Purchased in the early 1960s to replace aging passenger power, Southern Pacific's SDP45s stayed in that service after Amtrak took over operating most of America's passenger trains. But after a decade of passenger service, new Amtrak locomotive purchases allowed the carrier to return these 3600 horsepower diesels back to their owner, and SP placed them in freight service … Just more "SD45s" to the SP. (Which is why the SP purchased them, after all, as they could see the end of passenger service coming.)
Thus it was that a quartet of 22-year-old SDP45s were seen on the wye in Anaheim, getting turned after delivering the daily "Anaheim Hauler" freight from the City of Industry. The SW1500s assigned here will deliver these cars to local industries the next day. After a few hours, these big diesels will take a return freight back to COI Yard and, tomorrow, the process repeats itself yet again. And again. And again...
