Southern Pacific Historic Diesels
Vol. 22 – Passenger Hood Units Reprise

by Joseph A. Strapac

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Published 2017
250+ b&w photos
16 pages of color

Expensive streamlined passenger cab locomotives were an essential part of the Southern Pacific locomotive fleet, necessary to present a positive public image.

The Southern Pacific bought streamlined passenger diesel locomotives from ALCo and Electro-Motive between 1937 and 1955, enough to dieselize its entire roster of inter-city passenger trains. We have studied these cab-style units in our Volumes 3, 9 and 20.

The few remaining locals and commuter trains still in SP’s timetable in the 1950s were dieselized with freight locomotives incidentally equipped with steam generators and air signal lines and electrical modifications to make them suitable for powering passenger trains. They were painted in “freight unit” colors and worked freight trains as often as their passenger schedules permitted and were expected to be maintained with the same spare parts and tools as their “pure freight” counterparts.

In the 1950s, Southern Pacific regularly utilized only twelve GP9s, twenty SD7s and sixteen Train Master diesel units in local passenger or Commute service. Steam generator-equipped SD9 units were also used on occasion in passenger service, as well as the occasional ALCo. New SDP45 and GP40P-2 passenger locomotives arrived between 1967 and 1974.

SYNOPSIS of Book:
This volume summarizes Southern Pacific's experience with hood units (road switchers) in passenger service, beginning in the early 1950s. Locomotive models addressed in detail include: Fairbanks-Morse Train Masters ALCo RS-3 (Cotton Belt) ALCo DL-701 (SP) demonstrator and emergency "protection" units Electro-Motive SDP45 EMD GP40P-2 EMD SD7 EMD SD9 EMD GP9.

Softbound, 8.5x11 176 pages, 250 b&w photographs and illustrations, 16 color pages, detailed roster information, a complete roster and detailed photograph captions.

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