Original Owners
Passenger locomotive purchases in Canada, the United States and Mexico during the 1960s were limited to 278 units. In most cases, the purchaser intended to save costs by replacing older, less powerful locomotives.
The Great Northern Railway purchased the first six SDP40s in 1966, to replace older F-units on the Western Star and smaller regional trains. Options included Vapor OK-4740 steam generators, water-transfer capability between units, 59:18 gearing for a top speed of 83 mph, and Type-F couplers. These were followed in 1967 by eight more powerful SDP45 locomotives ordered for the Empire Builder. After the startup of Amtrak in 1971, Great Northern Railway successor Burlington Northern Railroad converted all six SDP passenger locomotives to freight service.
One SDP40, former Great Northern Railway 323, was temporarily renumbered BN 1976 and painted in red, white and blue for the United States Bicentennial in 1976.
NdeM's 14 were ordered in two groups: Ten in 1968 and four in 1970. In 1998, the government of Mexico privatized the NdeM, and the locomotives were split between two successor companies. Eight went to TFM, which was later purchased KCS and became KCSM. These eight have roamed freely in the United States. The other six went to Ferromex.
Read more about this topic: EMD SDP40
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