtopher]

gotta love the sound of an EMD 645-20

[Fireheart528]

 i'd preserve one if ihad the money to keep up with all the maintenance and fuel costs.

[bcschmerker]

Interesting fact there; is the engine itself a Detroit 20V93-T? General Motors put some monster two-strokes into pre-60 EMD's, with turbo-supercharging from the GP- and SD-20.

[azervich]

@bcschmerker

20-645E3 @ 3,600hp

I wish they had these in Australia.

[bcschmerker]

@azervich Whew---didn't know Detroit Diesel/GM made two-strokes with ten-plus litres per cylinder. :D That translates into a 40V645-2T for one of the Union Pacific's DDA40's (the Big Boys of the Diesel world). Thanks for the tidbit.

[7nordic]

Nothing lloks quiet as fucntional and yet stylish as yellowbonnett SD40-2's and SD45-2 On une 30 2002 arail fan friend and i viisted Barstow and that very day found 20, yes, former Amtrak SDP40F in the dead line... a week larter they were scrapped... It goes to ghow you must record evything because m ore than likely the day wioll come when someone will scrap it.... SAVE SD45-2 and SD40-2 now they are modern classics....

John Amundsen

vikingwarrior1@hotmail.com

[BRU11ROAD]

These locomotives are better known in the UK as the Class 59s and Class 66s

[formidable38]

@BRU11ROAD A fair bit differant. SD45 above uses unsilenced V20 645E, Class 59 a silenced V16 645E. Class 66 uses a (very silenced) V12 710G. Incidently, the 3 digit (EMD) system denotes cubic inch capacity per cylinder so the V20 645 is 10.6 Litre per pot!!

[TheMrBlinx]

Why is it "dying" if it's getting maintained?

[Jared1452]

Whats making all this sweeter is that she's a Bluebonnet!

[MilwaukeeSDman]

WOW!!!!

[Jared1452]

If I can, one of these days, If I get a job at BNSF. If I am allowed to maybe restore a ATSF Blue Bonnet SD-45-2 and probably an SD-40-2 with ATSF Blue Bonnet colors. But y the time I gradfuate it will probably be too late.

[lferrer1970]

I didn't know Wisconsin Central still had V20s. I thought they switched over to V16s too. While working for the Railroad about 6 years ago, I saw a SF unit just like this one with a V20. I knew it was very uncommon. I tried to start it up but it had dead batteries. I would have loved to hear it.

[dodgeramb59]

yep... all V-20s. Most had been cycled through the rebuild/rewire program that put the Q-tron system on the units. (Q-tron units had a 7xxx number vs the orginal 6xxx number) All had full HP rating, I think there was only 1 that was derated for crankshaft problems--ended up breaking it and was retired anyway. The fleet did not make it much past 5 years with CN, all are gone. MRL is the last bastion of SD45 power and thats not long for this world either with the new SD70Aces.

[mongo5888]

Santa Fe all the way!!!!!!!!!

[Barricade360]

theyr are creating all these d70 macs and sd70aces that heve more power singal handedly than the sd45-2s, i know its ashame they are withdrawing these poor things

[lferrer1970]

I know most SD45s have had their original engines swapped out for the V16 for mechanical and fuel saving issues. Are you sure this one is the original V20?

[kawiman2501]

Montana Rail Link is one of the VERY few that still owns and runs the V20 SD45's that they aquired from Wisconsin Central

[kurandatrain]

does BNSF still have any fp45's running

[texaswestern70mac]

they along with the f45's were retired about 7-8 years ago sadly...

[6V92TA]

are those S3L horns perched ontop that SD45?

[RailsandRoads]

@6V92TA

HELL YEAH

[TehBenshiGuy]

those SD45-2s are top locos, shame they have to be withdrawn.

[Saugertiesrailfan]

not really......i still see em on CSX

[kav442s5]

look up 'IRA MZ Australia'

Ex Danish EMD V20's are here in NSW.

I call them 'Spaceships' because they look wierd, but they are good units.

'C501' is an awesome search as well for a 1 off survivor of the early 645 breeds.

G'day from Australia!

[dodgeramb59]

Always nice listening to the V-20s. I worked on the SD-45 fleet on WC. The v-20s had a sound all thier own.

[sittinsidewayzz]

That was pretty COOL!!! I love MKT and ATSF, Once in a while BN runs some old Santa Fe locos and some warbonnets, here on their line in Scottsbluff,Ne and Alliance and Gurnsey, Wy. Only on frieghters. Thanks for sharing this!! 5 STARS!!!

[gaycowboy31]

very nice would love to hear that RS3L horn up close love the sound of an old EMD 645 diesel I grew up seeing the old ATSF ,MO PAC and MKT in my hometown Denton Texas

[FlyBikes089]

Your lucky, because you caught them make me jealous! Hehehe just kidding!

That awesome video!

*5 rating!

[randknu]

Well, now it's only the Conrail SD80MAC's that has a 20cylinder engine, and a 710 engine at that. It's Strange that those werent more popular... 5000Hp... Standardized parts that all EMD's use. And they have proven reliable too. None retired yet. They still serve CSX and NS.

