Noticing that Rail Giants Museum/Fairplex Pomona CA has started moving their new UP SD-40-2 (ex-MoPac) caused me to wonder if any Southern Pacific Tunnel Motors have been preserved/donated to a major museum. Rail Giants would have been a good spot.
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I don't know if any have been preserved but it was an awesome sight watching 10 of them, 4 on the head end and 6 more entrained, 24 cars from the rear, lifting the "Oil Cans" around the Tehachapi Loop.
One afternoon/evening I paced "the Cans" from Woodford to Taylor Yard in LA, over the Tehachapis and down Soledad Canyon, a long, slow trip.
I can still recall the glorious sound of their 645s going up hill and their whining dynamics coming down. I only wish I had recording equipment with me.
Wiki says:
As of January 2003, SD45T-2R SP No. 6819 (formerly SP 9193) was donated to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.
SD40-T2 - DRGW 5371 was the last one retired in March 2008, and now resides at the Utah State Railroad Museum in Ogden Utah.
Denver & Rio Grande Western had a fleet of Tunnel Motors that were renumbered and painted for Southern Pacific between 1992-1997.
Then those were repainted for the Union Pacific.
Could they be restored to the original graphics?
Andrew
I saw and heard a coal train with 4 RG SD40-2's with the special cooling package, that is, "tunnel motors", on the front end in Victoria TX. Those things were LOUD!
The Boone and Scenic Valley RR in Iowa has an SD-40-2T. It was originally SP 8385 until January 1999 when it was repainted into UP colors and renumbered 2921. The headlights in the nose were moved up at that time. There are a few there that would like to see it restored to it's SP look but don't count on it happening any time soon if ever.
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