Intermountain SD40-2

[Scottl]

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.

I keep forgetting about the IRM Tier 4 announcement.  Seeing how the SD40-2 has been delivered in these pages and elsewhere, I am more sure than ever that I will not order the IRM Tier 4 and go with the Scale Trains version (I have a pair of CN on pre-order).  While I was firmly in the "wait and see" camp about how IRM would do with these locomotives, and notwithstanding the long delays, I have seen little to encourage me that they have solved their QC/QA issues in general.

[bman]

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

Closet WLE fans?  I run mine all the time at the club.  Even posted a photo of 300 (ex-UP GP40 652/CNW 5532/CR/PC/NYC 3044 info taken from nsdash9.com website) that I patched out here several months ago. I'm working on modeling one of the ore trains that WE used to run in conjunction with CSX and a couple of coke and coal trains. Also I'm finishing up 2 more locomotives as I type this weekend.  If I can get a decent shot with my old phone I'll post. That's the main reason I don't share though.  My photog skills are seriously lacking.

 As far as the drop in decoder.  I emailed Intermountain as I've searched all the decoder mfg's I could think of for a drop in and nothing.  Intermountain responded to my email saying, and I quote, "ESU has not yet offered the decoder separately in its own packaging."  They are available from Intermountain direct though according to the email.  I'll be needing 3 myself when I get the railroad budget healthy again.  I got one of the last non sound DCC WE SD40-2's from MBK.  There were 4 of each showing when I dropped off one of our club members after this weekends train show.  When I got home there were only 3 left in 2 numbers.  It is a 20 minute drive from his place to mine.  Yes, they did go fast!  That'll make 6 of these for me.  And the 5 I have in hand I am very happy with.  4 of them in a pretty shade of CR blue.  No sound though.  But I've heard it from other club member's SD40-2's.  It is pretty good. 

[flight2000]

Closet WLE fans?  I run mine all the time at the club.

Wasn't meant as a slight, just never hear a lot about anyone modeling the WE...myself included.   

I'll start building finally sometime after the new year.  Starting with Brewster yard and going a shade east to cover the industries and then the mainline from Brewster to Bellvue and the NS yard there.  Some nice industries along the way that will need to be scratch built.  I'm up to 13 WE engines now... 

GP35 #200 Custom "Ohio Centennial"
GP40    #301
GP40    #302 Custom (former Rio Grande)
GP40    #304
GP40    #305
SD40-2 #4000 Custom Kato Non DB
SD40-2 #6310 IMRC
SD40-2 #6311 IMRC
SD40-2 #6351 Custom Kato
SD40-2 #6353 IMRC
SD40-2 #6354 IMRC
SD40-2 #6386 Custom Kato Solid Grey Scheme
SD40-2 #6387 IMRC (Former BNSF/BN Scheme)

Thanks for the info on the DCC decoders.  I've dabbled in sound before and decided it wasn't for me at this point.

Cheers,
Brian

[reinhardtjh]

As far as the drop in decoder.  I emailed Intermountain as I've searched all the decoder mfg's I could think of for a drop in and nothing.  Intermountain responded to my email saying, and I quote, "ESU has not yet offered the decoder separately in its own packaging."  They are available from Intermountain direct though according to the email.  I'll be needing 3 myself when I get the railroad budget healthy again.

They are out now.  The ESU 73199 is for the OEM "drop-in" chassis like the IM SD40-2 and presumably the forthcoming Atlas sound DCC equipped models.  The ESU 73100 is for long hood road units that came out before this.

Streamlined Backshop has (at this moment 10:25AM CST Nov 5th 2017) 89 of the 73199 in stock and 189 of the 73100.  Priced at $85.95 plus shipping, etc.  http://store.sbs4dcc.com/search.aspx?find=Select+Direct+Micro

I'm getting two from my old store back in Cincinnati.  I'm sure MBK will have some soon as well.

BTW, this month's IM SD40-2 releases are in at MBK and nearly sold out. 

[bman]

I should have stated non-sound decoder.  I'm not interested in sound. 

