| SP GP9E 3336, Tucson, Arizona, November 21, 1985, photo by Chuck Zeiler. Built as road number 5634 in February 1956 (c/n 21327) on EMD Order 5436, it became 3467 after the 1965 systemwide renumbering. It was rebuilt to a GP9E (or possibly a GP9R) and numbered 3336. It later became RS 105. A quick note about the GP9E/GP9R designation: The SP rebuilt hundreds of locomotives at its Sacramento Shops, starting in 1970 with a program designated R8. This involved selling the old locomotives to Southern Pacific Equipment Company (which paid for the rebuilding) and leasing the rebuilds back to SP (for the tax advantage), thus the E designation. Around 1977, the program became GRIP (General Rehabilitation and Improvement Program) with the merger of the Southern Pacific Equipment Company and the Southern Pacific Transportation Company (when the tax advantage was lost). Thereafter, rebuilt locomotives were designated with the R suffix (GP9R). Without knowing the rebuild date, one can only speculate about the correct model designation. Perhaps more than you ever want to know can be found here: http://utahrails.net/sp/sp-r8-grip.php |