Okay so I get obsessed with certain things that I can't let go, and one of them is this... On the front it says SD40 and not SD40-2 on the prototype (which is often sitting by my house) and on Kato's website it says sd40-2, so why is it like this? Sorry but I am probably making mountains out of molehills :teeth: http://www.katousa.com/N/SD40-2/index.html
That's a tough one if the prototype gets it wrong. If I were in charge of the model, I'd try to find another unit that had it right. If that wasn't possible, I'd probably put "SD40-2" since that's what's it is and what is on the big green/white label on the outside of the Kato box. They will probably get less complaints for it as they did it than if they put "SD40" and people said they got it wrong. Just my thoughts!
Now I feel like an idiot... The prototype is a SD40-2, however it does in fact say SD40 on the side, it was upgraded sometime after it was produced but I guess that -2 was never put on...
rrpicturearchives shows 4002 and 4004 only say sd-40 on both engines. so kato got it from the real engine pic.
At least it distracted you from noticing how awful the handrails look. It is hard to get a good color match between the painted shell and the unpainted handrails, so in a case like this I would prefer black. Best wishes, Dave
You have to remember also alot of times shortline/regionals, (And ever Class 1's), rebuild engines and they are really not what they appear. We have SD40T-2's that are in SD45T-2 carbodies. To look at it you would think it is an SD45, but the proof is behind the doors, hidden from view. Thats why, like ns737 said, its best to go off real photos of a certain locomotive as they are always changing.
Heres a good example... Ex-SP 7371 was built an SD40...rebuilt by SP to an SD40E...upgraded by ATN to SD40-2. Body remains a straight SD40. Behind it, Ex-SP 2832. Started life as SP 9236 a SD45T-2...rebuilt by SP to 6846....re-motored to SD40-2 standards by UP and renumbered 4800....again renumbered to 2832, still with SD40T-2 specs, still in SD45T-2 body. Hope that hepls some.
An example is the old Milwaukee Road "GP20" rebuilds. Created from GP9 units, during the process, many had features added which lead unknowing folks to believe the MILW actually owned some GP7 engines, which they did not. Spotting these things can be an interesting part of the hobby....
Could the color issue be attributed to a "light pipe effect"? With a lighter color dye, the plastic might be somewhat translucent.
