PREORDER Athearn ATH19083 N FP45 Locomotive, ATSF #5946

PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION EMD released a new 645 engine in 1966. The most powerful locomotive using this series of engine was the SD45. The EMD SDP45 was a good passenger locomotive, but to the Santa Fe Railway it did not look the part. EMD therefore designed a lightweight “cowl” body to cover the locomotive, though it did not, as in earlier cab units, provide any structural strength, which remained in the frame. The cowl provided sleeker looks, better aerodynamics at speed, and allowed the crew to enter the engine compartment en route for diagnostics and maintenance. After sponsoring the development of the FP45 passenger locomotive, the Santa Fe requested a similar freight locomotive from Electro-Motive. Where the FP45 was an SDP45 wrapped in a full-width Cowl carbody, the new F45 was essentially an SD45 given the same treatment. After the formation of Amtrak in 1971, Santa Fe converted their FP45 fleet into freight service by removal of the steam generators and the application o