Canadian Pacific Heritage Legacy SD90MAC #7010
| Item # | 2233651 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Lionel |
| Loco Type | EMD SD90MAC |
| Wheel Arr. | C-C |
| Proto. Manufacturer | Electro-Motive Division (EMD) |
| Loco Category | Diesel Locomotives |
| Road Name | Canadian Pacific |
| Road Number | 7010 |
| Prototype Era | 2000s-2010s |
| Catalog Year | 2022 |
| Catalog Season | Big Book |
| Product Line | Legacy |
| Features | |
| Scale | Scale |
| Min. Curve | O36 |
| Run Type | Built to Order |
| MSRP | $649.99 |
| Notes | |
| CP Heritage fleet; powered; 21.5" length; [2022 V1 catalog] | |
| Control Systems | |
| Bluetooth | ● |
|---|---|
| Legacy Control System | ● |
| TMCC | ● |
| LC Universal Remote | ● |
| LC Individual Remote | |
| Conventional | ● |
| Features | |
| Sound | ● |
| Smoke Unit | ● |
| Odyssey Speed Control | ● |
| ElectroCoupler | ● |
The EMD SD90MAC was an ambitious high-horsepower program produced from 1995 through 2003, conceived around a new 265H prime mover that EMD developed to produce 6,000 horsepower — significantly more than any previous production American locomotive. The SD90MAC used the proven AC traction system of the SD70MAC combined with the six-axle C-C configuration, and when equipped with the 265H engine, it represented the highest-horsepower single-unit locomotive in regular North American freight service. Union Pacific was the primary customer, acquiring a large fleet for its heavy freight operations on the demanding mountain grades and long-distance runs of its western network.
The SD90MAC program was complicated by the 265H engine's development difficulties — many locomotives were delivered with the 4,300-horsepower 710G3B engine installed as a placeholder pending availability of the new prime mover, and not all units were ultimately upgraded to the full 6,000-horsepower configuration. The 265H engine also proved more complex to maintain than EMD's established 645 and 710 series, and the operational experience with the high-powered prime mover was mixed. The SD90MAC program effectively ended EMD's effort to dominate the ultra-high-horsepower segment of the market. In O Gauge, the SD90MAC is a contemporary subject associated primarily with Union Pacific, representing one of the most technically ambitious locomotive programs of the late 20th century American freight market.
Canadian Pacific Railway was built between 1881 and 1885 as Canada's first transcontinental railroad, completing the national project that had been a condition of British Columbia's entry into Confederation in 1871. The construction of the main line across the Canadian Shield north of Lake Superior and through the Rogers Pass in the Rocky Mountains was one of the great engineering achievements of the 19th century, accomplished under enormous financial pressure and at significant human cost. When the last spike was driven at Craigellachie, British Columbia, on November 7, 1885, Canada had its transcontinental railroad — and the CP had secured its position as one of the most powerful corporations in the country, with land grants, hotel operations, steamship lines, and telegraph services to complement its rail network.
The CP's steam locomotive roster reflected the demands of its rugged mountain territory. The railroad developed notable passenger power including its Royal Hudson class — 4-6-4 locomotives whose name honored a royal inspection trip by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939 — and operated a diverse fleet of freight power suited to the grades of the Rockies and the long hauls of the prairies. In the diesel era, CP was a significant customer for Fairbanks-Morse C-Liners and Train Masters, making it one of the most important FM operators in North America, and later built a large fleet of SD90MACs that defined its power in the late diesel era. The railroad's operational reach into the United States expanded through the Soo Line and Delaware and Hudson acquisitions, and CP eventually merged with the Kansas City Southern in 2023 to formCPKC Railway.
Canadian Pacific's tuscan red and grey passenger scheme and its later multimark logo livery give it a distinctive visual identity that stands apart from American road names, and the railroad's mountain territory — the dramatic curves and trestles of the Rockies and the Selkirks — offers some of the most spectacular modeling scenery in North American railroading. The CP's connection to Canadian national identity and its role in the country's history give it a depth of historical resonance comparable to the great American transcontinentals, and its unusual diesel roster — with significant FM power alongside standard EMD and GE types — offers modelers a roster that differs meaningfully from the American roads that dominate the hobby.
Modeling Significance & Notes[edit | edit source]
The 2022 Legacy EMD SD90MAC is a Scale twelve-product release built to Legacy Control System standards with Bluetooth, fan-driven smoke, front and rear ElectroCouplers, and die-cast construction at 21.5 inches overall length on O-36 curves — covering four prototype operators with multiple road number variants including an Electro-Motive Division builder's scheme, the San Luis & Rio Grande short line, and a Veterans commemorative scheme alongside Canadian Pacific and Norfolk Southern.
Find on Google
Search Google for current information, reviews, and discussions about this item.
Search Google for item 2233651Opens in a new tab — results may include retailer pages, collector forums, and reviews.