Meet the SD40N - On the left, #1612. #3401 is an unmodified unit. According to "The Diesel Shop", the SD40N designation has been applied to SD40-2s which have been rebuilt at UP's Jenks Shops in Little Rock AR. These locomotives have been rebuilt from the SD40-2 to include a ZTR Nexsys III-i control system, hence the SD40-N. The Nexsys replaces all the dash 2 cards and includes an AESS system. The project is ongoing. According to roster updates, they are doing 10-15 per month. UP has a lot of SD40-2s. Major spotting differences are the rear mounted horns and the cab AC unit, and of course ditch lights which were not mandated (I don't think) when the locos were originally manufactured. (early 70s) Pilot mount is correct for these two numbers. Rear number boards are blanked off. #1612 was made from the Kato #3379. The actual #3379 was removed from the UP roster in 1999. But #1612 is a snoot as was the #3379, so it works. #1617 will be made from the Kato #3401 - exactly as in real life. The ditchlights are sunny white nano LEDs from Ngineering, placed in modified housings from Shapeways (MPScaleModels). The horns are BLMA modified by making a stand. The Prime AC unit is also BLMA. And I added MU hoses by BLMA. The headlights on the Digitrax DCC boards were replaced with sunny white.
ain't that the truth....kinda funny how the UP can't get enough SD40-2's and GP40-2's? says a lot for simpler, reliable power.
Just so's y'all know, I AM aware the fuel tank on the N is backwards...Dunno how or when it got that way, I didn't take it off for the mods, so it's been that way for quite a while I'll fix it in the morning!
The SD40N's are painted in the lightning stripe scheme with yellow frame stripes and gray trucks and gray anti glare nose panel though.
We've visited here before; The ranch is an example of something that just didn't feel quite right - in two areas: the fence was clunky. I rebuilt it into a four board fence, much more realistic IMO. And the light in the garage up by the house was 'way too red. Now it looks too blue in the photos but not to the eye. Anyway, those are the changes. Here's a long shot, followed by one a bit closer. I'm also fooling around with a new camera which doesn't make these shots any easier...I was pretty well dialled into the old one and its' quirks, this one's gonna take some learnin'.
Hi Jim, As someone has family is in the cattle business, the clunky looking fence is correct. They are more about function than aesthetics. But hey, this is your ranch so your rules. Both shots are great, it would be hard for me to choose between the two. Well done just doesn't say it well enough!
It's late August/early September - and for me, that means a trip to my favorite place in the world - Union, IL. There's simply no place else to see a scene like this: the complete Nebraska Zephyr - lunch in the diner if so inclined - and an operating Little Joe! (Don't let a South Shore fan hear you calling it a Little Joe - it's an 800, period! I'm a closet juice fan, one of the reasons IRM attracts me, because they run a lot of juice. And then something for the more recently inclined: Thanks for bringing it, UP! It was IRM's 60th Anniversary celebration. There was much else running including two steamers, Leviathan #63 and Gramling 126. A great day!
Something new on the Sub this week: And at Caliente folks have turned out as they do everywhere for this beauty:
