Description
Railroad Short Name: NS
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: 2011 to Present
- NS Series 3204-3243 (Broken), Rebuilt Starting 2011
- Curry Rail services built “Admiral Cab” design low short hood, cab and sub-base
- Juniata Shops designed anticlimbers
- Fully-assembled
- Multiple road numbers
- Operating front and rear deck mounted alternating LED ditch lights*
- Printed and LED-illuminated number boards*
- Pilot face mounted battery charging receptacle
- Front EMD-style low pilot plow with multiple unit (MU) hose doors and grab irons
- 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 four inner and two outer mounting brackets
- Notched pilot faces without lifting holes or slots
- Pilot face mounted multiple unit (MU) receptacle
- Dummy multiple unit (MU) receptacle mounted to pilot face
- “Tall” stepwells
- Handrail set with front and rear anticlimber
- Scale sectioned treadplate detail on walkways
- Rear Rectangle walkway lights mounted between sandbox clean out doors (non-operating)
- Front high front LED-illuminated headlight
- Detailed cab interior with floor, rear wall, seats, and standard AAR control stand
- Tall mirrors mounted fore and aft of cab side windows on both sides of cab
- Standard EMD sunshades and short sunshade tracks
- Lost wax brass cast Nathan P5R24 horn mounted to rear of dynamic brake housing
- Large Excalibur “ice skate” antenna (communications) and small Sinclair Excalibur “ice skate”
- (Locotrol/EOT) antenna mounted to cab roof
- Early electrical cabinet “zig-zag” seam, further from rear of cab
- Early “stand-off” ECAFB
- Early inertial air intake grilles without drip rails
- Standard turbo exhaust stack
- Accurately profiled Extended-range dynamic brakes with batten strip
- “Chicken-wire” 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 first axle left front
- Handbrake relocated to left side of long hood; brake chain mounted to left rear sideframe
- Tall jacking pads with holes (early)
- Spare knuckle holders on rear pilot face
- Forward engineer’s side sidesill notch
- Sill-mount EFCO
- Salem air filter (accordion style)
- 4,000-gallon fuel tank with fuel fillers and dual vertical gauges 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”
DCC & sound equipped locomotives also feature:
- ESU LokSound 5 DCC & Sound decoder with “Full Throttle”
- One (1) cube-type speaker
- EMD 16 Cylinder 645E3 prime mover
- Operates on both DC and DCC layouts
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