Kato Mid Production SD40-2 New Run

[u18b]

I am REALLY jazzed about this release.

I could care less about the locomotive.

What I need is about 4 trucks.  One pair to replace the pair I stole off an SD40-2.   And 2 more extra.

THIS is the truck you need to make a TP56 or TP70!



Here is the great thread with lots of contributions from this group in case you missed it.   It starts getting interesting on about p. 11.
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=42126.0

[Ike the BN Freak]

I'm actually sort of excited for the BNs, in for at least one of each road number, might get a couple extra to renumber

[keeper]

THIS is the truck you need to make a TP56 or TP70!

Here is the great thread with lots of contributions from this group in case you missed it.   It starts getting interesting on about p. 11.
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=42126.0

Ah, here it is! I still need to finish them....

[Albert in N]

   Agree with Ike about excitement with the announced Kato BN original SD40-2.  I recall 1970 when BN started showing up on the old Fort Worth and Denver CB&Q branch lines.  That new merger scheme was elegantly simple on the pretty Cascade green.  I have acquired a few Kato BN locomotives.  The whiteface scheme was not as sharp compared to the original scheme in my opinion.  Here are two photos showing front and back.  Yes, Kato also made a BN shorty light up caboose.

[Philip H]

And still no one will paint these white and apply KCS lettering.  Simplest scheme out there and would do well.

[cjm413]

And still no one will paint these white and apply KCS lettering.  Simplest scheme out there and would do well.

1) Did KCS own any SD40-2's with 88" short hoods and anticlimbers?
2) If yes, did any units in white paint get retrofitted with ditch lights before they were retired or repainted gray?

[Philip H]

1) Did KCS own any SD40-2's with 88" short hoods and anticlimbers?
2) If yes, did any units in white paint get retrofitted with ditch lights before they were retired or repainted gray?

Not my point.  Between Kato, BLI, Intermountain, and Bachmann there have been multiple releases fo SD40-2s over the last couple of decades.  Intermountain and BLI did the Belle, and Intermountain did the Grey.  No one has done the white.  Sure I can roll my own, but why should I have to?

[Albert in N]

KCS is a neat idea.  If not that, why not a Jenks blue MoPac SD40-2?  In the last run, Kato did make an Illinois Central black "death star" SD40-2.  KCS or MP would be the next logical step.  At least, BN and ATSF units are announced.  Here at home in "fly over country", there were some great railroads.  Most of those were swallowed up by UP and BNSF.  KCS is still around stronger than ever, even being a true "Nafta" railroad.

[Missaberoad]

KCS is still around stronger than ever, even being a true "Nafta" railroad.

Well 2 out of 3 countries 'aint too bad... 

[Albert in N]

KCS links with southbound Canadian traffic in Kansas City, Omaha, as well as CN/ Illinois Central.  Maybe that is how KCS claims to be a Nafta railroad.  Of course BNSF does the same thing in that I often see CP, CN, and Ferromex locomotives on the former Santa Fe line South of Fort Worth TX.

[cjm413]

Not my point.  Between Kato, BLI, Intermountain, and Bachmann there have been multiple releases fo SD40-2s over the last couple of decades.  Intermountain and BLI did the Belle, and Intermountain did the Grey.  No one has done the white.  Sure I can roll my own, but why should I have to?

True, but none of those are the Kato "mid-production" model that is the subject of this thread and pretty much limited to units built for BN or ATSF.

However, if you add a 123" short hood and remove the ditch lights....

[cjm413]

KCS is a neat idea.  If not that, why not a Jenks blue MoPac SD40-2?  In the last run, Kato did make an Illinois Central black "death star" SD40-2.  KCS or MP would be the next logical step.  At least, BN and ATSF units are announced.  Here at home in "fly over country", there were some great railroads.  Most of those were swallowed up by UP and BNSF.  KCS is still around stronger than ever, even being a true "Nafta" railroad.

Kato made IC because they are ex-BN units that match the Kato "mid-production" SD40-2.

This model is useless for factory-painted MP or KCS SD40-2's.

[Ike the BN Freak]

This model is useless for factory-painted MP or KCS SD40-2's.

Didn't some of the MP SD40-2s get built to BN specs? But I know none of them had ditchlights.  Not sure why Kato hasn't done UP paint on these yet either

[cjm413]

Didn't some of the MP SD40-2s get built to BN specs? But I know none of them had ditchlights.  Not sure why Kato hasn't done UP paint on these yet either

MP SD40-2C's didn't have anticlimbers and would have been repainted/renumbered to UP before they were retrofitted with ditch lights.   MP's early SD40-2C orders also had gyralights on the low short hood that BN never had.

UP also didn't have any new or predecessor SD40-2's with the anticlimber on the Kato model.

Kato apparently considered it "close enough" for an ex-CR unit for NS/Maersk (should have Flexicoil trucks and ditch lights below the anticlimber), but apparently not close enough to offer any more examples built for CR.

NS did have some secondhand units built for BN, but off the top of my head, I don't know if any of them match the Kato model.

[Philip H]

Kato made IC because they are ex-BN units that match the Kato "mid-production" SD40-2.

This model is useless for factory-painted MP or KCS SD40-2's.

Again that's true - but if we can listen years worth of SPF's ranting about the lack of a K-4 everytime another Pennsy loco came out - until they got a K-4, then we can endure my lone reed waving about a white KCS SD40-2.  I have done the same thing one every other thread by every other manufacturer.

Now back to your regular programming.