Aiming into the late evening sun on October 15, 2001, is Rio Grande “Tunnel Motor” No. 5401 leading Union Pacific freight MDVRO at Rollins, Colorado. The power included 7 AC4400CWs in both UP and SP varieties and maybe the reason 5401 was leading is because all the other locomotives are facing east! Rio Grande No. 5401 was patched and renumbered 8594 in 2005 and was eventually donated to the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden.
The EMD SD (special duty) series are a strong and reliable kind of locomotive which still serve America's rails today. They have proved themselves reliable by clocking in several million miles of freight service over several decades.
