Santa Fe FP45

Photo Courtesy Don Bowen

Build Date:1967
Builder: General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
Current Status: Static
Road: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
Model: FP45

The Santa Fe remained committed to first class passenger trains even while other railroads were decreasing or completely abandoning passenger service. Nine 3600 hp FP45 locomotives numbered 100-108 were delivered for service on the El Capitan and Super Chief in 1967, painted in the classic red and silver "warbonnet" colors which had graced Santa Fe's diesel passenger locomotives since 1937. Santa Fe ended passenger service with the coming of Amtrak in 1971 and the FP45s were assigned to freight service for the remainder of their careers, other than occasional use pulling business and special trains. In 1989 it was decided that all new locomotives would be delivered in the red and silver warbonnet paint, called the "Super Fleet." The FP45s were repainted into a version of the paint scheme in which they were delivered. These locomotives were renumbered several times with number 97 as the last of its kind in active service on the railroad before being donated by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway in December of 1999.