Intermountain SD40-2

[drgw0579]

The NS unit in the video was one of the first production models off the line.  It, and several others were air shipped to IMR before the Oklahoma City train show.  It then was handled through out the weekend by rabid train show attendees.  Once back in Longmont, the production crew went over them looking for possible issues.  At some point the photos on their facebook page were taken.  Those are the ones that should be evaluated.  When the IMR representative showed up at my place for testing, he was upset that it model wasn't right out of the box, but we cleaned the wheels and let it go.

From what I understand the trucks are the same as used on Atlas SD60 models.  The same factory that makes Intermoutain's products produces many other N scale models.  Once the container arrived, each model was unboxed and tested.  The first shipments did go out last week, so some of them should be running on layouts this week.

I don't work for IMRC, but I've known many of the people that do for many years.  I have no need for a SD40-2, but I've suggested a SD45 would be a nice follow on product.

Bill Kepner

[mu26aeh]

I have no need for a SD40-2, but I've suggested a SD45 would be a nice follow on product.

Bill Kepner

Yes, the SD45 would be great addition, then we can get these 

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=MMID&mid=29

[jdcolombo]

I have no need for an SD40 (way too modern for me), but the sound in the video is pretty good - it's always hard to evaluate video sound, because it depends a lot on the video recorder's ability to capture sound correctly (phones are terrible at this, BTW; a "real" HD video camera typically is pretty decent, but only a pro model video camera in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing will get it right).  But one thing I can tell from the video: the prime mover sounds are way too loud - they need to be scaled down by half, at least. 

Here's my rule of thumb on what an engine should sound like.  Think of being parked at a grade crossing while a freight train passes.  You can hear the prime mover a ways before the train actually reaches the crossing; the bell you can hear just as the train approaches the crossing.  But the horn you can hear long before you hear the full sound of the prime mover (you might hear some "rumble," but not the full sound profile of the prime mover).  Where I live, there are two grade crossings about a mile apart.  If I'm at crossing 1, I can clearly hear the diesel horn sounding at crossing 2, long before I really hear the full sound of the prime mover (and the bell might as well be silent).  So that's pretty much how I set up my locos - the horn is louder, by a lot, than any other sound, and the bell is a bit below the prime mover (because the bell is higher-pitched, you will hear it when you are close to the engine, but you shouldn't be able to hear it from 10 feet away, and you should be just barely able to hear the prime mover - if at all - from that distance.  But if someone is blowing the horn on the other side of the layout, yeah, you should hear that).  Most folks simply have their sound set way too loud, and I think that's why it gets on some folks' nerves quickly.  The video is a perfect example; if I had that thing running around my layout with the turbo whine in full throat, I'd put in earplugs in about two minutes.

Turn it down, folks!

John C

[mu26aeh]

So does anyone have these in hand yet ?  None of the major online presences have them listed yet, and only one seller on eBay where it seems they may/may not have them in hand yet, only listing them with the idea they will have them by end of auction ?

[tehachapifan]

I have no need for an SD40 (way too modern for me), but the sound in the video is pretty good - it's always hard to evaluate video sound, because it depends a lot on the video recorder's ability to capture sound correctly (phones are terrible at this, BTW; a "real" HD video camera typically is pretty decent, but only a pro model video camera in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing will get it right).  But one thing I can tell from the video: the prime mover sounds are way too loud - they need to be scaled down by half, at least. 

Here's my rule of thumb on what an engine should sound like.  Think of being parked at a grade crossing while a freight train passes.  You can hear the prime mover a ways before the train actually reaches the crossing; the bell you can hear just as the train approaches the crossing.  But the horn you can hear long before you hear the full sound of the prime mover (you might hear some "rumble," but not the full sound profile of the prime mover).  Where I live, there are two grade crossings about a mile apart.  If I'm at crossing 1, I can clearly hear the diesel horn sounding at crossing 2, long before I really hear the full sound of the prime mover (and the bell might as well be silent).  So that's pretty much how I set up my locos - the horn is louder, by a lot, than any other sound, and the bell is a bit below the prime mover (because the bell is higher-pitched, you will hear it when you are close to the engine, but you shouldn't be able to hear it from 10 feet away, and you should be just barely able to hear the prime mover - if at all - from that distance.  But if someone is blowing the horn on the other side of the layout, yeah, you should hear that).  Most folks simply have their sound set way too loud, and I think that's why it gets on some folks' nerves quickly.  The video is a perfect example; if I had that thing running around my layout with the turbo whine in full throat, I'd put in earplugs in about two minutes.

Turn it down, folks!

John C

I completely agree but with one exception. I don't consider the listening point to be at a grade crossing as that would mean that my ear(s) would need to be a couple scale inches away from the loco as it passes by me. Instead, I adjust sound for my typical closest viewing distance, which is usually a good 100-300 scale feet away. This changes what I expect to hear from the loco considerably (less Doppler, etc.). That said, I still set up my sound units with the horn being the loudest feature. It seems, by seeing videos etc., that there are many sound decoders out there where the horn apparently can't be turned up very loud....or the user wants more prime mover, etc....or the sounds were recorded from inside a loco too far away from the horn. So far, I have not grown remotely tired of my sound decoders and will often let them idle or run in the background while I'm working on something.

