| CRI&P NW2 4908, Blue Island, Illinois, October 1979, photo by Chuck Zeiler. Built in March 1949 as P&LE NW2 8748 (c/n 7426) on EMD Order E1056, it migrated to the Rock Island sometime in the early 1970's. This locomotive presents a bit of a challenge to diesel spotters. It is listed in the roster resources as an NW2, but shows a couple of characteristics of a SW7. At the time of its construction, the NW2 production had been transferred to the Cleveland, Ohio plant (EMD Plant #3, which produced the NW2's between February - December 1949). The most outstanding feature is the full height front radiator grill, very uncharacteristic of an NW2. This locomotive also has a single taper hood, which was introduced on the last production run of NW2's. Note also the single row of louvers on the hood doors, whereas late production NW2's had two rows of louvers and a letterboard space between ( early NW2's had no louvers, a subsequent production had louvers top to bottom, no letterboad gap). Finally, it has twin sealed-beam headlights. This unit does have the NW2 arched windows in the cab over the hood. There are two possible explanations: the Cleveland plant may have used SW7 components, or this may have been a wreck repair. For those of you that have ever wondered (I have) about that intake grill that is below the front of the cab window at the running board, that is the intake for the rear traction motor blower, the motor of which is located under the fireman's (left) side of the cab. |