Here is another BN SD40-2 work horse #7826. Another Athearn BB loco detailed up and weathered to reflect many years of service, I always put PSC, Smokey Valley or Train Station see thru fans on all these locos too, most have Cannon exhaust stacks too. I attached the DA sunshades with DA eye bolts so they could be raised or lowered. Had to replace one, so I left it in Primer along with the replaced brake wheel. Some of the pedestal liners on these old locos faded into a turquoise color, Most were Black tho. This one must have had all the traction motors replaced, that explains the newer looking Journal boxes. I just noticed the speed recorder cable unattached on one end, always seem to miss something. Thanks for looking!
Here is another SD40-2 the BN 7257, BN had hoards of these things, and you could find them working about every kind of service too. This one shows a addition that was on the prototype, a ladder on F/S behind the cab. BN was almost always conducting some kind of experiment or study on locomotives. And it was not uncommon to see different things added to these locos. Thanks for looking.
This seal it, I will get an SD40-2 in Burlington Northern again. I guess the choice is rtr athearn or Broadway. What one has the best detail and sound these days? Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
I have another dozen (said I liked these right ) or so of these to photograph, which as it turns out is a good thing, for Insurance cataloguing purposes. As with the rest of my BN/BNSF SD40-2's is a Athearn BB or RTR loco, detailed and weathered up some. 4-5 of these will usually pull anything I want moved around the MRR. The prototype were good locos, would give you all they had without hesitation. The only thing I did not care for was their lack of extended range dynamic brakes, meaning under 20-25 mph you stand on the bottom step and drag your foot on the ballast and have better braking effort. They upgraded many with extended range dyns tho. Thanks for stopping by.
Re: extended range dynos... I had a pair of ex-ATSF SD40-2s on a switch job in Tulsa and I got used to using the dynos to control the speed downhill. I show up to work one night, grab a pair of SD40-2s and get to work. When I tried to dial in the speed with the dynos I got nothing. I thought they were cut out. Nope, just ex-BN motors. Although the difference isn't as stark, Dash 9s and GEVOs show a similar difference with dyno behavior at low speed. Of course Dash 9 dynos are nowhere near as bad as BN SD40-2s at low speed. At least I can stop with Dash 9s... eventually.
LOL I am with you Ryan.. Thats why these old BN SD's always had square wheels under them. All a you have is your independent at some point.
Rick Did the NW run the SD40-2's long hood forward? Looks like it might be run that way with the bell on the end of the long hood.
Technically Yes, note the F on the long hood end of the engine. But, since all N&W power came with dual controls they were run in either direction. After the N&W stopped buying the high short hood diesels, more and more were being run short hood first rather than long hood (as God intended). Rick J
I was about to ask teh same question. Seeing the long hood with bell, but the low short hood had me wondering.
Got that burnt look under the dynamics that so many 40's seem to have Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk