True, it wasn't really an error. I just should have mentioned that it was originally built as a GP7. It looks like it was rebuilt by the C&NW in 1974.
I wonder if the SDP45 was designated that way since the rebuild to the SD45-2 carbody took place before the MRL acquired it? Sometimes railroad's designations are funny. Really the SDP40-2XR should be designated as a SD40-2XR as you mentioned, but for some reason, the railroad kept the "P" in the designation for quite some time. However, I did notice a fairly recent change. Up until the 290 was repainted in the newest scheme, it had the designation SDP40-2XR—even on the sideframe of the locomotive, but since it was repainted, it now carries the designation SD40-2XR. Go figure. So I don't think it has much (if any) mechanical differences from a "regular" SD40-2XR.
It's likely not an error. While built as a GP7, it has probably been upgraded to similar specifications as their GP9's. Hence the classification by Montana Rail Link. Not at all uncommon, it's the same reason a SD40 rebuilt to Dash 2 specifications is going to be called a SD40-2 by most any railroad even though it was built as a SD40.
You see several instances of this on the MRL roster. SeveraL SD45's rebuilt with Dash 2 electronics and reclassified as SD45-2's, SD40's rebuilt to Dash 2 specifications and other upgrades as SD40-2XR's, etc.
What puzzles me is the SDP40-2XR. It was a SDP40 that was rebuilt to Dash 2 specifications and several other upgrades that MRL utilizes XR to denote. Yet a SDP45 on their roster that was rebuilt with Dash 2 electronics is just classified as a SD45-2.
I wonder why they recognized the passenger heritage with a distinct model designation with one of them rather than classifying it as a SD40-2XR in line with its sisters but in the other instance didn't and just classified it similarly to straight SD45's on that roster that have been rebuilt with Dash 2 electronics.
Does one have some slight mechanical difference that they felt needed to be denoted with a special desgination where as the other is mechanically identical to its rebuilt sisters?
Good catch! What I should have mentioned was that MRL GP9 No. 115 was built in September 1951 as Chicago Great Western GP7 No. 120. It later became C&NW No. 4337.
IIRC, EMD didn't introduce the 1,750hp 567C powered GP9 until 1954. If it was built in 1951 it would have originally been a 1,500hp 567B GP7. Though some wreck-damaged GP7s were rebuilt by EMD into GP9s while it was still in production in the mid-to-late 1950s.
If you like Montana Rail Link, check out our downloadable roster and photo gallery here:
http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20Reference/Locomotive%20Profiles/2013/04/Montana%20Rail%20Link%20photo%20roster.aspx
The railroad has quite a nice variety of locomotives out there today. A GP9 on the roster goes all the way back to 1951!
Thanks!
Tom
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