[Spades]

How well did the Atlas cabs fit and was there any mods necessary to either the cab or shell to install them?

I used the cab and the nose of the SD50 as well as a detail by Wutter exhaust silencer, I may have sanded a little to get the cab to fit. I was inspired by SP4009? work over at the Trainboard.  Russ his work likes yours awesome and inspirational.

[cnw mike]

I've often heard how off the Kato SD40s are. I've  looked around but have never seen a list of what dimensions etc. are wrong. I've always thought the Kato's looked pretty good, they certainly run flawlessly. Now I'm not a big EMD fan so I'm certainly no expert here, but I do like to run me some from time to time. Jut how wrong are they? 

[Spades]

I've often heard how off the Kato SD40s are. I've  looked around but have never seen a list of what dimensions etc. are wrong. I've always thought the Kato's looked pretty good, they certainly run flawlessly. Now I'm not a big EMD fan so I'm certainly no expert here, but I do like to run me some from time to time. Jut how wrong are they? 

Hood width and the squinty cab number board.  You can change the number board but narrowing the shell is a .bit tougher.

[C855B]

Yes, the hood is wide by about 10%, which alters the relative proportions from most viewing angles except a straight-on profile. The hood width issue is even more evident on the SD45 since it softens the radiator flare. You'd think after 25 years and the other advances in N they would have fixed this, but the problem goes clear to the bone, requiring a ground-up redesign of the chassis and motor.

Begs the question whether the IM version will address this. Has anybody with firsthand viewing of the pre-production samples put a caliper on one?

[cnw mike]

Ok, thanks for the clarification. Well, if IM doesn't get the width right it kinda kills any reason to buy unless they have some paint you want.

[jagged ben]

Ok, thanks for the clarification. Well, if IM doesn't get the width right it kinda kills any reason to buy unless they have some paint you want.

I don't know about that.  There's some variations that Kato hasn't done.  And then there's the sound thing. 

FWIW, the IM SD45-2 hood is about 1/32" narrower than the Kato SD40-2, which is probably an indication of what you'll get with the SD40-2.   Personally I don't think the difference is noticeable.

(I really need to get some calipers.  It's too inconvenient to keep borrowing the ones from work.) 

[davefoxx]

I just installed the Kato wheelsets in my IM SD45-2 yesterday.  It's running really well, and I was careful to ensure that those plastic tabs on the trucks to keep the body level weren't broken.  Good to go.  It's still running quiet, although I did not open up the frame halves enough to disturb the driveline.  I only loosened the screws enough for the trucks to practically drop out.

Before: IM wheelsets. "Ew!":



After: Kato wheelsets:



If the IM SD40-2 runs as well or better than this SD45-2, I'm in, even if I have to swap out more wheelsets!

DFF

[PeyRil]

Well, you guys got me curiuos... I have a few of the first run Katos and an IM SD45-2 and had never really noticed any incorrectness of their hood widths. What is the actual width? So far all I've found is 7' according to TheDieselshop's SD40-2 web page. I don't have a caliper, but I do have a micrometer. I figured it'd work too... I took a few measurment in different places for comparison.
Kato:
   -Shell
     Rear of LH  .471 inch
     Under DB   .483
     DB   .590
   -Mech
     At front worm  .389
     At rear worm   .393

IM:
  -Shell
     Rear of LH  .457 inch
     Under DB   .452
     DB   .569
   -Mech
     At front worm  .387
     At rear worm   .386

Both are pretty close with the IM only around .015 inch thinner. If the hood should be 7 feet wide, that would be .525 inch? These are reading thinner if so. Or am I making a mistake somewhere?
Either way though, they still look fine to me. I would expect IM's SD40-2's to be similar to the SD45-2's if they are still utilizing Atlas components.

[C855B]

EMD hood width is 6', so the IM shell is pretty darn close. (Don't know where TheDieselshop is getting 7'. ) The Kato SD40-2 on my workbench measures 0.500" (really!) at the rear, which makes it - ta da! - 11% too wide.

Now I'm looking forward to seeing the IM production in this respect.

[jagged ben]

EMD hood width is 6', so the IM shell is pretty darn close. (Don't know where TheDieselshop is getting 7'. ) The Kato SD40-2 on my workbench measures 0.500" (really!) at the rear, which makes it - ta da! - 11% too wide. 
...

Seriously?  Which version of SD40-2 are we talking here?   Granted, I'm using a ruler marked to 64ths, but my three different Kato SD40-2 hoods (snoot, 'early', 'mid production') all measure to 15/32", which is .003" off from Pey's measurement above, so I'm inclined to trust him.  Which makes the Kato hood only about 4.7% too wide.