ScaleTrains Rivet 38791 HO Scale EMD SD40-2 Conrail Quality CR 6442 – DCC & Sound

In January 1972, the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of General Motors would build the first production models of a locomotive design that would prove to be legendary: the SD40-2. As the flagship of the “Dash-2” series, the SD40-2 would build upon the lessons learned from its predecessor, the SD40. While the sixteen-cylinder 645E3 turbocharged prime mover remained the same from its SD40 cousin, the SD40-2 boasted a modular, solid-state electrical system, which featured removable “cards” in place of troublesome relays in its high-voltage cabinet. These cards greatly simplified troubleshooting electrical problems and streamlined repairs.

Externally, the biggest change was the use of the new HT-C three-axle truck in place of the Flexi-coil C of the SD40. The new truck promised greater adhesion, and was longer than the Flexi-coil C, necessitating an increase of the length of the SD40-2s frame to an overall length of 68’, 10” over the couplers. This also had the effect of giving the SD40-2 its characteristic long walkway “porches” at each end. Other small external improvements, such as longer battery box compartments, rear overhang on the cab roof, and drip rail over the front cab door, added to the list of external differences between it and the SD40.

Domestic production of the SD40-2 continued until July 1984, making it one of EMDs most-popular locomotives of all time. Many remain in service today, both with original owners, as well as secondhand operators like regional railroads and shortlines. Within the past decade, CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific have rebuilt hundreds of SD40-2s to extend their operating lives. This will ensure this venerable locomotive’s presence on U.S. rails for decades to come.

FEATURES:

• New paint scheme
• Era: Mid-1990s-Early 2000s
• CR Series 6441 to 6482, built 9-11/1978
• Road number 6442:
• Lost-wax brass Leslie RS-5T-RRO horn with anti-debris covers
• Standard Conrail “Quality” logos on hood
• Standard bolted battery box door on left side with short louvers; bolted and latched Conrail-style “split” battery box door on right side to accommodate Automatic Train Control (ATC) box on top of battery box
• Fully-assembled
• Multiple road numbers
• No truck ground lights (prototype not equipped)
• LED-illuminated front pilot face mounted ditch lights**
• LED-Illuminated rectangular walkway lights mounted between front and rear sanding valve doors and round walkway light, aft of raised walkway duct*
• LED-illuminated front and rear red marker lights***
• Printed number boards with separately controlled backlit LED-illumination*
• Flange lubrication cabinet
• Two-strap Automatic Train Control (ATC) box
• Front and rear EMD-style low pilot plow with multiple unit (MU) hose doors, 3rd rail notches, and grab irons
• 3-hose multiple unit (MU) hose clusters with silver gladhands
• Semi-scale coupler buffer equipped with durable metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
• Front and rear straight uncoupling levers with loop handles; two inner and two outer mounting brackets
• Notched pilot faces with high angled lifting slots
• Pilot face mounted multiple unit (MU) receptacles
• “Short” stepwells with see-through steps
• Narrow “blunt” front anticlimber
• End handrail set with anticlimber front railings, and outward-facing rear end stanchion mounting brackets with gangway safety chain on rear
• Rear late “fixed” drop step
• Scale sectioned treadplate detail on walkways
• 88” low short hood with wheel handbrake; nose top and side grab irons repositioned to opposed side for Automatic Train Control (ATC) box clearance.
• Late cab sub-base doors with lift-off hinges
• Standard EMD headlight in number board housing
• Dash-2 cab with 13-bolt (top and bottom) side window panels
• Rectangular vent on left cab side, towards rear of cab
• Detailed cab interior with separate floor, rear wall, seats, and standard AAR control stand
• Sliding cab side windows
• Tall clear wind wings with mirror mounted fore of cab side window, on both sides of cab
• No sunshades or sunshade tracks
• Large Excalibur “ice skate” antenna (communications) and small Sinclair Excalibur “ice skate” (Locotrol/EOT) antenna mounted to cab roof
• Accurate hood door and long hood detail
• Early electrical cabinet “zig-zag” seam, further from rear of cab
• Late welded ECAFB
• Intermediate inertial air intake grills with top drip rail
• Standard turbo exhaust stack
• Accurately-profiled standard-range dynamic brakes without batten strip
• See-through dynamic brake intakes with resistor grid detail
• Corrugated radiator intake grilles
• See-through low-profile 48” radiator fan housings with fan blades visible inside
• Angled radiator fan grab iron
• Underbody frame rail with separate plumbing and traction motor cables
• Detailed Flexicoil-C sideframes with Hyatt bearing caps, high mounted brake cylinders, outer sanding lines and brackets, and D-77 traction motor and air brake duct details
• Dimensionally accurate truck centers
• GE type speed recorder mounted to center axle on left front
• Forward-facing handbrake chain mount for Flexicoil-C trucks
• Short jacking pads (late)
• Flush-mount EFCO
• Frame-mounted steel bell
• Graham-White (Salem) brand 824-170 and 818-170 primary and secondary centrifugal air filters (accordion-style)
• 4,000-gallon fuel tank with fuel fillers, vertical gauges, round gauges in tank sides and vertical breather pipe
• Factory-applied wire grab irons, wire lift rings, windshield wipers, trainline hoses with silver gladhands, sand hatch covers, and more
• Motor with 5-pole skew wound armature
• Dual flywheels
• All-wheel drive
• All-wheel electrical pick-up
• Directional LED headlights
• Printing and lettering legible even under magnification
• Operates on Code 70, 83 and 100 rail
• Packaging safely stores model
• Minimum radius: 18”
• Recommended radius: 22”
• DCC & sound equipped locomotives also feature:
• ESU LokSound 5 DCC & Sound decoder with “Full Throttle” functions
• Two (2) cube-type speakers
• Turbocharged EMD 16 Cylinder 645E3 prime mover
• ESU designed “PowerPack” with two super capacitors***
• Operates on both DC and DCC layouts

* Lighting features operate when using an ESU decoder with appropriate programming while operating using DCC
** In DC operation, both front ditch lights illuminate; rear ditch lights (if equipped) do not illuminate
*** Class lights illuminate in white color only in DC operation. Access and changing colors an ESU decoder with appropriate programming while operating using DCC
**** “PowerPack” feature only compatible with appropriately programmed ESU decoders operating on a DCC layout