Anyone know the history behind this locomotive?

[Bluewater]

Hey all,


For those of you who live in SW Michigan and follow the happenings on the Grand Elk Railroad, you would know that the GDLK received new power yesterday: WAMX 4209. However, after seeing photos of this unit, it looks longer than an SD40, although it is classified as an SD40-2. After some observations someone came up with the idea that it was an SD45 that was rebuilt into an SD40-2 without the normal flared radiators and kept the shorter rear porch. Does anyone know the history behind this unit? A Google search revealed nothing and quite a few of us are interested in finding out where on Earth this thing came from.

Thanks,


-Bluewater

EDIT: The below photos are not mine. I say again, they are NOT mine. They were posted on Railroadfan.com by user ThreeRiversChris.

 

[MeowRailroad]

Maybe it could be an SD45-2 upgraded to SD40-2 specs. I think this is more likely than a new carbody being fabricated to fit on the frame of the SD45.

 

[jordon412]

EDIT:
After a thorough search on railpictures.net and rrpicturearchives.net, I cannot find a picture of WAMX 4209 on either website. My guess is that it is a rebuilt SD40-2, or an SD45 rebuilt into an SD40-2 sometime in its past. It being a rebuilt SD45 also explains the reason behind it not having no HTC trucks, the large fuel tank, and its short frame. The SD45-2 rebuilt into an SD40-2 wouldn't work because this would result in the iconic 'porches' found on an SD40-2, as the larger 20-cylinder engine of the SD45-2 takes up the whole frame that was needed for the larger HTC trucks. Instead of rebuilding an SD45-2 into an SD40-2, railroads instead simply reduce the horsepower of the 20-cylinder engine from 3,600 horsepower to 3,000 horsepower, making it the equivalent of the 16-cylinder engine found in the SD40-2. This reduces the amount of wear and tear the engine has to handle.

 

[Bluewater]

An engineer with Grand Elk confirmed that 4209 used to be an SD45 but doesn't have any info as to its lineage.