Greetings all..

Atlas is now offering an SDP35 in SAL paint scheme. My question is, through the various mergers up until the Seaboard System, how far did the SDP-35's go? Were they repainted and renumbered for SCL, ACL, Seaboard System? If so, what numbers? What paint scheme? Thanks

-- John Buckley (dragondog@juno.com), September 05, 2002

Answers

John, unfortunately, it doesn't seem that any "true" SDP-35 units made it into CSX as SDP-35 units, as SCL undertook the removal of the steam generator units and shortened the hoods of the SDP-35 units by about 3 feet, to the extent that they looked much like SD-35 units. In fact, they really were SD-35 units. Some of the rebuilt former SDP-35 units did make it into the CSX paint schemes. I hope that this helps! Aaron Dowling (aarondowling@cfl.rr.com)

-- Aaron Dowling (aarondowling@cfl.rr.com), January 19, 2003.

John, You might want to check out the newest edition of Diesel Era (Nov/Dec '02) for photos and any roster info that you might need.

-- Justin May (mayjustin@msn.com), January 09, 2003.

I might be picking at nits, here, but one word of correction to an earlier post here - The units were lettered, not SEABOARD COASTLINE, but SEABOARD COAST LINE - three words, not two. I don't recall ever seeing either the ACL or the SCL print or paint the words "Coast Line" as one word.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), September 06, 2002.

let me clarify this. ALL the H-15's were originally painted in Family lines paint. Those listed above were repainted later down the road. I know by the time they were retired those still in family lines paint looked absolutely horrible. For some reason, that grey did not hold up. Note the few C30-7's still running around on CSX in FL paint look absolutely shoddy

-- troy nolen (tnolen12@tampabay.rr.com), September 06, 2002.

3 of the SDP35's were rebuilt into H-15's by the SCL for use as hump engines (SAL 1100, 1104, 1106). One (CSXT 1001 former SAL 1106) was repainted into Seaboard System colors and one (CSXT 1005, former SAL 1100) was painted into CSX paint. All 3 made it to CSX... and were retired i think some time around 1990. The rest of the H-15's were originally painted in Family Lines colors. All 8 of the H-15's made it into CSX, 3 were repainted in CSX paint, however only the one SDP 35. The rest were regular SD 35's

-- troy nolen (tnolen12@tampabay.rr.com), September 05, 2002.

John,

Check out the Calloway(prototype)/Justin May(modeling) site for SCL at the following site. It will give you more info on modeling the SCL-SDP35 than you can imagine.

http://members.tripod.com/seaboard_coastline/id119.htm

-- Mark Kuehler (qler@cfl.rr.com), September 05, 2002.

Okay so theres a good possibility that SCL/ACL had SDP35s on their roster at some point in time. Thats the time period I am shooting for. If ACL/SCL had sdp35's, I can strip the paint off the atlas model and repaint it and renumber it for the era that I want. Just have to find the color scheme and number series.. thanks guys...

-- John Buckley (dragondog@juno.com), September 05, 2002.

The SDP35s were painted in SAL's "freight" colors of Pullman green - pretty sure none ever got the JGG green. They were at first renumbered in the 600 series just after the merger (when they still had steam generators), then the 1900 series when converted to straight freight units. I am not sure if any got full SBD or CSX paint, but they lasted until the early CSX days, as hump units I believe - I recall seeing one or two in Hamlet ca. 1990 in extremely ratty Family Lines paint but with SBD/CSX numbers. Mr. Oates or other experts will have to supply the number series and further details.

-- Larry Goolsby (LGoolsby@aphsa.org), September 05, 2002.

John: Can't find any evidence of any SDP-35 in CSX paint, but I can tell you they did go as far as SCL: series 1950-1970, painted post merger black with yellow striping and aluminum lettering SEABOARD COASTLINE. Don't know the SAL numbering series, but some were equipped with a beautifully sounding air whistle...you could really tell when they were approaching. As a WAG (wild-ass guess) the SAL units were maybe painted "Jolly Green Giant": green body color with red and yellow striping and yellow lettering SEABOARD. Sorry to say I hired out in 1973, so I missed most of the old paint schemes.

-- Walt Rogers (wjriii@verizon.net), September 05, 2002.