| SAL DR-6-4-1500 2701 at LaGrange, Illinois on November 15, 1964, photo by Chuck Zeiler. This is the last mile for this locomotive, built in January 1948 (c/n 73397), it's pictured on the on the Pielet Brothers Scrap Iron & Metal Company setout track. It was traded to EMD as credit for a SDP35, pictured in the lower left of the frame on EMD's setout track. Baldwin built only seven cab and two booster units of this model. In February 1946, the NYC ordered two A-B-A sets, and SAL ordered three cab units (#'s 2700-2702), for a total production of nine units in seven months. The NYC introduced their units in service November 22, 1947, and the SAL placed their first unit number 2700 in service the next day. The SAL units spent their service life mostly on secondary runs in Florida, and after 17 years of service, were traded to EMD. Although the NYC re-powered their copies with EMD 567's, the SAL retained their original Baldwin 608SC diesels to the end. The SAL did modify the headlight, the door below the headlight, and added MU to the nose. The numberboards on the SAL units were a Baldwin design, although the NYC versions were more like EMD FT numberboards. The model designation DR-6-4-1500 translates to: Diesel Road, 6 axles, 4 traction motors, 1500 horsepower. |