Santa Fe started rebuilding SD45-2's into the 7200-series in February, 1986,
but six unrebuilt units sneaked through the paint shop ahead of the program and got a coat of
red and yellow. Unit 5682 would be rebuilt into red and yellow 7218 six months after
this photo was taken at Belen, NM. Following the merger denial, it was renumbered 5818
while still in red and yellow, making it the only locomotive known to have worn three
different numbers while in SPSF paint. The unit is also interesting in that it still has
its cab-mounted strobe lights, a feature several SD45-2's received in the mid-70's but most
had lost by this date. One of the pair of strobes can be seen on the small stand below the
amber beacon.
One unrebuilt SPSF-painted SD45-2 far outlasted the others. Unit 5709 was a member
of the last order of SD45-2's (5705-5714), which were not rebuilt. It poses at the head of
an eastbound train at Belen, NM in May 1988, two months after the conclusion of the SD45-2
rebuild program.
Last modified: May 6, 2001
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