Just curious if anyone knows why the aft pilot deck on the SD40-2's is so big compared to other engines? If there was a good reason, why when they created the SD40T-2 did they sacrifice it for a rather small rear pilot deck?
The SD45, with its 20-cylinder prime mover, required a bigger long hood, and hence a longer frame. That allowed room for a larger fuel tank. The greater range from a bigger tank was quite desirable from an operating point of view, so with the Dash-2 line the longer frame became standard. Meanwhile the hood length remained the same for the 16-cylinder prime mover, creating the large deck on the SD40-2.
I don't know much about the tunnel motor versions.
Shares a common frame as other -2s like the SD45-2 and the tunnel motors but shorter body.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
So they have a place for the BBQ grill.
DRGWGJCO Just curious if anyone knows why the aft pilot deck on the SD40-2's is so big compared to other engines? If there was a good reason, why when they created the SD40T-2 did they sacrifice it for a rather small rear pilot deck?
The SD40-2 has a lengthened frame to accommodate the HT-C truck design, which is longer than the original Flexicoil type truck due to the traction motors all facing the same direction on the HT-C truck. The SD40T-2 actually has a slightly longer frame than the regular SD40-2, but it isn't evident due to the fact that the long hood was stretched to make room for more air intakes and improved cooling equipment.
The equipment that occupied the area under the radiators and cooling fans on the SD40-2 precluded the lowering of the cooling air intakes. Lowering of the air intakes as seen on the tunnel moters, required the extension of the rear hood almost to the end of the underframe, leaving said equipment in its original location.
Thanks for the info. I figured there was a reason it was made like it was.