my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

Cotton Belt GP20

delivered as SSW 800 - 819 in 1960-62

20 units delivered

The Cotton Belt GP20's arrived between late 1960 and early 1962. The twenty SSW EMD FT units were used as trade-ins.

The first ten units had 48" flared radiator fans, the last ten received 48" cap top radiator fans. SSW seemed to prefer the 'fire-cracker' type radio antenna and horns mounted on the engineer's side of the cab roof. Although #4034 shown above in 1974, looks to have a 'whip' type antenna.

Arriving in scarlet and gray paint, they had the SSW trademark, yellow handrails, stanchions and grab irons.

According to "Cotton Belt Locomotives", #4039 was once repainted in a much lighter (L&N) type gray, and #4045 once had stacked roadname lettering, instead of the 'all in one line' lettering.

As well, according to "Cotton Belt Locomotives", they also had their signal lights arranged differently. As the physical characteristics are the same, I can only conclude that, the headlight and oscillating signal light positions were reversed from SP practice.

Starting in 1974, the remaining Cotton Belt GP20's were cycled through a Sacramento rebuild program to become GP20E's.

see also: SP GP20's

References:

• Cotton Belt Locomotives by Joe Strapac pages 205 to 208, history, photo's etc...
• SP Dieselization by John Bonds Garmany
• SP 1987/88 Motive Power Pictorial by Joe.W.Shine, - Page 95.
• SP into the '90s by Joe.W.Shine Page 169.
• SP Dieselization by John Bonds Garmany
• 1995 Southern Pacific Motive Power Annual
• Southern Pacific Rails - a motive power finale by Peter Limas
• Cotton Belt Color Pictorial by Steve Allen Goen
• Diesel Era Vol.9 No.4 Jul/Aug 1998 pages 38-55 - usual Diesel Era comprehensive coverage including color photos of SP and SSW units.
• The GP20 and SD24 EMD's Turbocharging Duo by Diesel Era (Wither's Publishing)
• Southern Pacific Historic Diesels Vol.13 by Joe Strapac