SP 8670

This loco was built in xx/19xx with EMD construction number 7945-13 as SD45 C&NW 913. She was rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen to DASH-2 specifications and numbered SP 8670.

The story does not end there, however. I will let Ryan Martin recount the story of what happened next:

"Barely 1 month out of MK rebuild, the flared SP 8670 was involved in a loaded taconite ore train wreck on 
Tennessee Pass on 11.22.1994. The heavy runaway train lost it's brakes and ran down the 3% steep section towards 
Minturn at over 60 mph. The lead DRGW SD40T-2 stayed on the rails but the three trailing locos including the 
spanking new SP 8670 and 51 ore pellet cars derailed causing a major wreck and spilled locomotive diesel fuel fire."

"Believe it or not but the 8670 came out rebuilt in October of 1995 with a whole new look rebuilt a second time from 
the frame on up.  Similar to the unique "flareless" car bodies featured on MK SD40M-2 rebuilds SP 8574-8582 and 8700 
where an SD45 carbody had it's flared rear radiator section replaced by a donated GP40 flat sided radiator section, 
the SP 8670 (2nd) emerged as a frankenstein combination of donor parts. The repaired frame, pilots and fuel tank 
remained from the former SD45 CNW 913 used on the SP 8670 (1st), a new nose, cab, electrical compartment and front 
long hood section were donated from SDP40 BN 6394, the rear radiator section was taken off of a GP40, most likely an 
ex- CSX/KCS/SOO GP40 donor as used on the 19 MARC passenger GP40WH-2 rebuild locomotives that required flared SD45 
radiator sections."

"Using three different donor locos to make one, the SP 8670 (2nd) looked more like a shorter length SD45-2. Of the 
eleven SP SD40M-2's with this unique SD45 frame and flareless radiator 1:1 scale kitbashed combo, the 8670 was the 
only one where the flared dynamic brake blister was tapered or flattened off at the rear end of dynamic brake grilles. 
It was truly a one-of-a-kind SD40M-2 on SP's late era roster."

More info on the incident on Tennessee Pass can be found here.

SP 8670 (w/ GP40 long hood):

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