Pimp my ride - IM SD45-2 - updated

[kiwi_al]

Where are these fans from?

The fans I used for the rear are from a Kato SD40-2 mid production unit (the nose, walkways and mechanism were donated to a Mark 4 Design SD38-2 in BN colours patched for BNSF)  with BLMA etched grates and fans. The fans over the dynamic brake thingys are Intermountain standard fitment.

[kiwi_al]

...and still more locomotives head for the dumpster!  There's just no point in this hobby anymore!

Lee

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Robbman]

...and still more locomotives head for the dumpster!  There's just no point in this hobby anymore!

Lee

I call it like I see it... for the price IM is asking, they should have been correct, the tooling should have been on par with other manufacturers, and they certainly should not have had the same errors as the SD40/45T-2s.

[nscalesteve]

I call it like I see it... for the price IM is asking, they should have been correct, the tooling should have been on par with other manufacturers, and they certainly should not have had the same errors as the SD40/45T-2s.

you're not alone...   :-*

[SecretWeapon]

Nice work!!!  Keep us posted!

Also, our 15" Drop Grab Irons were recently re-done in smaller wire and they look AMAZING.  Of course, depending on the dealer stock you might get the old versions which are fine too, but FYI, the newest run really adds a nice touch...

Nothing like a shameless plug to make me fall off my chair laughing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D

[wm3798]

I'm off the hook on these, cause I don't need them.
And honestly, it's good that someone out there really knows what they're looking at.  And I certainly had a cow when Intermountain did the F-7B all a$$ backward...so I can relate to a degree.

I guess the question is, is the IM SD45-2 right for any of the roads it was painted for?  Did they completely blow it like the F-7B?  Or are there just a few roads that a detail here or there is a foobie, perfectly suitable for the "good enough" crowd?

Lee

[Robbman]

If you ignore the small errors that are present on all of them, they're suitable for the 'good enough' crowd.  Still doesn't excuse charging an Atlas/Kato price point for a poorly tooled model...     

If you ever get bored, compare the radiators on the IM SD45-2 to the Atlas GP38-2 (the phase with the single grill... SD45-2s used two of those)

Compare the battery and equipment boxes under the cab to ones on a GP15-1...

Compare the roof details to the counterparts on a Kato SD40-2 (note the gap between the dustbin hatch and exhaust hatch that IM keeps forgetting goes on all -2s)

Compare the end details (class lights, sand hatches) on the nose and long hood to any Atlas or Kato...

Compare the nose taper (or lack thereof) to any Atlas or Kato EMD...

[Chris333]

Robb was born with a silver ruler in his mouth  ;D

[kiwi_al]

Thanks for pointing those out Rob:

So a bit more work to do.........
This shows the IM SD45-2 dustbin and exhaust the second picture shows the dustbin and exhaust from a Kato SD40-2 dustbin and exhaust with the gap.



Kato



The battery and equipment boxes are there but not as well defined as on the Atlas GP15-1

The class lights .......umm are you sure they are making models trains and not sex toys??????????

[Robbman]

The class lights .......umm are you sure they are making models trains and not sex toys??????????

That's a good one!  I do want to say that I was in no way trying to criticize your modeling, I was just trying to point out the areas that show the lower LOD of the IM models vs thier price point competition... and I do tend to be passionate about it.

[kiwi_al]

Hi ya Robb
I appreciate the points you have raised as there's no real way that I would know (not being in the USA) . I've never seen a SD45-2 up close, I just try and go by photo's and DVD's which gets difficult at times. I always look forward to the points you raise, I will be correcting the dustbin / exhaust gap by splicing in the Kato exhaust and surround molding so that the gap is present. This will make it more like the SD40-2R that it's supposed to be.

I put the photo's up so people could see what was done wrong by Intermountain.

Now if we were talking about a NZ DX then that might be different, I already grumble about those NZ120 things talk about missing details - geez you should see the hood doors!!!

 ;D

[Robbman]

Which DX class 

[kiwi_al]

Here's a shot of the SD40-2R with corrected exhaust from a Kato SD40-2.



 ;D ;D

[kiwi_al]

Nose job.
Nose light is off a Kato SD40-2 mid production unit.



Needs a bit of work to get it all smoothed out.

On to grabs next oh and ditchlights!!! hmmm maybe cutlevers and a trainline hose and maybe mu hoses, plow anything else????? ;D

[squirrelhunter]

Robbmann's right.

If I could get one of these for $50, I might think about trying to make it look better. But they prices I have seen them at are too much for what you get.

Which makes me very sad, since before the recession BNSF was running A-B-A and 4 unit consists hauling rock down here in Texas. All in yellowbonnet and a nice break from the dash 9's that dominate the Temple to Galveston Line. I was gonna save my pennies and get a consist going. Now, not so much.