Building a H0 SD40-2

[Mike S-J]

Hi all,

I know this option is probably more expensive than picking up a 2nd hand SD40-2 from Ebay, but I'd really like to give scratch building a go, and make an SD40-2 and have the satisfaction of at least one loco on my layout being "mine".

Does anyone have any thoughts on some good articles I could read up on, and companies I could source components from? I've already seen RRP and it seems either an Athearn or Atlas trucks are good to get it going.

Thanks

Mike

[wp8thsub]

Cannon & Company http://cannonandco.net/ has just about any part you could want.  They have some pages linked showing building things like cabs and hoods http://cannonandco.net/Links.html , and there are in-process photos of models in the "models" pages 1 and 2 on Cannon's site of Elizabeth Allen's SDP45 which could give you some ideas.

[ChadLRyan]

check out the Diesel Detailer .com website.
They have folks there that are experts, & many pages of info that you may find useful.
There are articles in threads for variying degrees of efforts.
I believe you can read much of it without being a member.

The other thing is to Research, Research, Research,  the actual model you want to build.

The SD40-2 has so may unique features depending on the road it was built for, where it was built, to after it was built modifications..
Options are endless.

Best of Luck!!

["JaBear"]

Gidday Mike, regarding articles,

Model Railroader,

July 1976, Modeling EMD's most popular six axle locomotive, (Build an SD40-2) by John Dhols.    April 1979, Modeling an EMD SD40T-2, by Dale Olafson.     October, 1984, Modeling a Southern Ry. SD40-2, by Jim Six.       August 1986, Union Pacific SD40-2, (a Paint Shop article) by Mark Danneman.         August 1989, Six axle SOO Line power. ( a Paint Shop article) by Charles Derus.         April 1994, MKT's SD40-2, by Carter Osborne.    June 1994, Hiawatha-scheme SD40-2, (a Paint Shop article) by Keith Fink.     January 2005, Build an upgraded SD40-4, by Eric Bergstrom.     April 2006, How to detail and paint a Kato SD40-2, by Pelle Soeborg.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Hope this helps,Good Luck, Have Fun, will look forward to the photos. 

Cheers, the Bear.

[dehusman]

Wow, this takes me back to the 1970's when people were kitbashing SD40-2's because there weren't commercial models available.

I did a pair of of PC engines way back then myself.

[Mike S-J]

Thanks for all the advice,

I'm busy collecting parts together, and I'm just about to source a walkway/frame.

I quite like the Railflyer walkway/frames on Walthers, but I'm a little confused by the terminology used, and wondered if anyone could shed light on it.

All the walkway/frames have a reference like C5:E5, which stands for Conductor or Engineer side notch terminates between the 5th and 6th stanchion from the rear of the plate.

DFCO = (Distinguishing Feature) DFCO stands for Dropped Fuel Cut Off is also used on the various walkway/frame options.

I know there are lots of revisions for the SD40-2, so maybe it will help that I'm looking at modelling a late version bought by BN.

Thanks,

Mike

[richhotrain]

dehusman

Wow, this takes me back to the 1970's when people were kitbashing SD40-2's because there weren't commercial models available.

I did a pair of of PC engines way back then myself.

I have to say, never having done it myself, that this is among the most impressive accomplishments in model railroading - - - building and detailing locomotives to match the prototype. 

Kudos to those of you who do it.

Rich

[Kyle]

Athearn uses McHenery couplers, and they sell them under parts.