Intermountain SD40-2

[peteski]

I tested mine today.  The appearance of the wheels doesn't bother me, as they're hard to see when the trains moving at normal viewing distance.  What bothers me is something I haven't seen mentioned, if it has been:  the flanges.

The newest Atlas loco I have, their S2, runs fine on ME code 40 flextrack.  My newest Katos, the SDP40F, also runs fine, although in my case, they shouldn't ever get off the C55 mainline.

The IM wheels don't like C40 flextrack, as the flanges are too deep.  The IM freight car wheels are good, so why the deep flanges on the newer locomotives?  This does matter to me, as my MILW interchange is laid with C40, and the MILW had quite a few SD40-2s, although my new ones are BN.

Guess I'll have to change the wheels anyway.  Probably easier than turning the flanges.

On the positive side, all of the wheelsets were in gauge, and the wheels don't wobble, so if you have only C55 or larger track, or entirely handlaid C40, they run nicely.

IM's past diesel models used many Atlas mechanical components (including complete trucks). I suspect that this is the case again now. Those wheels then would be standard 40" locomotive wheels used in Atlas models.   Looking at the photos, the visible profile of the wheel face also seems to indicate that those are Atlas wheels. I just looked at my Atlas S-2 and guess what?  It does *NOT* use those standard Atlas 40" wheels. The S-2 flanges are much smaller and the wheel face profile is different!!  For some reason they redesigned those wheels.

Do you own any of the larger Atlas Diesel models (like GP-38 or any of the 6-axle units)?  If you do, then them on the C40 track and I have feeling they will also have problems.

[AKNscale]

I'm with Peteski on this, all of my IM diesels, even the F7s run Atlas trucks so these are most likely no different, and yes, the S2 wheels are completely different. Hopefully the Kato wheel sets will swap in on those too (for looks).

Are these sd40-2s way overlubed as is typical with IM?

[mu26aeh]

I stopped by the LHS to pick up my order to find only one arrived with my name on it.  I ordered a sound version in March 2014 when they were announced.  I ordered the 2nd one 2nd week of December as they were being shipped, a DCC equipped version.  Regardless, there was only one for me and they had 7 other engines in stock, all sound.  I hemmed and hawed .  Back and forth.  I walked out with two sound equipped models.      And if/when the other unit shows up, I will take delivery of that one too 

I brought them home, programmed they to road numbers and headed to @R L Smith Erie Lackawanna Southern Tier .  We got them set up to run together, with only one sound unit turned out.  I'm happy I bought the second one.  They run great right out of the box.  Paint is crisp, grab irons are awesome, windshield wipers installed, tons of little warning stickers all over the unit.  And sound ?  Everyone was astounded by the sound put out by an N scale unit, even coming from a couple of O scale guys.  I do plan on adjusting the volume as after a while the turbine whine was getting old.  And I need to figure out the flashing ditch lights.  I was able to turn ditch lights on but they did not flash, even when sounding the horn.

20170107_145539 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20170107_145547 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[unittrain]

Those look awesome I'm liking them so far.

[davefoxx]

@mu26aeh,

Are you certain the flashing ditch lights are offered on the factory models?  If not, that's certainly not a deal breaker for me, because I model an era before ditch lights existed.

Man, I am now stoked to receive mine.  I reserved an SCL (Family Lines scheme) SD40-2 with DCC and sound last month.  I plan on buying a second when the Seaboard System units are released.  This allowed me to only test the waters in case the units were not up to snuff, and I have to wait even longer for the SBD units.  I think the SCL unit is due in February.

DFF

[flight2000]

I ordered the 2nd one 2nd week of December as they were being shipped, a DCC equipped version.

That fits with MBK not having the DCC equipped versions in stock yet.  Wonder what the delay is for those units?

Thanks for the pictures, nice looking units!  I'm patiently waiting for the MoPac units...

Cheers,
Brian

[mu26aeh]

@mu26aeh,

Are you certain the flashing ditch lights are offered on the factory models?  If not, that's certainly not a deal breaker for me, because I model an era before ditch lights existed.

Man, I am now stoked to receive mine.  I reserved an SCL (Family Lines scheme) SD40-2 with DCC and sound last month.  I plan on buying a second when the Seaboard System units are released.  This allowed me to only test the waters in case the units were not up to snuff, and I have to wait even longer for the SBD units.  I think the SCL unit is due in February.

DFF

The site has listed " this model has working ditch lights" and you press 6 to turn them on so they are separate lights than headlights.  If you click on different road names, it will say whether it will have ditch lights or not.

[davefoxx]

Right, but I think independent ditch lights and ditch lights that flash are two different things.

DFF

[soo]

Bottom of the 9th..

Imrc steps to the plate..the pitch..the swing.

Driven deep to left center...Hamilton at the warning track..

To be continued...

Y-it

[jagged ben]

Right, but I think independent ditch lights and ditch lights that flash are two different things.

DFF

They are indeed different things.  Not all prototypes are equipped to do the flashing.  And on a model, flashing requires two function outputs instead of one.

With that said, IM really ought to have provided flashing for those NS and CSX prototypes.

[mu26aeh]

Like Dave mentioned, not a deal breaker if they don't flash.  But then again for the price, they should flash.  Have to dig around in the CV's etc to see if it can be changed.

[Rossford Yard]

Josh Hamilton at the warning track? Hope they aren't as broken down as he is.

Oh well, I threw caution to the wind.  I think I will be happy.

[soo]

Jeff...
Read again...imrc was batting..lol

Y-it

[peteski]

Right, but I think independent ditch lights and ditch lights that flash are two different things.

DFF

I suspect that the ditch lights are both on a single function output (or are even a single LED illuminating both).  So you could most likely program the ditch lights function to flash, but they won't be "alternately flashing ditchligths".  For that you would need separate LED for each light wired to separate function output.

[mu26aeh]

I suspect that the ditch lights are both on a single function output (or are even a single LED illuminating both).  So you could most likely program the ditch lights function to flash, but they won't be "alternately flashing ditchligths".  For that you would need separate LED for each light wired to separate function output.

Looks like @peteski is correct.  I tried changing CV per ESU cheat sheet, cv32=2, cv316=128 and nothing changed.  This adds alternating/flashing to the horn function. I took shell off and found this.

20170107_192919[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

They have a single LED on top of board that lights when you hit 0, headlights on .  And a single LED on the bottom, that lights when you hit 6, ditchlights on. 

Here is shot under the shell, showing the light pipes to the ditchlights.

20170107_192931[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

While I'm still happy with the engines, having to wait 2.5 years for their release and most of time spent designing this board to not have flashing ditchlights (where applicable) is a downer.  Atlas was able to do it with the CW40-8, between using NCE decoders (factory) or Digitrax (aftermarket), I'd think ESU could have done the same.  I have a message into Intermountain regarding this, but obviously won't hear from them until early next week at earliest.

Interesting side notes.  There is also the same set up on the rear of board (led on top and bottom of board), so maybe this is for engines having ditchlights front and rear.  Secondly, there is no wires to the speakers from the board.  You can slide the board out light any other drop in decoder.  There are 4 power contact tabs on the underside of decoder that match up to 4 contacts coming up from frame.

20170107_194455[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr