A westbound McCook, IL, to Los Angeles, CA, auto train has somewhat an odd ball leader. These ex-Amtrak cowl units really weren't leader much as Santa Fe didn't like them for liability of crews climbing on and off them. Kind of lucky one is leading this auto train as they near Yost Crossovers near East Galesburg.
Here is the history on them via Wikipedia.....1985 was the last revenue run of an SDP40F for Amtrak.
In 1984, Santa Fe traded to Amtrak 43 smaller locomotives for switching to get the 18 SDP40Fs from Amtrak. The SDP40Fs were reconditioned at San Bernardino, CA, shops to the designation SDF40-2 for freight use. They were also given front steps and platforms which required their noses to be notched on their second maintenance shop visit in order to improve boarding access.
The last run of an SDF40-2 on took place in 2001 as a BNSF 6900's series locomotive. The units were retired in 2002, and most were scrapped in Topeka, KS, between 2002 and 2004.
