Santa Fe 108

33.761063°N 117.233131°W / 33.761063; -117.233131

Santa Fe 108
ATSF 108 at the Southern California Railway Museum in 2021, recently restored in 2018
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) Model SDFP45 Build date 1967
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR C-C Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Wheelbase 45 ft (13.2 m) Length 72 ft 4 in (22.1 m) Prime mover EMD 645E3 Cylinders V20
Performance figures Power output 3,600 hp (2,700 kW)
Career Operators Santa Fe and BNSF Locale Southern California Railway Museum Disposition Preserved, operational, mainly used in demonstrative services but occasional excursions ever so often

Santa Fe 108, formerly Santa Fe 98 (BNSF 98), is a 1967 General Motors Electro-Motive Division FP45 diesel locomotive once owned by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and is today on permanent, operational display at the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris, California.

With its 3,600-horsepower (2,700 kW), 20-cylinder prime mover and six traction motors, the FP45 was intended for fast passenger service and is geared to run in excess of 90 miles per hour (140 km/h). It is especially notable as being the last passenger locomotive purchased by the railroad and was used on Santa Fe's finest passenger trains, including the Super Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles. Relegated to freight service in 1971 when passenger rail operations were transferred to Amtrak, 108's paint scheme was slightly altered to have the large red Santa Fe lettering. It continued regular revenue freight service until it was renumbered to 98 in the early 1990s and transferred to BNSF after the ATSF and BN merged in 1995. It kept its number and was used for BNSF Business trains, but was never put in regular service. It was donated to the Orange Empire Railway Museum by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe in 1999.

After its donation, 98 was put in occasional passenger excursion service until the mid-2000's, when it was used for demonstrations. It underwent an extensive restoration starting in late 2012 which was completed in late 2018. The completed restoration returned it to its as delivered external arrangement, including the original Santa Fe passenger paint scheme and renumbering back to ATSF #108.[1]

Until December 2012, when restoration began, the locomotive was used in demonstration service at the museum and special excursions. It is now maintained in service-ready condition for demonstration service at the museum.