SD40-3

[rrizzo]

I've recently run across several references to SD40-3's. I assume the "-3" is some kind of rebuild. Does anyone have any information on these? What are the spotting features vs. the SD40-2? I was hoping to kitbash a Wheeling and Lake Erie unit starting with an Athearn -2, any suggestions? Thanks.

Ralph Rizzo

[dehusman]

Generally the dash 3 designation means internal electrical changes that are not visible from the outside, unless the rebuild also included some other improvement (new cab, change from SD45 to SD40, etc).

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

dehusman hit it right on the head...the -3s are mostly internal rebuilds. However they use carbodys from just about anything. For example the Bessemer and Lake Erie RR which runs behind my house has SD40-3s that are in Ex-SP and SSW SD45T-2 Carbodys. The DMIR has the same type. CP Rail has SD40-3s that are in SD45 Carbodys (hence the Kato model not being correct). I believe the KCS has SD40-3s in SD45 carbodys as well. UP has rebuilt a lot of its EX-SP/SSW SD40T-2s and whatnots into SD40-3s. So to spot an SD40-3 is rather difficult..they can be in almost anything.

Whats interesting is id say 99% of the SD40-3s are remanufacturer rebuilds and not done by GM...so that would explain why they are in whatever carbody they had available.

Hope that helps

[Anonymous]

A goodly number of the SD45 carbody SD40-3's are actually re-engined SD45's, in that not just the body, but the only changes are the engine and the electrical system (The rest just being overhauled).

This is done because the SD45's 20-cylinder engine has a reputation for reliability problems, so a number of them have been re-engined with the more reliable 16-cyl from an SD40 and an updated electrical system.