The first EMD SD7

SP #1518 was built originally as EMD Demonstrator #990.
It demonstrated on several roads before being sent back to EMD for
refurbishing and repainting in SP Tiger Stripe paint and renumbering #5308.
It was built approx March 1952, acquired by SP October 1952 and was
classified in a one only class as DF-116 as it was slightly different to all
the other SD7's. As delivered - it had dual control stands, a steam boiler
a winterization hatch over the forward fan and two single 'blat' horns.
SP soon added a large beer barrel or trash can signal light to the top of
the short hood. Later repainted in Black Widow still with dual control
stands, so had wings at both ends. Second control stand later removed
and rear wings painted over. Later renumbered #2715 in 1965, painted
in Scarlet and Gray, later still renumbered #1415 when the SW1500
deliveries approached the 27xx numbers.
Rebuilt as an SD7R in 1979/1980 and renumbered to #1518 it lost the
single blat horns and winterization hatch. Was the only SD7 to have wings
at both ends denoting two control stands for bi-directional operation
- similar to the Commute GP9's.
Was the only SD7 to have a winterization hatch - very rare on SP but
not unknown, an F7 or two and the odd GP20 had them.

All photos © John Kemp

1518a_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 90K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum	1518b_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 70K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum	1518c_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 72K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum	1518d_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 66K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum
1518e_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 51K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum	1518f_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 59K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum	1518g_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 80K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum	1518h_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 86K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum
1518i_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 222K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum	1518j_sp-sd7r-john_kemp 262K #1518 John Kemp at the Illinois Railway Museum

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Southern Pacific SD7 #1518 photo album/Richard Percy/espee@railfan.net

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