F45 - MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2 GitHub Wiki
A GN F45. Location and date unknown. Wayne Ciampaglia photo.
The F45 was a "cowl" version of the SD45; a full-width body that does not bear weight, as there is still a rigid frame like a standard hood unit.
The F45 came to be when in January of 1968, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF) submitted to ALCO, GM-EMD and GE, a request for proposals for locomotives of 3000 to 3600 horsepower, in both A and B versions, with cowl variants. EMD's responses used the existing SD45 with the addition of a B unit, as well as the F45 A and B, designed for the bid. Neither version of the 45 series B units were ever constructed, but ATSF did go on to request the F45 design be adapted to the SDP45, resulting in the FP45, which it also purchased.
The Great Northern Railway took immediate interest in the F45 design once it entered the catalog, placing their own order almost immediately, with delivery during 1969. The GN operated in a region where snow, ice, high winds and temperatures well below freezing were common occurrences, and found the cowl design to be ideal in protecting crews from such hazards. Burlington Northern (which assumed Great Northern's additional order in the merger) continued ordering their own F45s post-merger. In total, 86 F45s were built between June of 1968 and April of 1971.
PT-Specific Information
| General Info | - |
|---|---|
| Prime Mover | EMD 20-645E3 |
| Horsepower | 3600 |
| Truck Type | EMD Flexicoil C |
| Axles | 6 |
| Traction Motors | 6 |
| Minimum Weight | 368000 lbs |
| Maximum Weight | 420000 lbs |
| Model Base Speed | 71 MPH |
| Top Speed | 71, 77, 83, or 89 MPH |
| Electrical System | - |
|---|---|
| Generator Max Current | 6000 Amps |
| Max Traction Motor (TM) Current | 1500 Amps |
| Max Continuous TM Current | 1050 Amps |
| Traction Motor Type | DC |
| Factor of Adhesion | 25% |
| Transition Mode | Automatic with selector |
| Transition Groups | 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1 (1) |
| Transition Shunts | 1, 0.72, 0.56, 0.46, 0.39, 0.34, 1, 0.72, 0.56, 0.46 (1) |
| Generator Transition | No |
| Traction Control | APR + Sand |
| Dynamic Braking (DB) Mode (if used) | Mechanical Blowers |
| DB Max Current | 700 Amps |
| DB Max Continuous Current | 700 Amps |
| Blended Braking | No |
| Miscellaneous | - |
|---|---|
| Head-End Power (HEP) | No |
| HEP Power Consumption | N/A |
| HEP Standby/Run Mode | N/A |
| Load Ramp Speed | 2 Amps/Tick |
| TM Overload Protection | No |
| Starter Mode | Manual Primer, Manual Start |
| Air Brake Schedule | 26-L |
| Compressor CFM | 254 (WBO @ 904 RPM) |
| Main Reservoir Volume | 35 Cubic Feet |
Notes
(1): Later-production F45s had a simplified transition setup: Groups 2, 1 / Shunts 1, 1.