Atlas SP SD9 photos

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atsf_arizona

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Mar 27, 2003
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Atlas SP SD9 photos

Hello, all.

My Atlas SP SD9's arrived yesterday. Here's photos below. (you can go to my Railimages Gallery, photos 59-67 on the 2nd page, and download the bigger version of the images if you want).

www.railimages.com/gallery/johnsing

or

community.webshots.com/user/atsf_arizona - has the photos in "Volume 12"


The engines run very smooth, slightly noisy but not objectionable at all. Good job, Atlas.

To anticipate a question, I don't know for sure if the old Atlas SD7/9 shell would fit, but I think the answer may be 'yes'. Others on the forum will probably correct/verify me. As for the LL SD7/9 shell, I think the answer is 'with some filing and fitting'. My last 3 shots below compare the LL SD SD9 shell with the new Atlas SD9.

Here's my first-impression comparision with the older LifeLike Bloody Nose SD-9 ( I have several of these ).

The Atlas ScaleSpeed(tm)-motored SD9's run just a little faster than the average LL SD7/9. The LL's and the new Atlas SD9's
are MU-able (in straight DC) if you don't mind the Atlas SD-9's leading and 'dragging' the LL SD9s a little bit. (I do mind and will be getting a 3d Atlas SP SD-9).

Paint: the Atlas SP Lark Gray looks like right on the right colors. By comparision, the LL SD9 SP Bloody nose is a bit darker than it should be on both the grey and the scarlet red.

Now don't you all go out there and buy up all the Atlas SP SD9s before I get my third unit!

Enjoy.

a1s_Atlas_SD9_pair_side_view.jpg


a2s_Atlas_SD9_side_view.jpg


a3s_Atlas_SD9_three_quarters_view.jpg


a4s_Atlas_SD9_other_side.jpg


a5s_Atlas_SD9_closeup.jpg


a6s_Atlas_SD9_head_on_view.jpg


a7s_Atlas_SD9_and_LL_SD9_three_quarters_view.jpg


a9s_Atlas_SD9_and_LL_SD9_side_view.jpg
 
Some historical info on Atlas SP SD9

To be exact, the Atlas SD9 #4341 and #4409 are SD9E's, which are early 1970's rebuilds of the original SP SD9. You can tell which ones are SD9E's because they are numbered in the 4300-4451 number range.

From Joseph Strapac's classic 1997 book 'SP SD7/9's, page 70 and other pages, comes the following: "Sacramento and SP basically rebuilt the SD9 from the ground up with as many 645-series engine parts as could be used in the original 567B engine. Traction motors were re-wound to functional equivalency with EMD's then current Dash-2 offerings. No attempt was made to increase horsepower or modify exhaust flow or chop-nose; enhanced reliability was the goal instead of increased output."

The LifeLike SD9 number 3900 was representative of the SP SD9s which were renumbered from their original numbers to the 3800 to 3966 in 1965. So it represents a SP SD9 in the timeframe of 1965 to whenever the 3900 was rebuilt in 1970-80 to a SD9E.

The SD9E rebuild program took various SD9s in no particular order, and rebuilt them in the 1970-1980 timeframe. As they were rebuilt they were renumbered starting from 4300. Specifically, SP SD9E 4341 was rebuilt in 1971. SP SD9E 4409 was rebuilt in 1976. So for you rivet counters out there, if you run a lashup of both of the Atlas SP SD9E's 4341 and 4409, your timeframe is 1976 or later.

Probably no one cares about the above, but it's been fun reading Strapac's book (smile!)
 
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