Hello all of you n scalers. I have been searching around for conrail locomotives for my little brothers layout (Already have a 2 GP-20's) I figure he needs big road power as well as some kind of small switcher (Will that new MP15DC be offered in conrail livery? I know they had a few..) Alright down to the question: What companys offer good models of SD-40-2's and Dash-8's (The narrow nosed model) in n-scale? Kato? Altas?
Bachmann Spectrum offered an SD40-2 and C40-8. Both can be bought on ebay for about $20 each. Both are rather clunky and ugly. I was able to get a few decent SD40-2s using a Kato snoot with a nose job. Bachmann retooled their C40-8 recently. its pretty nice. New model left, detailed old run right New model left, detailed old run right New run forground, old run backround New run left, old run right New run without detail add ons forground I would rate the new C40-8 a solid B+. Good looks, slow reliable speed. Paint isn't as good as atlas or IM. Headlights are very blue. The cab side windows are too large. I measured the Atlas B40-8's cab windows and added a small strip of styrene to the lower window sash. This brought up the windows to the proper height and only took a few minutes. The result was an exellent looking model after about 30 minutes of work.
Keep in mind the GP20s were retired by 81. Road power in the 70's was a circus. RDG, PC and LV paint out EVERYWHERE. Road engines would be typically SD35s, SD40's, SD45s, U30C, U33/36C, GP35, GP40 B23-7. Atlas offers SD35s, B23-7, GP30, GP35, GP40s Kato has run SD40s and SD45s
Daniels models are always impressive. There is a fairly decent rare loco on e-bay right now. A custom Kato x-conrail SD38, painted up for NS. Of course its not exactly proto. I am not sure the SD38 had the big porch like the SD40-2 I think its more like the SD40 on the 38. I think the SD38-2 had the long porch. The obivious missing feature is the rear brake wheel on the rear porch. But its worth a look if you search the SD38 on E-bay. The SD38-9 didn't have the brake wheel on the rear porch so maybe this custom done job is a SD38-2 ? Mike
The SD38 and 38-2's did NOT have large porches. Only the SD40-2's did. They were on SD45 frames which wre longer accounting for the long porch. This is per the Second Diesel Spotters Guide.
Actually, the SD38-2s do have long porches on each end. The SD38-2, SD40-2, and SD45-2 all shared the same frame and truck centers, and overall length of 68', 10" over pulling faces. The SD45-2 lacked porches on the ends on account of its longer carbody (thanks to its 20-cyl. prime mover). As for the DSG stating that the SD40-2 used the same frame as the SD45, that is incorrect. the SD45 (and SD38, SD39, and SD40) used a shorter frame than the later Dash-2 series units. The SD38/39/40/45 all had the same frame and overall length, and the SD38, 39, and 40 did have pronounced porches on each end; while the porches aren't as long as those on the later (and longer) Dash-2s, they're still there. And much like the SD45-2, the SD45 didn't have porches, thanks to its longer hood eating up space. FWIW, the DSG books have some serious errors them, especially in regards to locomotive lengths.
All SD39s built had a rear mounted handbrake, with the exception of the first SD38 built, all SD38/SDP38/SD38ACs have a rear mounted handbrake.
