SP/SSW differences in SD40T-2 and SD45T-2

I'm considering IMRR's SD40T-2 and SD45T-2 and would like to know what the spotting differences might be.

Also, I'm a Union Pacific modeler, so I'm wondering about the history of these two prototypes. Anything interesting or any sites you may be aware of would be appreciated.

 

Hi Bob,
The easiest spotting difference for me to recognize is to focus on the rear area of the long hood. Look above the air intake grilles on the rear side portion of the loco. If there are two small access doors it's a SD40T-2, if there are three small access doors above the big rectangular intake grilles (somewhat see-through on the proto locos), then it's a SD45T-2.
For reference you could check out the D&RGW and SP sites as this is where the UP got them, IIRC.
Chuck

 

I read through your thread Jerry. Excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. Thanks for pointing me to that. I think that thread was started well before I ever knew of Trainboard.

Chuck, that seems to be the best way to tell the difference as Jerry's thread pointed this out as well.

Thanks again fellas.

 

oc, thanks for the very interesting thread. intermountain TM sd 40-2 was my first acquisition. today i learned a great deal about something i obviously knew nothing about. :teeth:

 

Jerry ... I am a "new student" reading your classes. And I learned plenty reading your class on Tunnel Motors. Every question I ever had about TM's was answered.

And though I model GN, I am a California Kid (WW-II: born 1942 in SF, raised North Cal around Orland/Chico). I remember well the thunder of SP Cab Forwards and other steamers, as well as the unique ALCO rhythm of the Shasta Daylight PA's as they roared through Orland. But I've also visited years later the Donner Pass area and heard alot of those TM's as they worked the grades; and your description about listening to them on the job sure brought back many, many railfan memories.

You are one Excellent Instructor ... :thumbs_up: :shade:

 

Jerry,
I have to agree with everyone else, your classes are great. Thanks for taking the time to do them.

 

Jerry, that depends on how you have your display options set. From the "user control panel" you can select to show threads that were active from "last day", "last 2 days", "last week", "last month", etc., or "show all posts".

 

Bob,
I think everyone has an opinion on the Intermountain product, personally I like them. Just be extra careful when handling them, the handrails are an achilles heel for them, especially right in back of the cab on the engineer's side. IM has been great and sent a replacement set to me that I managed to break while making into undecorated versions. That was only two out of twenty-five, so the ratio is not bad at all.
Chuck

 

That was the first difference I discovered; then I found a larger one. The SD40T-2 has the cab between the second and third axles; the SD45T-2 has the cab above the second axle.

 

That's mainly because of the differences in prime movers. The SD40T-2 had a 16 cylinder 654 prime mover, while the SD45T-2 had the longer 20-cylinder 645. The SD45T-2s engine compartment was longer because of this, which essentially "pushed" the cab/nose/sub-base assembly further forward on the frame compared to the SD40T-2.

 

It turns out I own one of each of the SD40T-2 and the SD45T-2 locomotives. I had thought they were both 40s. I'm trying to decide if that's enough or if I need another one... or two. I'm still puzzling on that. It's one of my pet questions, "how many locos to consist for a given number of cars." Always difficult to decide.

In any case, I am very careful with the handrails on these. I tend to pick up my locos by the sill and/or fuel tank and I've noticed that with the IMRR locos the handrails "stick" to my fingers when I release them and so I'm very careful to not pull them off or break them. Otherwise, I'm happy with the mechanism and details.