Intermountain SD40-2 !!11!

[Catt]

I for one could care less about the tread on the walkways.These are N scale unless you've got the loco in hand up close your not going to notice it anyway.

[Denver Road Doug]

I for one could care less about the tread on the walkways.These are N scale unless you've got the loco in hand up close your not going to notice it anyway.

I think it's never gonna be about what you can see with the naked eye.   It's what a G-scale version of your n-scale model looks like in some publication. (either traditional magazine, or digital pubs)   Trying to make it harder to tell it's N versus HO.  Putting that Helicon Focus software you bought to work.  That's pretty much it, no?

I think truthfully we don't need an entire layout of "museum" pieces.  We need enough (and, of our faves) to create 7 or 8 killer photos.   If you think along those lines, the hobby becomes a little more enjoyable, methinks.

[squirrelhunter]

Count me in for interest in seeing an MKT SD40-2 build documented here.

Also, Although my two SP SD40T-2's look ok, I have had a strict phyiscally see before I buy rule for IM SD's, and I haven't bought any more since I bought those back in 2006.

[Angus Shops]

Back in the old days I was trying to model 'current CPR in BC'. I needed fleets of SD40-2's, Canadian cylindrical grain hoppers, and CP bathtub coal hoppers. None were available, other than a Bachman SD 40 of some description that took a huge amount do work to make presentable.
I was also, really, in my heart more interested in an earlier age; 'classic CPR in the 50's'. No good models were available for that era either, but given that few models were available for either era, I decided to go with my heart and backdate to 'Classic CPR'. I sold my current collection and made a start with some poor F7's and Canadian foobies.
Not a month later Intermoutain introduced it's Canadian grain hoppers. Rats. In the next few years Intermountain has blessed CPR modellers with the distinctive CPR coal hopper, a relatively obscure choice, and several other excellent models. Due to my choice I model eras I have not purchased a single grain or coal hopper but I salute Intermountain for their support of the CPR modellers. I have several of their excellent FP7's, and will replace the remainder of my kitbashed/stretched Kato  F units with Intermountain units and cash and models become available.

I have no experience with the much maligned models, but I have really approve of the FP units, even though the handrails are little over scale. With bit of work, great models can result. Given Intermountain's previous efforts, I'm prepared to cut them some slack. Hopefully they'll hit a home run. Given my era, I'm not going to buy any of the SD 40-2's, but I wish them the best. They have proven to be a good friend of N scale and should be lauded for there successes and encouraged to continue to produce new products. Some will be better than others but part of our hobby should be to make the best of what's available. The demand for 'perfect' models is unsustainable; part of the fun is to make available products more suitable for personal taste, and, in the end, most N scalers are satisfied with 'close enough'.

Enjoy the hobby

Cheers Geoff

[kalbert]

Sheesh... 11 pages?!??

I do agree with the recent comments about all one's models not needing to be masterpieces. When building a specific model I think is neat I'll put a lot of effort into and want to look as good as possible given my limited talent. Those are my favorites that are often photographed but rarely run. The stuff that gets run the most is the Trainman, Roundhouse, precision masters stuff that is a reasonable balance between good looking and durable.

[Mark5]

The NS Low noses were 88" noses. the High hoods had 81" noses. These are the same as the HO releases and that being the case they should all be 88".

Actually the early N&W SD40-2s (after the initial high nose order) had 81" low noses. Later orders had the 88".

Mark

[GonzoCRFan]

I see a lot of people making comments regarding what us modelers demand in terms of detail and quality, but what happens when the shoe is on the other foot? Back when Intermountain first announced the Tunnel Motor/45-2 series, they made it sound like these were going to be the most epic plastic diesel models ever to grace the earth, with all the fine, road-specific details and such. And the model carried a price point in accordance with that claim ( I believe list price on them was $140. TEN years ago).

And after all that hype, the consumers only got half of what was promised. Unfortunately, that half was the large price tag. So, like it or not, that left an extremely bad taste in the mouths of quite a number of excited modelers. Intermountain EARNED the prejudice that is being levied against them in this thread, it's not like it just magically fell out of the sky. Maybe they have gotten their act together in the past decade as far as 2nd-generation EMDs go, but I look at the molded-in divots in the cab roofs on my Conrail SD45-2s and think "no way in hell will I be pre-ordering SD40-2s from this company..."

[ljudice]

I see a lot of people making comments regarding what us modelers demand in terms of detail and quality, but what happens when the shoe is on the other foot? Back when Intermountain first announced the Tunnel Motor/45-2 series, they made it sound like these were going to be the most epic plastic diesel models ever to grace the earth, with all the fine, road-specific details and such. And the model carried a price point in accordance with that claim ( I believe list price on them was $140. TEN years ago).

And after all that hype, the consumers only got half of what was promised. Unfortunately, that half was the large price tag. So, like it or not, that left an extremely bad taste in the mouths of quite a number of excited modelers. Intermountain EARNED the prejudice that is being levied against them in this thread, it's not like it just magically fell out of the sky. Maybe they have gotten their act together in the past decade as far as 2nd-generation EMDs go, but I look at the molded-in divots in the cab roofs on my Conrail SD45-2s and think "no way in hell will I be pre-ordering SD40-2s from this company..."

