| Seaboard Air Line DR-6-4-1500 2700 at LaGrange, Illinois on November 15, 1964, photo by Chuck Zeiler. The SAL ordered this locomotive from Baldwin in September 1946 (c/n 73396), and placed it in service November 23, 1947 at Tampa, Florida. The DR-5-4-1500 model designation translates as: Diesel Road - 6 axles - 4 traction motors (the center axles were unpowered) - 1500 horsepower. Only nine of this model were built, four A units and two B units for the NYC, and three A units for SAL. The SAL units remained essentially unchanged (except for headlight, front door, and MU connections), but the NYC replaced the GSC Commonwealth trucks with drop equalizer trucks in attempt to minimize the rough ride, and in the process, had to shorten the fuel tanks to accommodate the truck change. During the mid-1950's, the NYC sent all their DR-6-4-1500's to EMD and replaced the Baldwin 608SC prime movers with 567's, retaining the Westinghouse electrical gear, but replacing Baldwin's electro-pneumatic throttle and MU equipment with EMD's. Even that was not good enough, the NYC units were stored by 1958, and off the roster by December 1960. Behind 2700 in this photo are some B&O Sharknoses, and all are awaiting scrapping, traded to EMD for new power. |