Did Atlas release the SD7 in MILW, but an non-numbered version? I have this nagging recollection they did. Am I wrong?
I had a look on Trovestar and Atlas & Life Like both made Milwaukee SD7's but they all seem to be numbered. ........There was some un-numbered diesels including a GP40, Baldwin VO1000, FM C-Liner .......and GP9's in both yellow and grey and orange & black. Maybe that was what you were thinking of. That doesn't mean you didn't see un-numbered SD7's ...... undocumented variants do turn up.
I checked on the Atlas archives, didn't see any non-numbered ones either. https://archive.atlasrr.com/NLoco/arc-nsd7.htm Looks like they were released twice: Oct 2003 - 509 & 510 Feb 2017 - 501 & 512
When I bought my Life-Like SD7, I didn't notice, for some reason, but it was unnumbered. I took it back and got #2211 but it's only numbered in the number boards. Doug
My club has a couple of SD7/9s that are technically numbered, but in such a way that actually finding the road number on the locomotive is a total Where's Waldo puzzle. I'll have to check which road names they are this week.
I was hoping that I was correct. I have their releases numbered 509, 510. Just need the 511 to complete that series. The MILW had only three of the "double" tank units. Originally 2209-2211, renumbered to 509-511. A painted, un-numbered unit would be so very easy to use.... Why they had these is a mystery. As purchased and delivered, the front ("A") end tank was for boiler water. 2209-2211 came fully plumbed for a train heat boiler, including the boiler mountings inside their noses. But no boiler. It is documented. However, to date, nobody knows the why or the origins of these units construction by EMD. My interest is the three saw first service on a Coast Division branch line near my home, where I saw them in operation as a youth.
As I recall, it WAS fairly common for some makers to offer two different numbers and an unnumbered version on various locomotives. I remember seeing them in advertisements. Doug
I wanna' say when Milwaukee Road first got they're SD7's delivered, the numbers were on the cab, in a gold style color. Maybe the manufacturer didn't see that? Mid-50's when they started putting the road number up on the long hood near the center.
Their first SD7 units were delivered in 1952. They were the first to come in the modern, or simplified, orange and black, with white numerals paint scheme. They were also the last new units which still carried the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific heralds. Any new engines which came thereafter had a 'The Milwaukee Road' herald.
