Southern Pacific 1518
Encyclopedia
Southern Pacific Railroad
's (SP) number 1518 is an EMD SD7
diesel locomotive
. It was built originally in May 1951 as General Motors Electro-Motive Division's (EMD) Demonstrator #990. It was the first "SD" series locomotive ever built. Its road number 990 is in reference to its EMD Engineering Department Project Number: 15990. It demonstrated on several roads before being sold to Southern Pacific on 10/10/52 and sent back to EMD for refurbishing and repainting in SP's tiger stripe
paint and renumbering as #5308. It was classified in one-unit class DF-116 as it was slightly different from all the other SD7s. It entered service at Ogden, UT on 10/23/52 and was immediately sent to work on SP subsidiary Northwestern Pacific Railroad alongside SP's other SD7s.
As delivered, it had dual control stands, a winterization hatch over the forward fan and two single A-200 "blat" horns mounted on the roof of the long hood directly behind the cab. SP added a steam generator inside the short hood and a large "beer barrel" or "trash can" Mars signal light above the headlight on the front of the short hood. In the mid-1950s SP repainted it in the "black widow" paint scheme, then into the scarlet and grey scheme about 1959. Since it still had dual control stands, the painted feathers were applied to both ends. It was the only SD7 to have feathers at both ends denoting two control stands for bi-directional operation, similar to the San Francisco
-San Jose, California
commute GP9
s.
In the early 1970s it was repainted without the rear feather, although it retained its dual control stands. SP renumbered the locomotive to #2715 in 1965, then to #1415 in 1/74 when the EMD MP15AC
deliveries approached the 27xx numbers. In the late Sixites, the two A-200 horns were replaced by a Nathan P3 on the right side and a Nathan M5 on the left side. Also at some point during the late Sixties, the large Mars signal light was replaced with an end mounted Pyle National sealed-beam Gyralight.
The locomotive was rebuilt at the Sacramento General Shops as an SD7R in 1980 and renumbered to #1518, and was released for service on 2/5/80. In this rebuild, it lost its dual control stands, dual horns and winterization hatch.
It was the only SD7 to have a winterization hatch, a feature that was very rare on SP but not unknown - several SP F7
and the odd GP20
also had them.
Union Pacific Railroad
took control of the SP in late 1996, and 1518 was retired on 5/5/97 and sent to the UP's roundhouse
in Cheyenne, Wyoming
, to be preserved. Instead, Southern Pacific 1518 was donated in April 2003 to the Illinois Railway Museum
where it currently resides in operable condition.
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
's (SP) number 1518 is an EMD SD7
EMD SD7
An EMD SD7 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between February 1952 and November 1953. Power was provided by an EMD 567B 16-cylinder engine which generated ....
diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
. It was built originally in May 1951 as General Motors Electro-Motive Division's (EMD) Demonstrator #990. It was the first "SD" series locomotive ever built. Its road number 990 is in reference to its EMD Engineering Department Project Number: 15990. It demonstrated on several roads before being sold to Southern Pacific on 10/10/52 and sent back to EMD for refurbishing and repainting in SP's tiger stripe
Tiger Stripes colour scheme
The Tiger Stripes colour scheme is a pattern of painting applied to locomotives to improve visibility. It entails painting the whole locomotive bright yellow, and adding diagonal black stripes to the front and back. It is called 'Tiger Stripes' because of its resemblance to the stripes of a tiger....
paint and renumbering as #5308. It was classified in one-unit class DF-116 as it was slightly different from all the other SD7s. It entered service at Ogden, UT on 10/23/52 and was immediately sent to work on SP subsidiary Northwestern Pacific Railroad alongside SP's other SD7s.
As delivered, it had dual control stands, a winterization hatch over the forward fan and two single A-200 "blat" horns mounted on the roof of the long hood directly behind the cab. SP added a steam generator inside the short hood and a large "beer barrel" or "trash can" Mars signal light above the headlight on the front of the short hood. In the mid-1950s SP repainted it in the "black widow" paint scheme, then into the scarlet and grey scheme about 1959. Since it still had dual control stands, the painted feathers were applied to both ends. It was the only SD7 to have feathers at both ends denoting two control stands for bi-directional operation, similar to the San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
-San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
commute GP9
EMD GP9
An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
s.
In the early 1970s it was repainted without the rear feather, although it retained its dual control stands. SP renumbered the locomotive to #2715 in 1965, then to #1415 in 1/74 when the EMD MP15AC
EMD MP15AC
The EMD MP15AC is a 1,500 hp diesel switcher/road-switcher locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division between August 1975 and August 1984. 246 examples were built, including 25 for export to Mexico, and four built in Canada...
deliveries approached the 27xx numbers. In the late Sixites, the two A-200 horns were replaced by a Nathan P3 on the right side and a Nathan M5 on the left side. Also at some point during the late Sixties, the large Mars signal light was replaced with an end mounted Pyle National sealed-beam Gyralight.
The locomotive was rebuilt at the Sacramento General Shops as an SD7R in 1980 and renumbered to #1518, and was released for service on 2/5/80. In this rebuild, it lost its dual control stands, dual horns and winterization hatch.
It was the only SD7 to have a winterization hatch, a feature that was very rare on SP but not unknown - several SP F7
EMD F7
The EMD F7 was a Diesel-electric locomotive produced between February 1949 and December 1953 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors and General Motors Diesel . It succeeded the F3 model in GM-EMD's F-unit sequence, and was replaced in turn by the F9. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La...
and the odd GP20
EMD GP20
An EMD GP20 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between November 1959 and April 1962. Power was provided by an EMD 567D2 16-cylinder turbocharged engine which generated 2000 horsepower...
also had them.
Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
took control of the SP in late 1996, and 1518 was retired on 5/5/97 and sent to the UP's roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
, to be preserved. Instead, Southern Pacific 1518 was donated in April 2003 to the Illinois Railway Museum
Illinois Railway Museum
The Illinois Railway Museum is the largest railroad museum in the United States and is located in Union, Illinois, northwest of Chicago...
where it currently resides in operable condition.