Finally the SD40-2 has arrived

J o e Aug 29, 2009

  1. J o e

    J o e TrainBoard Member

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    That's what I did. I have a set of 4 micro files (from harbor freight I think). One file is round and fits in the half circle perfectly and is very easy to take excess material off the half circle openings. I used another flat file to open up the notches on the chasis as well. Just remeber to take it slow, it's a lot easier to file, fit, file, refit, etc instead of taking too much of the board material off the first time.
     
  2. Glenn Woodle

    Glenn Woodle TrainBoard Member

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    UP fans can hit the jackpot in March.
     
  3. SJ Z-man

    SJ Z-man TrainBoard Member

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    Yeah, they are sorta distancing themselves by disclaiming it, then showing the modifications that need to be done to the SD40 chassis :)

    It doesn't take much work and, most decoders in any scale are not drop ins.
    .
     
  4. zmon

    zmon TrainBoard Member

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    I am boycotting the SD40 completely at this time.... i got taken advantage of on a custom painted UP SD40 that i paid for in 2008, and have never received... so i am at the point that i will not but any further MTL locos, and will definatly not be contracting anyone to do custom paint jobs any longer... I'll just hold out and wait till AZL puts out their upcoming GE locos in UP to fill out my roster....

    Tony B...
    Wasatch Z Club
     
  5. eit27

    eit27 TrainBoard Member

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    John,

    That is a fine job on the install of the TCS board. I will have to try this route next time.

    I originally just modified the board to accept the post design. The reasoning behind it was, if for some reason, I ever parted with the loco I could put the original board back in. In my recent findings, once the top tabs of the post are mod'd the original board no longer works properly as there is nothing to secure it to the chassis.


    Just my 1-1/2 cent worth.
     
  6. Glenn Woodle

    Glenn Woodle TrainBoard Member

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    At $195 list, I don't blame you. Hope they last long enough to go on $ale.
     
  7. Garth-H

    Garth-H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Originally Posted by zmon
    I am boycotting the SD40 completely at this time.... i got taken advantage of on a custom painted UP SD40 that i paid for in 2008, and have never received... so i am at the point that i will not but any further MTL locos, and will definatly not be contracting anyone to do custom paint jobs any longer... I'll just hold out and wait till AZL puts out their upcoming GE locos in UP to fill out my roster....

    Tony B...
    Wasatch Z Club

    Why boycott the SD40-2 from Micro Trains or Micro Trains in general because a painter offered a service in 2008 for an engine that had not been delivered as yet except from AZL in brass. Have you contacted the painter or the person who offered the service. This really seems silly to me with the UP SD40-2 available this month from MTL. I'm sure your boycott will only affect you and not anyone else.
     
  8. Garth-H

    Garth-H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yes the list price is 195.00 and so were the GP35's and GP9's but most of were paying 145 to 155 range for these engines new when they were released.

    Have a look around the UP engine is available in several places for 151.00 or a bit more and the shipping is usually less that your state taxes.

    If you wait you might find it for less than this if it is a less popular model and more for a popular one that sold out. You may eventually find it undecorated for about 121 or so maybe in a year or so.

    cheerz Garth
     
  9. zmon

    zmon TrainBoard Member

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    Garth,
    My boycott is definatly a personal issue, and i don't expect anyone else to join with me... The person contracted to do my custom work is an MTL employee, and was well aware of the release date of the UP units coming out this month. The purpose of the project was to put a custom painted UP SD in my hands well before these factory units came out, and to give me more road numbers than the two being offered by MTL.

    Had i received the loco anytime before this release, i would not have sore feelings about the project... but at this point there is nothing unique about the unit and it has lost all its appeal that goes along with contracting a custom paint job...

    If anyone is a UP fan out there and would like to try and aquier the project loco i commisioned, let me know and i'll give the painters info. I will not publicly report his name on this or any other site.... yes i'm pissed at him, but i'm not the sort of person to name, names in public.... besides... he knows who he is, and several others do as well.

