After experimenting with 4 testbed EMD SD40Xâs built in 1979, Kansas City Southern ordered the first production run of the SD50 produced from late May into June of 1981. They featured an early notched frame, rounded blower housing, large exhaust stack, dual cab mounted strobes and a front warning light with offset headlights. KCS numbered their fleet of SD50s #704 â 713 and were painted in the then standard white scheme with large red letters. While #705 was wrecked and off the roster by February of 1994, the others soldiered on, many receiving the gray âghostâ scheme before being sold off or retired.
After experimenting with 4 testbed EMD SD40Xâs built in 1979, Kansas City Southern ordered the first production run of the SD50 produced from late May into June of 1981. They featured an early notched frame, rounded blower housing, large exhaust stack, dual cab mounted strobes and a front warning light with offset headlights. KCS numbered their fleet of SD50s #704 â 713 and were painted in the then standard white scheme with large red letters. While #705 was wrecked and off the roster by February of 1994, the others soldiered on, many receiving the gray âghostâ scheme before being sold off or retired.