An EMD SD-9 locomotive underframe was modified to enable the replacement of the original cantilever design draft gear and yoke assembly with an arrangement that enables the use of the more available in-line system used on EMD's later model SD series locomotives. The underframe and end pilot sheet was removed from each end of the locomotive, and I beams and steel plates were used to fill in the volume formerly occupied by the cantilever unit, and to provide the needed connection plane for the new draft gear housing to transmit draft and buff forces into the underframe. The new end pilot sheets were developed because of the work that would be required to salvage the old pilot sheets for reuse after the draft gear modification.