Wasn't meant as a slight, just never hear a lot about anyone modeling the WE...myself included.   

lol   none taken.  I just am not as good a user of the little smiley faces as others are on here.  I believe I've seen your locos on the web. Very nice work.  I've one of the Atlas GP40's that came out, 300 and finishing 110 at the moment.  Plans for some SD40-2's  6356, 6316, 6318 and  either 6312 or 6314.  I'm still a Conrail modeler at heart.  Specifically the Panhandle that ran between Pittsburgh and Columbus.  But I needed something modern at the model railroad club to run and I like the rainbow aspect of some of the locos of the WE.  Reminds me of early Conrail.  It spoke to me...
have a good one
Brian

[squirrelhunter]

So, I flipped over my MKT 604 and found out that one of the tabs for the cab a was not clipped into the side sill/walkway piece and two tabs that hold the shell on to the side sill/walkway were totally broken off. I've got everything seated properly now, and it definitely makes the cab numbers look far less crooked.

Between the glue issues on the pilot and that fact that half the tabs that hold the shell to the walkway came broken from the factory, I'm going to call IM Monday and see about getting them to replace the shell.

[rdg5308]

I emailed Intermountain last week regarding the non-sound decoder availability.  I was told they are now available as a separate item from dealers that carry ESU.  Item number is ESU54650 - MSRP $39.99.

[reinhardtjh]

I should have stated non-sound decoder.  I'm not interested in sound. 
/quote]

That's a horse of a different color. The ESU LokPilot are available as well... http://store.sbs4dcc.com/search.aspx?find=ESU+54650

[Mark5]

Some quick pics:


The IM unit has thinner walway "profile" (more correct I assume), but the shell seems to sit a bit too high compared to the Kato SD40-2 (above) and the Atlas SD35 (below) - will take the unit apart sometime to evaluate the difficulty of lowering it on the chassis. Overall. the IM shell is pretty nice - scale width hood, much better roof fans than on the Kato, numberboards that are not "squinted" etc.



The N&W/Southern style bell seems not as well done as the Atlas one, will have to take a closer look.


I have not run it yet (my first DCC and my first sound unit).

If I can lower it and fix some of the details (I am going to paint it in the as delivered scheme) - I will be happy.

Immediate "to do": Kato wheelsets from recent times, also modify truck sideframes to be triple clasp per N&W standard. Will check couplers to see if a shorter shank can be fitted.

Technically needs all weather cab windows but still on the fence sense we only have kits without glass in N.

Mark

[Scottl]

Which cab window is more to scale, Atlas or IM? I think the Atlas looks more correct, but it may be just that I am used to that look.

[mu26aeh]

I looked at pics from rrpicturearchives, personally I think the IMRC is closer.  The all weather windows may throw off a little bit

SD35

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1489308

SD40-2

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1359652

[Scottl]

Thanks, it is hard to tell but I think you are right.  They sure stand out from one another when set up like in that photo.

[bman]

That's a horse of a different color. The ESU LokPilot are available as well... http://store.sbs4dcc.com/search.aspx?find=ESU+54650

That's awesome thanks!  It'll be a few until the hobby bank is restocked after this last bout with SD40-2's but it's good to know they finally are out there. These must have hit the shelves in between my looking a few weeks ago and the reply I received from Intermountain just the other day. That was one of the suppliers I checked.  They seem to have a good supply of things.  I should have checked back.  I have no excuse.    I still need to order a Zimo for my Arnold SW1 from them too.  But all this stuff seems to be hitting shelves too close together. 

[reinhardtjh]

They got stock within the last two days. I had emailed them on the 31st and Bryan said ESU had a packaging snafu that caused a delay.

[flight2000]

They got stock within the last two days. I had emailed them on the 31st and Bryan said ESU had a packaging snafu that caused a delay.

John, thanks for the heads up on the non-sound decoders, just picked up two for the units I have coming without decoders in them.  Saw stock is dropping quickly, so the word is out there...

Cheers,
Brian