Great Northern SD-9 #591 - Part I

GN #591 waits under the Willmar roundhouse sanding tower in 1969. Photo used with permission of GNRHS Archives - Cordell Newby Collection

Whenever I have some time after caring for my amazing, 3-month-old daughter, hanging out with my wonderful wife, working on my career, and doing a hundred other tasks, I am taking time to update one of my locomotives to a more accurate model. I am trying to more accurately reflect what GN locomotives were used in Kandiyohi, MN during the 1950's by modeling GN SD-9 #591.

In need of a wash at Minneapolis Junction in 1968. Note the winter bay window is only on the engineer's side of the cab and not the firemen's. Photo used with permission of GNRHS Archives - Cordell Newby Collection

I am beginning with a Proto 2000 SD-9 #589 that I received used and does not fit the Fall 1954 time period that I am modeling. At the same time, with a limited budget, I am flexible with my layout era and want my layout to have some additional motive power variety.

The Willmar Division of the Great Northern had a lone SD-7 in 1954, #555 for service on the St. Cloud line and no SD-9's. The first few that the GN did order in 1954 were used almost exclusively on the Iron Range. Not until the fourth order from EMD in April of 1958 did the GN send SD-9's to Willmar. This was in large part to replace the steam locomotive fleet that went out of service on the division in 1957-1958. According to the 1964 assignment roster, #590, #591, #592, #595, and #596 were all committed to the Willmar Division. I have decided to model #591 based on available photos that place it in Willmar during the 1960's and not elsewhere on the division. The locomotive also survived longer than most and became BN #6118 and BNSF #6118 which offers me the opportunity to model the locomotive later in life if I ever desire to do so.

This is a long project that I do not intend to finish soon. I hope to renumber it and slowly add details, a decoder, and sound to the locomotive as time permits. Updates will follow as I progress with this project.