Southern Pacific #1518 at the Illinois Railway Museum in 2004

Southern Pacific #1518 was built May 3, 1951 by EMD. It was the first EMD six-axle freight diesel, an SD7, and was originally numbered EMD #990 and used as a demonstrator on many railroads. Southern Pacific purchased the locomotive on October 10, 1952 after a major overhaul by EMD personnel, and it became SP #5308. The locomotive was renumbered #2715 in 1965 and renumbered again in 1973 as #1415. The locomotive was rebuilt by Southern Pacific’s Sacramento Locomotive Works, emerging as SD7R #1518 on February 5, 1980. Union Pacific acquired the locomotive as part of the 1996 merger with Southern Pacific. Recognizing the locomotive’s historical significance, it was placed in their historical collection at Cheyenne, Wyoming until being donated to the Illinois Railway Museum.

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