[buttbrainfilms]

so true. aewsome video. a lot of sd-45s are gone thanks to cn scrapping all the wc sd-45. only a few of those are left. again awesome

[o00o00ozy]

LONG LIVE THE SD45/SD45R/SD45-2! It's a shame NS 16ized theirs, it's hardly the Erie Lackwanna it once was. :-(

[railfankasey]

@o00o00ozy last i new ns 1701 was still 20 cylinders

[Nate71Taylor]

that is a mean desiel. i can tell by the way it sounds man

altho i dont kow much about trains its pretty cool

by the way how much are one of those trains worth?

[teddybeareleventeen]

Depending on size and type you might pay 2 or 300,000 for older 2nd hand units right up to 3 million for brand new engines.

[ERIELACKU34CH]

excellent!

[ubuibiok]

*****thx

[LGLG69]

A beauty! I've always loved that Santa Fe color scheme.

[armyof11]

I remember when my dad took me out to the coal and ore docks here in Toledo when I was a kid years ago, SDs on the chessie system. It was way cool being on those when your a kid and moving ore cars up for loading. That was back in like 85 or 86 I think? I think even the MRL is scrapping there Sd-45s now. Its rare to see one, but yesterday we saw one out at the CSX yard here. It was Wisconson Centeral 6004. It was on a Crapnandian national train. C&N ah my unfav railroad.

[NS9647]

Paint over that BNSF patch.  that would be so funny!

[bennoach]

For several years CSX had a -2 doing switch work at Osborn Yard in Louisville, KY. I don't know if it was L&N originally or if it was one of the 18 inherited from Seaboard Coastline. I haven't seen it in a while. When it was working there at Osborn the -2 looked as old and tough as its prime mover sounded with all the rust practically camouflaging the company's colors. It was like an old mule that wouldn't quit. :)

[DRocProductions]

didn't know there we so many loco nuts out there

[11november58]

too much talking to enjoy the clip- oh well.

[ffitssel]

SD45-2??? Radiators... Does sound great, though.

[silicon212]

It's an SD45-2. The original SD45 has flared radiators, the SD45-2 does not.

[ffej980]

this is when GM had there shit together...they built SD-45s... LS6 454 /460 HP big block Chevies...427....Chevies...327 Chevies...LT-1 360 horsepower 350 cubic inch small block Chevies...the 302 Z/28 engine...they better get their asses in gear...because the japs are coming on strong...

[ffej980]

hey asshole...have you ever worked on a 283...or a 327...or a 427...have you ever driven a car with one...have you ever owned or driven a car with one of these engines...have you ever gotten your hands greasy on one...now who is the shit-for-brains...get a life ...get a real car...be glad that i did not mention the 409...shitheads like you amuse me...as far as 20 cylinder deisels...they ran ...even the biggest EMDS today have the old 283 dependability

[ffej980]

so you say...i own a gmc truck...i is a peice of shit...made in 2002...i bought it new...and it is junk...i will buy a japanese car next

[gregrudd]

Obviously a foamer!!!

[ffej980]

that locomotive was built when they made them with balls...just listen to it...EMD built them right...

[caboversrule]

Sounds good...beats the hell out of GE's

[srkalis1]

very awesome sound, but always being repaired. thats why the rr's are trying to get rid of em.

[shawn6789]

there allways repaired. thats funny i get sd70macs, and some newer power allways in the shop. i can allways count on these dash-2s to pull my trains

[ConrailSD80MAC]

that and most of them are 30(+) years old, and have 1 million (+)miles on them. But in this day in age it's all about fuel efficiency, and horsepower... and trust me, the SD45 and SD45-2s 20 cylinder, turbo charged engines aren't fuel efficient. But I must agree, these were my favorite locomotives to operate, and alot more reliable the GE's dash-7s of the same era...

[RCdash9]

Cool.

[Derailedtrain666]

say that anyfaster lol

[Brandon26pdx]

Ah nothing like the sound of an EMD SDLOLBBQZ45-2.2 in the morning :)

[GP9railfan]

Nah. There's plenty of those around here. They're not dying at all.

[shawn6789]

couldnt agree anymore, these are finding there way to places like larrys truck and electric and similar places. im sure these will find new homes on some regionals.

[Miketherailfan]

ah the sounds of a 20-645E3...

[mtrails]

how sweet it is

[ACLTony]

Yes, that is sweet music to a railfan's ears! Turbocharged 20 cylinder. A friend of mine downloaded that type of sound into my HO scale SCL SD45-2(Lok Sound decoder). Brings back wonderful memories :)

[fordroad]

LORD Have MERCY, listen to that big baby, power plus. Good posting FORDROAD AUSTRALIA.

[massltca]

Guilford runs some SD45's out where I live but I think they have been re-engined, great video!!

[ConrailSD80MAC]

i had a couple run ins with CR's SD45-2s workin for them, the early sisters of the SD80MAC, a like-wise 20 cylinder beast, although powered by a 710 instead of a 645. amazing video!

[JR7582]

Reminds me standing track side watching the WC SD45s go by. CN really killed that. I haven't seen one in a long time.

[mafarnz]

Nice.

[ffej980]

thanks for this SD45 video...more would be great...

[adam1234a]

sounds good

[seabulls69]

Reminds me of the sixties when I used to watch brand new SD45 consists pulling long trains in the Sierras in the Auburn/Colfax area. We used to sit on top of the tunnel facings and revel in the roar. It was memorable (to say the least).

[wesolint]

Music to my ears. Too bad it wasn't under load in notch 8.