Electro-Motive built F45 diesels for Great Northern / Burlington Northern and Santa Fe. Perhaps it is my southern California bias, but the F45 always seemed to be more of an iconic Santa Fe locomotive than BN’s. (And I’m sure others will disagree.) On October 20, 1984, a westbound Santa Fe freight was caught passing through Hesperia, the last town before tackling Cajon Pass. Today’s Class One railroads’ monotonous consists (“Look! Four ES44ACs!”) really highlight the variety that used to be found on the front of most freight trains a few decades earlier – this train is led by an F45, a C30-7, a pair of GP50s and another F45.
Freight Cowls are standard locomotives that have a hood that extends the full width of the locomotive. Sadly, most Freight Cowls have been retired, but a few still run on short lines.
