| AT&SF RSD5 2135 at Colorado Springs, Colorado on August 19, 1964, Kodachrome by Chuck Zeiler. Built in June 1953 (c/n 80604) and delivered in the "zebra stripe" paint scheme, it was renumbered to 9135 August 13, 1970, traded to EMD during 1972 on a SD45-2 order. This is the rear view, the AT&SF had their RSD5's set up short hood forward. A total of 204 RSD5's were built by Alco between March 1952 and March 1955. The Santa Fe and Southern Pacific were the largest operators of the RSD5 with 53 on the AT&SF and 64 on the SP. However, by 1959 the SP traded 21 of their RSD5's back to Alco for RSD12's. The Santa Fe employed its large fleet of RSD's mainly in New Mexico and Colorado in many roles. The appearance of Second Generation power in the 1960's found the AT&SF RSD fleet rapidly retired. I was in Colorado Springs with my parents (I'm 16 at the time of the photo) and we we're heading back home on the Denver Zephyr connection. I believe this locomotive was substituting for an ailing Baldwin VO-1000 2218, which was laid up and off to the right. The AT&SF and the C&S had switching agreements at the time, and the AT&SF was responsible for switching at Colorado Springs. |