SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AN SD 40-2 AND AN SD 40-3??

[CANADIANPACIFIC2816]

In September of last year the DM&E ran an "employee special" passenger train through Sioux Falls, South Dakota in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the DM&E. I managed to get pictures of the train, which consisted of three passenger cars pulled by two locomotives; an GP 40-2 #4002, and an SD 40-3 #6096.

The SD 40-3 is a designation I had never heard of before, but THE DIESEL SHOP website lists #6096 as an SD 40-3. Does anyone out there know if there are any significant differences between this and the more commonly known SD 40-2??

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

[CNW 6000]

IIRC it's an electrical cabinet difference.  I'm sure someone will correct/confirm that.

[CANADIANPACIFIC2816]

Thanks, Dan. I might try to e-mail a few of my pictures  of this DM&E passenger special to you and a few other of the Depot, Diner & Coffee Shop regulars later this afternoon.

Ray                                                                                                                    CANADIANPACIFIC2816

[nanaimo73]

I think the -3 is more of a nickname rather than an official name, given by the company that did the upgrading. It seems most times this involved increasing the continuous tractive effort, to 82,500 on CP.

[beaulieu]

SD40-3 designation normally indicates that the locomotive has an aftermarket Microprosessor Control System added, in this case it is a Quantum Electronics QES-100 system. This system gives better wheelslip control than the standard EMD WS-10A system used on SD40-2s.

[Randy Stahl]

SD40-3 designation normally indicates that the locomotive has an aftermarket Microprosessor Control System added, in this case it is a Quantum Electronics QES-100 system. This system gives better wheelslip control than the standard EMD WS-10A system used on SD40-2s.

Bingo !!

Except the QES1000 is a Q Tron product not to be confused with the very good electronics from Quantum Railway electronics. The Quantum micro is a Q3300

[CNW 6000]

I knew he'd pop in here and set us right, lol.  Thanks Randy.

[Anonymous]

I think -3 is set by the railroad too. DGNO has a GP38-3, and they call it that because its a former GP35 converted to a GP38-series. FWWR has done the same thing.

KCS has some GP40-2Ws and they called the GP40-3s because of the cab, however, they are nw called GP40-2s.

I think its mostly up to the railroad of how they want to designate them. Instead of calling a rebuilt and repowered SD45-2 an SD40M-2, some railroads call them SD40-3s.

[Erie Lackawanna]

It's hard to completely figure out the logic behind things like -3, R, and M, because they are assigned by different companies for different reasons.

Sometimes it's the railroad, sometimes it's the remanufacturer, and sometimes it turns out it's the railfan community.

 

[CNW 6000]

Ray those pictures are nice.  Thanks!

[CANADIANPACIFIC2816]

Ray those pictures are nice.  Thanks!

Thanks, Dan. I'm glad to hear you liked my pictures. I do all of my shooting with a pair of Nikon FE's, which are roughly 25 years old. One of these days I will switch to digital format. A lot more people in these forums would be able to see my work if I could only figure out how to post photos with the forums here.

Ray                                                                                                                     CANADIANPACIFIC2816

[billbtrain]

What SD40-2's were rebuilt with what microprocessor and when?How much of a success were they? Thanks.

Have a good one.

Bill B

[WSOR 3801]

The DM & E SD40-3s started as CP SD40s.  They were rebuilt by VMV Paducah with the computer wheel slip control, fresh overhaul prime mover, etc., etc. 

The wheel slip control is similar to a new engine from GE or EMD.  When a wheelslip occurs, only the axle that slips gets the power reduced, not the whole truck.  Pulls more this way, 20-22% adhesion vs. 16-20% stock.

Many engines have been rebuilt in this fashion.  WC SD45s, CP SD40s, DRGW SD40T-2s, EJ&E SD38-2s, just to name a few.  Just wish some of the engines I run got it. 

[beaulieu]

Some systems were better than others, the most popular is the Q-Tron QES-1000 system. One of the less successful systems was the Woodward CLC (Complete Locomotive Control). The DM&IR had this system installed on their SD40-3 rebuilds. CN is now having the system replaced with the Q-Tron system on these locomotives. Even EMD got into the act although their EM-2000 system had trouble competing on price, some upgraded WCL SD45s got this system.

[Leo_Ames]

beaulieu

One of the less successful systems was the Woodward CLC (Complete Locomotive Control). The DM&IR had this system installed on their SD40-3 rebuilds. 

It's an old thread, but does anyone know if the KCS SD40-3's received the Woodward system that's now fallen out of favor? I notice a couple of these ended up becoming donors for ECO conversions and was surprised to see a Dash 3 retired for such rebuilding. 

I suspect Burlington Northern also used this or a similarly less popular system for some of their Dash 3 rebuilds. BNSF retired the SD38P's a while back due to unsupportable microprocessors and I suspect it's also why the SD9-3's and many of the GP28's have been parked.

And I think the Quebec North Shore & Labrador was cycling their SD40-3's through a rebuild program to replace their microprocessor based control system a few years ago. More Woodward units, perhaps?

[BaltACD]

Leo_Ames

 

beaulieu

One of the less successful systems was the Woodward CLC (Complete Locomotive Control). The DM&IR had this system installed on their SD40-3 rebuilds.  

It's an old thread, but does anyone know if the KCS SD40-3's received the Woodward system that's now fallen out of favor? I notice a couple of these ended up becoming donors for ECO conversions and was surprised to see a Dash 3 retired for such rebuilding. 

I suspect Burlington Northern also used this or a similarly less popular system for some of their Dash 3 rebuilds. BNSF retired the SD38P's a while back due to unsupportable microprocessors and I suspect it's also why the SD9-3's and many of the GP28's have been parked.

And I think the Quebec North Shore & Labrador was cycling their SD40-3's through a rebuild program to replace their microprocessor based control system a few years ago. More Woodward units, perhaps?

Without knowing - I wouldn't doubt that those -3 rebuilds had their electronic packages built upon Windows XP computer architectures which Microsoft hasn't supported for a decade or more.

Just because you buld a computerized system, doesn't mean that system will be supported 'forever'.

When you build systems on mechanical objects, the objects can wear out and be physically rebuilt or remanufacturered.  When you build systems based on computers, the manufacturers of those computers are actively working to make those particular computers obsolete in the shortest amount of time so they can sell new computers.