The EMD SD45-2 is a 6-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD). EMD built 136 locomotives between 1972 and 1974, primarily for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF). The SD45-2 was an improved version of the EMD SD45; the primary visual difference is the absence of flared radiators on the SD45-2.

Design

Part of the EMD Dash 2 line, the SD45-2 was an upgraded SD45. Like the SD45, the SD45-2 had an EMD 645E3 20-cylinder engine producing . The main spotting difference between an SD45 and an SD45-2 was the long hood and the rear radiator. On the SD45 the long hood is flared whereas on the SD45-2 it is vertical and the rear cooling fans are more spread out on the top of the rear of the long hood. With no cab, these B-units are controlled from other locomotives.

In September 2015, Norfolk Southern revealed SD45-2 #1700, which was painted back to its Erie Lackawanna color scheme at Chattanooga, Tennessee. This is the second unit from an NS predecessor painted back into its original colors.

Preservation

left|thumb|ATSF #5704 in its original bicentennial livery at [[Kansas City, Missouri on June 17, 2022]]

  • ATSF #5704 is preserved at the Southern California Railway Museum (SCRM) in Perris, California. It was donated by BNSF in October 2021. Prior to its move to SCRM in 2025, #5704 was restored to its original bicentennial livery by members of Classonemodelworks.com. and put on display at Kansas City Union Station from June 14 to 19, 2022. After that, it was sent on a westbound BNSF train out to California. It has been successfully restored to operation in April 2026.
  • CSX #8954 (ex-SCL #2049) is preserved at the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia. It was donated by CSX in August 2018, making it the first SD45-2 to be preserved.

Original owners

{| class="wikitable"

|+

!Railroad

!Quantity

!Road Numbers

!Notes

|-align="center"

|Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway

|90

|5625-5714.

|To BNSF

|-align="center"

|Clinchfield Railroad

|18

|3607-3624.

|To Family Lines System then to Seaboard System and now at CSX Transportation

|-align="center"

|Erie Lackawanna Railway

|13

|3669-3681.

|To Conrail and then to Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation, those to CSX downgraded to SD40-2 standards.

|-align="center"

|Seaboard Coast Line Railroad

|15

|2045-2059.

| To Family Lines System then to Seaboard System and now at CSX Transportation,

|-align="center"

!Totals !! 136 !! !!

|}

Notes

References

  • Sarberenyi, Robert. EMD SD45-2 Original Owners.
  • Marta, H.A., Mels, K.D. and Itami, G.S. (1972), Design features and performance characteristics of the high traction three axle truck, ASME paper no. 72-RT-3.