I agree...   With the exception of Atlas and Kato, I don't pre-order anything without seeing it.

[Scottl]

I can't believe some of what I have read here.  The hyperbole is astounding.

[oakcreekco]

I see a lot of people making comments regarding what us modelers demand in terms of detail and quality, but what happens when the shoe is on the other foot? Back when Intermountain first announced the Tunnel Motor/45-2 series, they made it sound like these were going to be the most epic plastic diesel models ever to grace the earth, with all the fine, road-specific details and such. And the model carried a price point in accordance with that claim ( I believe list price on them was $140. TEN years ago).

And after all that hype, the consumers only got half of what was promised. Unfortunately, that half was the large price tag. So, like it or not, that left an extremely bad taste in the mouths of quite a number of excited modelers. Intermountain EARNED the prejudice that is being levied against them in this thread, it's not like it just magically fell out of the sky. Maybe they have gotten their act together in the past decade as far as 2nd-generation EMDs go, but I look at the molded-in divots in the cab roofs on my Conrail SD45-2s and think "no way in hell will I be pre-ordering SD40-2s from this company..."

My thoughts exactly, and as I stated on an earlier posting................manufacturers EARN their reputation.

IM is a perfect example on how to earn a reputation by advertising, with high "hype", and not delivering what was stated.

IMO, IM is happy with this business model, so there's a lot of "attitude out there about them. They earned it.

[unittrain]

We all need to let them know what we think and they will hopefully make the needed changes. We should all send them some emails and if they get enough of them it may sink in. But I 100% agree this needs to be an above average model for the price it will more than likely command, I hope they are nice I need 3 for Chessie and a couple Conrail.

[oakcreekco]

We all need to let them know what we think and they will hopefully make the needed changes. We should all send them some emails and if they get enough of them it may sink in. But I 100% agree this needs to be an above average model for the price it will more than likely command, I hope they are nice I need 3 for Chessie and a couple Conrail.

I politely and professionally let them know several times, with pics and write ups, on the Tunnel Motors.

No changes, deaf ears, and "thank you for buying IM products"......................thus my attitude for their locos at their price points.

[Kev1340]

A lot of talk about how good IM SD40-2W's look in regards to whether they are a good purchase .... to be honest, for me they are, but .... I still haven't bought any.

Why? Because I have yet to have anyone tell me how they run.

I have 6 tunnel motors that I regret purchasing, not because of poor/inaccurate detail, but because of how they perform. They run pretty smoothly, at least as well as the Atlas loco's they are decended from, but they are such weak pullers. I have grades on my layout, and a pair of tunnel motors pull barely half what even a pair of Atlas geeps can manage!

Sadly I don't have a physical LHS store her in the UK where I can view and test run loco's prior to purchase, I have to rely on Internet stores, basing my decision on forum reports and photos.

Unless someone can tell me that IM loco's have significantly improved tractive power then their release is as worthless as the '-2 project' rumours.

Cheers,

Kev

[lock4244]

A lot of talk about how good IM SD40-2W's look in regards to whether they are a good purchase .... to be honest, for me they are, but .... I still haven't bought any.

Why? Because I have yet to have anyone tell me how they run.

I have 6 tunnel motors that I regret purchasing, not because of poor/inaccurate detail, but because of how they perform. They run pretty smoothly, at least as well as the Atlas loco's they are decended from, but they are such weak pullers. I have grades on my layout, and a pair of tunnel motors pull barely half what even a pair of Atlas geeps can manage!

Sadly I don't have a physical LHS store her in the UK where I can view and test run loco's prior to purchase, I have to rely on Internet stores, basing my decision on forum reports and photos.

Unless someone can tell me that IM loco's have significantly improved tractive power then their release is as worthless as the '-2 project' rumours.

Cheers,

Kev

They run fine, imo. I have 7 of them (and two more on order) and I haven't found any that run poorly at all (I have three tunnel motors, so I have something to compare to). I think the Kato mech is better by far, but they run as well as any Atlas SD50/60. I was apprehensive enough to buy a fleet of Kato SD40-2's to re-power them, but haven't seen the need to (the Kato's will find other uses, like chassis for SD40-2F's). Now, I ran them on my Unitrack oval and not on a layout, but they were in trio's on a 30 or so car train, DC only. I will be upgrading the trucks with Kato wheels and gears, which many claim improve performance.

I have no way to really test their tractive effort.

[James Costello]

I've been around here for a long time (and Atlas even longer) and I have no idea what the heck the Dash-2 project is.   With 2 SD40-2's from major manufacturers, I suspect it is DEAD though.

Why would you suspect that? 

If you had already been prepared to compete against Kato and had already invested $x in the design and maybe even tooling - would you?

Think about it...... the SD40-2 is THE model that could sustain ongoing releases from multiple manufacturers.

After the Tunnel Motor debacle, I won't be preordering the IMRC loco and will wait to see it in person. And I still hope we see news on the "-2 project" soon.