EMD SD45

An 'EMD SD45' is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between December 1965 and December 1971. Power was provided by an EMD 645E3 20-cylinder engine which generated 3600 horsepower (2.7 MW).This locomotive shared the same common frame with the EMD SD38, EMD SD39, EMD SD40, and EMD SDP40.
1260 examples of this locomotive model were built for American railroads. Following this, the SD45-2 was released as its upgraded replacement. Additional models, like the SD45T-2, featuring the Tunnel Motor design, were released.
The folly of the SD45, however was its fuel-guzzling 20-cylinder diesel engine. Reliability wasn't as good as the railroads that owned them hoped, due to the 20 cylinder prime mover's propensity to break its own crankshaft, and even though it created an extra 600 horsepower (450 kW) from the 16-645 in the SD40-2, some railroads felt it just wasn't worth it, even after EMD improved the crankshaft design. Buyers included the Southern Pacific, Santa Fe and others. Many SD45s can still be found, either rebuilt with 16-cylinder 645s, operating for lease companies, and running under Montana Rail Link. Wisconsin Central used to roster a large fleet of SD45s but CN has recently retired all of their fleet, with mass scrappings. Montana Rail Link is now also starting to sell their engines for scrap.

Contents

Known Preserved Engines

References

Known Preserved Engines

Great Northern Railway 400/Burlington Northern 6430. The first production SD45. Named Hustle Muscle. Owned by the Great Northern Railway Historical Society. Operable.

Erie Lackawanna 3607/Conrail 3607. St Louis Museum of Transportation. Restored to EL colors, static display.

Norfolk & Western 1776. High hood. Virginia Museum of Transportation. Static display.

Southern Pacific 8800/7457. Utah State RR Museum. Static display.

References

★

★ Sarberenyi, Robert. ''EMD SD45 Original Owners''. Retrieved on August 27, 2006

★ Diesel Spotter's Guide, Volume 2, Kalmbach Publising Co, 1994
http://www.thedieselshop.us/PRSVDemdOthers.HTML