Well, I just paid for my ScaleTrains SD40-2 Preorder

[wazzou]

Can anyone else confirm the milled grooves in the bottom of the fuel tank?

[mu26aeh]

Can anyone else confirm the milled grooves in the bottom of the fuel tank?

They are there in real life, apparently ST is like Rapido modeling underbody detail you can only see if you model a derailment

[wmcbride]

I just looked at mine and they are not milled grooves. It;s just a slight depression delineating the outward 1/3 of each side of the tank from larger the center part.

I turned mine over expecting to see 1/16" deep grooves based on that video...

[chessie system fan]

Yes, those groves are accurate.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/115681/


@arbomambo , is Denise's bell sagging at all on her Chessie unit?

[arbomambo]

No, the bell frame is perpendicular

[lock4244]

Yes, those groves are accurate.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/115681/

That's kinda neat... but is this derailment damage or from the factory?

[Jbub]

I had seen "Big G's" video before it was linked here and I could only roll my eyes. I understand that he's upset because his brand new 250 dollar loco's have issues on his layout, but by his own admission, his trackwork is 'not perfect'. The only thing that ST is guilty of is making a model that is too close to scaled down prototypical dimensions with out taking into consideration the ability the end user of their product has in building a layout. A little extra clearance would help on the fuel tank when the loco runs on roller coaster style trackwork.
As for the 1/16th inch grooves. He filed those into the plastic and he admitted to it in the video.

[Jbub]

That's kinda neat... but is this derailment damage or from the factory?

It looks too uniform to be derailment damage. I would expect dents and other damage to be visible if it were.

[lock4244]

It looks too uniform to be derailment damage. I would expect dents and other damage to be visible if it were.

Not seeing them on newer locomotives (GEVO, SD70ACe)... still looking for some SD40-2 underside shots.

[mu26aeh]

Not seeing them on newer locomotives (GEVO, SD70ACe)... still looking for some SD40-2 underside shots.

[lock4244]

A second (GP) with the grooves, a small pattern is forming. Unfortunately this roll over took three lives.

https://www.toledoblade.com/image/2013/12/01/Derailment-Fatalities.jpg

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Jbub]

A second (GP) with the grooves, a small pattern is forming. Unfortunately this roll over took three lives.

https://www.toledoblade.com/image/2013/12/01/Derailment-Fatalities.jpg

(Attachment Link)

So I was trying to see if the contour was visible while the loco was in the preferred position and it is not. This picture is a little clearer and you can see there is an end plate on the fuel tank that is squared on the bottom and does not conform to the channels. The only way you will see the channels is if the picture is shot from an angle to see it while the loco is upright or the loco got a little drunk and fell over.

[lock4244]

So I was trying to see if the contour was visible while the loco was in the preferred position and it is not. This picture is a little clearer and you can see there is an end plate on the fuel tank that is squared on the bottom and does not conform to the channels. The only way you will see the channels is if the picture is shot from an angle to see it while the loco is upright or the loco got a little drunk and fell over.

I've checked a few shots of mine by overexposing and you are correct, cannot be seen without looking from below the fuel tank account the flat ends.

I'd be curious to see the underside of Rapido's GP40's, and would assume they got this detail correct as well.

[packers#1]

Could it be for some sort of baffle system to keep fuel from sloshing around?

[Leggy]

The fuel tanks are built like that, not 100% sure why but it is an intentional design. At a very broad guess they purchase cylinders and use as much of the metal as they can whilst constructing the tank.