My Dad and I would go to the Amtrak station and Ozol yard in Martinez California on Saturdays to get a line up of freights for the day. While I was watching and photographing the local work train do a pick up, my Dad was talking to the yard clerk at the Ozol office, the brakeman from the local motioned for me to come over....he had me climb up on the rear platform of the SD45 and told me to hold on tight to the stanchion.
Meanwhile, the yard clerk is motioning for me to "Get down from there" - which I did. The crew thought I was still on the locomotive........the air was charged and with a few cars in tow the two SD45 locomotives accelerated like I've never seen (I guess they were going to give me a ride I would remember).
The yard clerk exclaimed "Those young guys are always hot rodding". 
That's a topic that never comes up ~ how quick can these 3,600 hp locos accelerate?
Here's the duo, circa 1983....after Sacramento rebuild and renumber.
My photo:
