SP 5353

This loco was built in 4/1954 with EMD construction number 19442. It was built as a reserve passenger engine with steam generator. It was painted in standard for the time "black widow" colors and was delivered with barrel oscillating and twin sealed beam headlights at each end.

She was renumbered SP 5339 on 1/5/1961 for reasons dealing with "equipment trust series MM." This may have had something to do with the RSD5 units being shipped back to ALCO to be rebuilt into RSD12's, however, that is purely conjecture. She does take the place of an RSD5 which previously carried that number.

She was assigned number SP 3800 in the 1965 system renumbering.

She entered the GRIP program and emerged as SP 4451 "Puff" on 2/14/1974. She was one of two SD9 units to retain their steam generators for reserve passenger service (along with SP 4450 "Huff.") It is no coincidence that they are numerical sequence with GS-4 class steam locomotive SP 4449 which would soon be rebuilt to power the Freedom Train.

SP 4451:

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