Intermountain SD40-2

[squirrelhunter]

Finally, a lot og the guys on here that model 1978-1988 should have an MKT unit on their to buy list.

Ed K certainly needs one. Conrail units were common on the Katy from 1980 until 1988, especially GP38-2's, GP40's and SD40-2's. I've considered picking up a CR SD40-2 just for this reason, although I already have an Atlas GP40.

MKT power was also seen on the CNW and Milwaukee/Soo. I've thought about getting a MILW Hiawatha painted SD40-2 but I've been thinking of moving my cutoff date from 1984 to 1981 and I don't think the Hiawatha units came around until 1983 or 84- I'd be happy for someone who knows more about late era Milwaukee Road to correct me.

BN also had MKT power on Wyoming coal trains too.

[Missaberoad]

Finally, a lot og the guys on here that model 1978-1988 should have an MKT unit on their to buy list.

Ed K certainly needs one. Conrail units were common on the Katy from 1980 until 1988, especially GP38-2's, GP40's and SD40-2's. I've considered picking up a CR SD40-2 just for this reason, although I already have an Atlas GP40.

MKT power was also seen on the CNW and Milwaukee/Soo. I've thought about getting a MILW Hiawatha painted SD40-2 but I've been thinking of moving my cutoff date from 1984 to 1981 and I don't think the Hiawatha units came around until 1983 or 84- I'd be happy for someone who knows more about late era Milwaukee Road to correct me.

BN also had MKT power on Wyoming coal trains too.

Did somebody say Saint Paul? 

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=560363

As for Milwaukee the "Running Indian" scheme was introduced in November of 1983.

[peteski]

OK, Peteski had a point- I put masking tape along the top and bottom edges of the cab side, and the numbers looked less crooked. Still a little crooked, but less so. As far as 604 goes, I looked at photos from fallen flags and the link posted to rr picture archives, and I think 604 came from the factory with the fireman's side number slightly crooked, but I think the engineer side one is straight.

Ok, here are my photos of the masking tape experiment-

Actually, I can't take the credit here. Englewood was first to bring up possible optical illusion. I just agreed.
Interesting (but not unexpected) findings. The only number  that still looks slightly crooked is in he second photo from the top.

[Jbub]

These are some pretty models. I'm excited for the patched SP and Rio Grande units.

[chessie system fan]

Cab numbers on 604- they seem to slope up from front to back

Actually, I think the whole cab might be on crooked.  Look at the roofline.  That should be smooth and flat, without that bump right behind the cab.  It's hard to see with the black walkway but I suspect there's a corresponding gap towards the rear where it lifts up.

That would explain the number issue too.

[peteski]

Actually, I think the whole cab might be on crooked.  Look at the roofline.  That should be smooth and flat, without that bump right behind the cab.  It's hard to see with the black walkway but I suspect there's a corresponding gap towards the rear where it lifts up.

That would explain the number issue too.

I see that now - good catch!

[lock4244]

Actually, I think the whole cab might be on crooked.  Look at the roofline.  That should be smooth and flat, without that bump right behind the cab.  It's hard to see with the black walkway but I suspect there's a corresponding gap towards the rear where it lifts up.

That would explain the number issue too.

Every single one I've seen is like that.

[chessie system fan]

Next question:  is the cab glued on?  This is Intermountain we're talking about.   

[squirrelhunter]

Ok- tonight's mission is to get the shell off and check the seating of the can and adjust it if it is not glued on.

One point against the cab not being seated theory is there does not appear to be a gap between the cab and walkway.

[peteski]

These are the clues which to me indicate that the cab is not fully seated.  Small insert photo has them circled.



The red circle: Roof seems to sit a bit higher than the top of the hood.

The light blue circles:  the gap between the rear of the cab and equipment cabinet, duct, or whatever that box it, seems to be larger on top than on the bottom.

The purple circles:  The gap between the side of the cab piece and the sill seems to be smaller at the front then at the rear.

[mu26aeh]

This is something else that I seen posted somewhere, but now I can't find it.  Another had the cab not seated but they were able to get it corrected without too much fan fare.

[jereising]

I was gonna pick up a couple SD40Ns which had been scheduled to show up this month - except now they're rescheduled for May.  Wonder if their scheduling on the Tier 4 GEVOs will be as bad.  In that case it won't matter, because I'll go with Scale Trains T4s thanks to their support of IRM.  And so it goes.

[flight2000]

Next wave showed up at Kleins.  There must be a lot of closet Wheeling and Lake Erie fans out there because they went pretty quick.  I had been watching their website all week and when do they show up - when I'm driving back from my wife's swim meet last night....   

Still managed to get the 4 numbers, but two are non-dcc.  Is there an after market decoder that is a drop in replacement being sold yet or do I need to find a DCC unit? 

Cheers,
Brian

[mu26aeh]

Next wave showed up at Kleins.  There must be a lot of closet Wheeling and Lake Erie fans out there because they went pretty quick.  I had been watching their website all week and when do they show up - when I'm driving back from my wife's swim meet last night....   

Still managed to get the 4 numbers, but two are non-dcc.  Is there an after market decoder that is a drop in replacement being sold yet or do I need to find a DCC unit? 

Cheers,
Brian

The ESU drop in decoders were supposed to be shipping end of October to dealers.  Keep an eye out for them, I assume they are going to go quick as well.

It looks like maybe the W&LE units were only listed as 1 of each item to get them up on the site, will probably be relisted with the rest of their inventory early this week.  I was somewhat worried when I read next batch arrived, as I thought that included the CSX YN2 units but I see they are now listed as December, so I still have 2 months to save up for that one.  I also noticed on the reservation page all undecorated items are marked TBD, where most of them had dates listed previously. 

[basementcalling]

Next wave showed up at Kleins.  There must be a lot of closet Wheeling and Lake Erie fans out there because they went pretty quick.  I had been watching their website all week and when do they show up - when I'm driving back from my wife's swim meet last night....   

Still managed to get the 4 numbers, but two are non-dcc.  Is there an after market decoder that is a drop in replacement being sold yet or do I need to find a DCC unit? 

Cheers,
Brian

IM sales seem to be good. Say what we want about how long it took Intermountain to get these out the door but they sure do seem to be painting and delivering a whole bunch of them pretty frequently now. I've yet to plop down a c-note for any of them though. Had a couple UPs in the cart several times but just couldn't pull the trigger.