Intermountain SD40-2 !!11!

[Ian MacMillan]

Its PanAm Railways... ie Guilford Rail Systems.  MEC, ST and B&M are holding companies that GRS uses to structure power ownership, operating contract rules, running PanAm Southern ,etc. They also use them so the names dont become public demain again....although there is some question as to if they actually legally own the name Boston & Maine Railroad.

Guilford gray SD units with MEC marks would be SD-40s. PanAm blue SD units with MEC markings would be SD40-2s that were lease units purchased for the PanAm Southern joint operation with NS on the west end.

[ryan_wilkerson]

IM and FVM have a relationship so I don't think FVM will come out with a competing SD40-2.

For those wanting other railroads, I think IM's history has shown that they will produce as many variations as the market will support. I mean, I even got Central Oregon and Pacific SD40T-2! I did send in photos for the artwork   I'm sure they will want to recover as much of their tooling investment as possible so I'm sure we'll see more goodies.

I have a few of the SD40T-2 and SD45-2 and I don't like the wheels. I replaced them with Kato wheels and they look and perform much better. Hopefully the rest of the shell is more durable than previous offerings. I'm looking forward to seeing the comparison with Katos.

[lock4244]

Heh, too bad IM is doing the SD40-2 'cause now all those other Mfg's that were racing to do one, but have just been perfecting them for the past 20 years, will now bow out. Dang.

Kato hoods are too wide. IM are just plain s**t. If only a better Mfg, though none shown any interest or intent to do an SD40-2, would just free us from the grip of the only ones that will actually do one.

We should all sell our trains and take up knitting 

Sorry, my keyboard was stuck on sarcasm, but I mean com'on...

[Denver Road Doug]

I wouldn't have a problem with ALL of the manufacturers making a version of the SD40-2 (FVM and Atlas????)... I like em.

I have to agree....I love the SD40-2's, and I've said many times that it's a loco you really cannot have too many of.   Now, it would be nice if they were all at least close to or representative of a specific prototype.

Having said that, I'm an atypical n-scaler and I won't buy dozens and dozens of SD40-2's.   I would much rather have a (presumingly) more prototypical FVM, Atlas, BLMA, or upgraded Kato for a higher price tag versus subbing out to the lowest bidder.  Maybe the IMRC units will be "next level" from their previous offerings, but if they're yet another bastardized SD60, I'm probably out.  (unless they do that killer roadname like Rossford Yard mentioned with the ICE locos....in my case I would jump at correct BN Dash 2's, or probably anybody that does an MKT unit.)

[Ike the BN Freak]

Hmmm, BN ones, might have to get some, but I already have 36 Kato units in BN...but I could always use another SD40-2 or 10...

But I'd have to wait to see how these are, and how they are compared to the previous locos.

[garethashenden]

I really don't understand the MEC/GRS/PAR ones. Kato did that in their last run and they haven't exactly sold well. MBK has them for $60 and that hasn't made much of a dent in the quantities...

[flight2000]

Oh god dammit. I was afraid that'd happen.

Guess I should see if Flight2000 still has those undec Katos I sold him.

I'm ok with no Conrail from these guys. If they're anything like their other SDs, these are gonna be fixer uppers, if even that.

I'm hoping I'm pleasantly surprised, but I'm definitely not getting my hopes up. At all.

Sorry Ed, those are painted and gone already... 

I do have some of the latest release Undecorated SD40-2's left though.  Plus, I had changed projects and still have those anti-climbers so you won't have to hunt down a pair.

Cheers,
Brian

[Ian MacMillan]

IM and FVM have a relationship so I don't think FVM will come out with a competing SD40-2.

You'd be suprised. And their only relationship is distribution.

[ryan_wilkerson]

You'd be suprised. And their only relationship is distribution.

I think their relationship is more than that. I recall that Matt worked at IM before going on his own. An example is the GEVO project (I have no proof). IM for HO and FVM for N seemed to have some commonality at some level. I think it would be confusing if they released them under both brand names. I'm looking forward to seeing some oddball roads that we'd never see from Kato. Maybe this will get Kato to pump out a quick second release before the IM's hit?

[flight2000]

IM did these in HO for Fox Valley as well, so there is definitly more than distribution happening between the two companies. 

I'll have to check the packaging tonight to see what changes they made, but it's the same cradle and box that the Intermountian GEVO's come in.  The side label may be all that's different.



Cheers,
Brian

[craigolio1]

The first company to release a Canadian (details I mean, not just paint) unit based on CPR and/or BCR will get a bunch of my money.

Craig

[ljudice]

Those ICE locos are REALLY common in the Northeast, they are on many if not most of the CP trains that run on former Conrail lines.

[jpwisc]

I think the ICE units were a smart move. They will help on a modern CP roster or as a stand alone to go with the ICE GP40s Atlas did. I hope these have the same detail level the SD40-2Ws had. I modified a Kato chassis to fit the IM shell. Best of both worlds.

I can wait to get my hands on one to see how it measures up.

[RAILCAT]

Did previous incarnations of the IM loco use Atlas motor, trucks etc.,?
In their own frame.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Did previous incarnations of the IM loco use Atlas motor, trucks etc.,?
In their own frame.

No, they used Atlas parts, ground down to fit. How clutch is that?