The company I worked for at the time, Jumbo, booked this and 219 more locos to be transported from the USA to China in 1984. When we visited Erie, we immediately noticed there were few if any places to attach lashing gear (wires, chains, etc.). GE considered this a domestic sale so they had no obligation to prep the locos for export other than to tarp them. We convinced GE to add some padeyes front and rear to facilitate lashing. You can see in this photo that the front padeyes are still there (seen on the front between the first and second steps). GE would start the construction process with the frame upside down. When it came time to turn it rightside up, they would attach lifting gear to the frame, using bolt holes just above the jacking pads. Our port captain asked if these holes could be left exposed so as to be able to bolt a plate that could be used to attach lashing gear. GE agreed. You can see the exposed bolt holes in this photo. The Chinese never bothered to cover them over. GE still uses the bolt holes to this day. You can see the plates on these recent export locos. Jumbo's logo was an elephant, and these plates became known as "elephant ears". https://www.railpictures.net/photo/621530/
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