What a catch! The only GP38-2B that ever existed in the world. Btw does anybody know, if #2249 is still around? The newest photos I could find are from 2018.
I saw a few SD45-2s, but cannot seem to locate images of any B's... Probably Great Falls, MT, 2008: Cheyenne, WY, 2004/2005:
I have a few SD45-2B shots for you. Had the ATSF 5514 as the trailing unit on a train in 1998, here we see it sitting at the east end of the Grand Junction Depot siding. Below rear top view, different cooling fans over the years. Below F/S rea. Standard anti climber on the rear, AAR pin lifter. Below E/S rear F/S view Below, A little closer look. Note the air reservoir has the spitter valve towards the front. More to come.
Engineer side view. Again, a little closer look. Front top view. Note the different fans over the years, very common, but not commonly modeled, seen, or noticed. Also note all the weld cuts and slag left on top of the inertial filter hatch from the antennas, and other stuff that used to sit up there over the years too. Shows you the tops of these things werent very smooth or perfect at all. E side front. Note the emergency brake valve on the hood side, and the wheel slip generator on the #1 E side axle. Front view. Note the elevation differences on the walkways on the sides of the hood. The angles and metalwork done to attach the dynamic brake cooling fans needed to live here. F side front. Note the coupler cut bar handle that pokes up thru the anti climber. Also how sooty this unit is, also how clean the vertical grabs are from getting on and off the unit. Cant hardly read the number boards, even wonder why there are number boards.
Seeing the different fans, I wonder how modular are these components? Will they interchange enough to essentially be "plug-ins"? Or are there modifications required? What is "MKM"? I want to guess perhaps "Morrison-Knudsen" worked on these?
Seems like I read somewhere that if they are the same diameter, they are pretty much plug and play on the fans. As for the MKM, I do remember that there were a group of engines contracted to Morrison-Knudsen for maintenance. The MKM stencil was added to those units so that the regular shop forces knew not to work on them (other that fuel and water) and to get the MKM contractors to service and maintain them.
Almost 19 hours late, and led by a freight unit, Amtrak 8 rests in the bitter cold on 21 Dec 22 at Minot, ND in blue hour at around 1730. The extreme cold has given no end of problems, especially affecting the new Charger units. When on time, Amtrak 8 only sees daylight in Minot on the longest days of summer as it reaches Minot at around 2200.
Another low light "mood" shot. A UP rock train via track rights on the BNSF between Wallace and Orchard, Texas on July 20, 2008.