Description
Railroad Short Name: MILW
By the early 1960’s the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) was at a big disadvantage. Their 567 engine, in use for over 20 years, had reached it’s peak at 2,500 horsepower in a turbocharged 16-cylinder version. EMD released a new 645 engine in 1966. The most powerful locomotive using this series of engine was the SD45, powered by a 20-cylinder turbocharged 645E engine producing 3600 horsepower. EMD then offered the V20 645E engine in the SDP45 in a standard hood configuration and longer frame to accommodate the steam generator needed for passenger service. The EMD SDP45 was a good passenger locomotive, but to the Santa Fe Railway it did not look the part. EMD therefore designed a lightweight “cowl” body to cover the locomotive, though it did not, as in earlier cab units, provide any structural strength, which remained in the frame. The cowl provided sleeker looks, better aerodynamics at speed, and allowed the crew to enter the engine compartment en route for diagnostics and maintenance. After sponsoring the development of the FP45 passenger locomotive, the Santa Fe requested a similar freight locomotive from Electro-Motive. Where the FP45 was an SDP45 wrapped in a full-width Cowl carbody, the new F45 was essentially an SD45 given the same treatment.
Milwaukee Features:
- Leslie S3L horn
- No dynamic brakes
- Often seen in passenger consists with FP7 and F7B units
- Purchased by Milwaukee for passenger service on the Hiawatha and other trains
Locomotive Features
- Fully-assembled and ready-to-run
- DCC-ready features Quick Plug™ plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
- Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
- Accurately-painted and –printed paint schemes
- Coupler cut levers
- Flexible rubber MU hoses
- Flexible rubber trainline hose
- See-through cab windows
- Full cab interior
- Walkway tread
- Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance
- Windshield wipers
- Lift rings
- Wire grab irons
- Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, & breather pipes
- Sander lines
- McHenry scale knuckle couplers – Kadee compatible
- Genesis driveline with 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain
- All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth & quiet operation
- All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
- Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
- LED bulbs for realistic appearance
- Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
- Packaging securely holds model for safe storage
- Flush mounted port hole window glass
- Flexicoil-C sideframes with high brake cylinders
- Minimum radius: 18”
- Recommended radius: 22”
Ken Davies –
I have been looking for this loco for a wile.