    Tony B...
    Wasatch Z Club
     
  10. Joe D'Amato

    Joe D'Amato TrainBoard Member

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    That would be me. This wasn't intentional, nor did I know when the release was until a few months ago. Regardless I got behind and screwed up, totally my fault. I attempted to make it right, but you said to keep the money and keep the engine. I have no intention of keeping money for work I didn't deliver, and will send a Money Order on Monday with delivery conformation. The Engine is bought and paid for and finished...so I will donate it to a guy I know who can't afford one and hope he enjoys it.

    Again, sorry, my fault completely.

    Joe
     
  11. Z_thek

    Z_thek TrainBoard Member

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    It could be nice to settle this minor dispute without posting it on TrainBoard. The good side of the story, you have the proof of what most of us already knew, Joe is a true gentleman. Lessons to learn for others...
     
  12. zscaler

    zscaler TrainBoard Member

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    I will get my first SD40-2 next month. I already have the TCS decoder. I know that the non-adjusted frame with the TCS in it pushes the frame apart and the shell will not fit. From Robert's "fix", it looks pretty easy to modify the frame. Just take it easy on how much metal is removed. I plan on measuring the frame width with the original board in it and replicating that same width after the decoder install.
    MTL should of done more planning on this, but too late now. I can work with this.
     
  13. TechRepJapan

    TechRepJapan Permanently dispatched

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    Ummm... I'm not understanding your thinking on this one. MTL makes the locos. The decoders are an after-market add-on. It's up to the after-market manufacturer to make sure their product fits properly... not MTL.

    Now... if MTL would offer locos with DCC decoders factory-installed... that's a different story.
     
  14. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Prioritization happens! Especially when your plate is full. [​IMG]

    Offer help on 1 project, and you will have dozens and dozens of other projects on your plate overnight, with varying degrees of difficulty. Some will fall off the plate, or get pushed aside without intent to offend. It nothing personal, it just happens. [​IMG]
     
  15. zscaler

    zscaler TrainBoard Member

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    Alex,
    The decoder was made first to fit the GP-35 and GP-9. The SD40-2 was made afterward and should of been made to fit the TCS (which means the same board as the Geeps).
    A bit much to ask TCS or Digitrax to make a decoder just for the SD unit.
     
  16. Don A

    Don A TrainBoard Supporter

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    If MTL just whipped out an engine, you would be complaining up the wall that no one was making a decoder. SOME THINGS have to be shared with other manufacturers - such as board fitment dimensions. Someone along the MTL chain missed on this. We were told that a board that would fit in a GP35 would fit in a GP9 or SD40. A goof was made and it was a bad one as both the motor mounting itself was changed on the SD40 AND the motor board also had to be changed. The bad situation here is that two decoder companies spent some serious money so the Z community would have DCC. Now "older" boards won't fit without engine surgery - which is beyond a lot of us Z folks. NOW the BIG FUTURE problem is, will decoder manufacturers be willing to hop into the ring if a board is going to fit only one Z engine. I would think that MTL might consider fixing the SD40 and do it NOW and at least announce it by the April Convention.

    To put it in aircraft terms, which you understand, the hole size in the panel must be specified way early so the electronics maker can design his box to fit the opening. If there were random sizes, you would be yelling so loudly I could hear you here.

    ...don
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 28, 2010
  17. TechRepJapan

    TechRepJapan Permanently dispatched

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    Yes... I understand all that. But, the SD40-2 is a different chassis than the GP-9 and -35. I wouldn't expect the board to fit.

    I disagree that it's asking too much for TCS or Digitrax to make a new decoder board. That's how the business of after-market add-on's work. New product line... new after-market add-ons.
     
  18. Don A

    Don A TrainBoard Supporter

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    The chassis itself is different, but we were told the board mounting points would be the same.
     
  19. Chris333

    Chris333 TrainBoard Supporter

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    Gee DCC sounds better and better every day... not.

    What about all the N scalers who have to tear apart their locos to isolate the motor from the frame. And solder wires to the decoder. You guys have it easy as far as DCC goes. It is very common to have a new loco come out without a decoder that "drops in".

    I'll stick with Direct Current Control.
     
  20. Don A

    Don A TrainBoard Supporter

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    No argument on the "very common"....

    But we were told they would be the same. I haven't tried a search here, but I'm pretty sure you ll find it somewhere on this forum.

    ...don
     

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