Description
Railroad Short Name: B&O
In January 1972, Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of General Motors would build the first production models of a locomotive design that would prove to be legendary: the SD40-2. The flagship of the “Dash-2” series of 1972, the SD40-2 would build upon the lessons learned from its predecessor, the SD40. While the sixteen-cylinder 645E3 turbocharged prime mover remained the same from its SD40 cousin, the SD40-2 boasted a modular, solid-state electrical system, which featured removable “cards” in place of troublesome relays in its high-voltage cabinet, greatly simplifying electrical troubleshooting and repairs.
Externally, the biggest change was the use of the new HT-C three-axle truck in place of the Flexi-coil C of the SD40. The new truck promised greater adhesion, and was longer than the Flexi-coil C, necessitating an increase of the length of the SD40-2s frame to an overall length of 68’, 10” over the couplers. This also had the effect of giving the SD40-2 its characteristic long walkway “porches” at each end. Other small external improvements, such as longer battery box compartments, rear overhang on the cab roof, and drip rail over the front cab door, added to the list of external differences between it and the SD40.
Domestic production of the SD40-2 continued until July 1984 making it one of EMD’s most popular locomotives of all time. Many remain in service today, both with original owners as well as secondhand operators. Within the last five years, Norfolk Southern and CSX have rebuilt hundreds of SD40-2s to extend their operating life. This will ensure this venerable locomotive’s presence on U.S. rails for decades to come.
Features:
- All-new model
- Era: 1977 – early 80s
- B&O 7600-7619 Phase IIa2 units built in 1977
- Chessie “mailslot” battery box doors with battery terminals visible inside
- Side-mounted steel bell behind the dynamic brake on the engineer’s side
- Fully-assembled
- Multiple road numbers
- Class lights (non-operating)
- Printed and LED-illuminated number boards*
- Front and rear Chessie “rock pilot plows”
- 3-hose multiple unit (MU) hose clusters with silver gladhands
- Body mounted knuckle couplers; Micro-Trains® compatible
- Coupler box accepts Micro-Trains 1015/1016 couplers without modification
- Straight uncoupling levers with loop handles front and rear and two inner and two outer mounting brackets
- Notched pilot faces without lifting holes or slots
- Deck mounted multiple unit (MU) receptacle
- “Tall” stepwells
- Front and rear early small deck extension
- Handrail set with inward facing end rail mounting brackets and chain
- Front and rear “step-down” drop steps
- Scale sectioned treadplate detail on walkways
- Rectangle walkway lights mounted between sandbox clean out doors (non-operating)
- 88” low short hood with wheel handbrake and lower right-hand side round vent
- Late cab sub-base doors with lift-off hinges
- Front Standard EMD LED-illuminated headlight in number board housing
- Dash two cab with bolted side window panels
- Detailed cab interior with floor, rear wall, seats, and standard AAR control stand
- Forward cab side vent on left side
- Tall clear wind wings with mirror at top mounted fore and aft of cab side window on both sides of cab
- Standard EMD sunshades and short sunshade tracks
- Lost wax brass cast Nathan AirChime K5LA horn mounted on number board housing
- “Whip” antenna mounted to cab roof
- Early electrical cabinet “zig-zag” seam, further from rear of cab
- Late welded ECAFB
- Intermediate inertial air intake grills with top drip rail
- Standard turbo exhaust stack
- Accurately profiled Standard-range dynamic brakes with batten strip
- Corrugated radiator intake grilles
- See-through standard 48” radiator fan housings with fan blades visible inside
- Curved radiator fan grab iron
- Underbody frame rail with separate plumbing and traction motor cables
- Detailed HT-C trucks with Hyatt bearing caps, early center axle snubbers, sanding lines and brackets
- Speed recorder mounted to third axle left front
- Rearward facing handbrake chain mount for HTC trucks
- Tall jacking pads without holes (intermediate)
- Spare knuckle basket on walkway
- Forward engineer’s side sidesill notch
- Sill-mount EFCO
- Salem air filter (accordion style)
- 4,000-gallon fuel tank with dual fuel fillers, vertical gauge, round gauge in tank (right side only) and vertical breather pipe
- Factory-applied wire grab irons, windshield wipers, trainline hoses with silver gladhands, and more
- Motor with 5-pole skew wound armature
- Dual flywheels
- All-wheel drive
- All-wheel electrical pick-up
- Directional LED headlights
- Printing and lettering legible even under magnification
- Operates on Code 55 and 80 rail
- Packaging safely stores model
- Minimum radius: 9 3/4”
- Recommended radius: 11”
DC/DCC & sound ready locomotives also feature:
- Operates on DC layouts
- DCC ready with E24 connector
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