Burlington Northern Railroad SD45 6430 at Clyde, Illinois on July 23, 1985, Kodachrome by Chuck Zeiler. The following is from the 1973 BN Annual, by Hol Wagner: BN SD45 6430, formerly Great Northern 400, was the first production model SD45 built (EMD demonstrators 4351-4353 preceeded it by five months). Delivered in May 1966 in GN's Omaha Orange and Pullman Green, the hefty 3600 horsepower unit was lettered HUSTLE MUSCLE in recognition of its distinctive position in dieseldom. The lettering remained when GN 400 became BN 6430 in mid-1970. Finally, in September 1973, 6430 underwent Class 1 repairs at Livingston and was painted Cascade Green. At the request of numerous railfans, 6430 retained the distinctive lettering, and in the company of E-units 9900-9904, and 9910-9925, today belongs to the biggest fleet of named diesels on a major railroad in America. |