Did some comparison against prototype photos today, with the following observations: - The prototype cab windows have a heavy black seal around them. Using a fine-point black marker to replicate this may help the overall looks of the cab windows. - The cab side windows look to be in the correct spot, but still look funny (a little short?) for some reason. Adding the included sun shades helps hide their shortness, and again improves the overall look. - The included plow isn't correct for the prototype. This is an easy replacement. - There is no under-walkway frame, piping, etc. (this was mentioned earlier by someone else). Filling with some C55 rail is an easy fix that improves the overall look. I didn't notice the lack of walkway tread, but it is missing. I guess it's not a big deal to me, as the prototype tread is far less noticable than it is on our models. And to be fair about the ditch lights, the CN-style post-mount ditch lights would be extremely difficult for any manufacturer to model accurately in N scale. That said, I'd still like to encourage manufacturers to attempt ditch lights where appropriate (especially the pilot and porch mounted types, which are easier to model) - if I had to choose, I'd pick accurate lighting over the add-on details (grab irons, etc.). Someone asked about weight --- I dont' have a scale, but they feel heavier than the Atlas C630s, and a little lighter than the 1st run Kato SD40-2s.
Are these locos available now for purchase as I haven't seen them show up on any etailers sites as of yet?
Hi csctiscali: You've made some good observations IMHO, I know I'm almost certainly going to attempt disassembly of this loco when I get mine (I can't help myself, as I enjoy attempting to improve factory locos and I know I'll be milling the frame for a speaker in the tank). I just hope someone tries before me and posts their findings. Are the added on details like grab irons made of plastic or metal, can you tell? IM tends to use plastic a bit too much, but if plastic, I hope they can be removed and replaced without damaging the factory paint. Does it look like the windows can be popped out? It would be very courageous to try and apply the heavy rubber gaskets to the front windows with the "glass" still in. Yes it still looks like those side windows are too small and making them larger would be extremely difficult to get a nice square result. I can see the obvious change in the handrail thickness where the white has been applied. If the handrails can be removed, it is a simple matter to soda blast them clean, and repaint with very thin white, which would now adhere and not add to the handrail thickness. In this enclosed photo, I have simulated the post mounted ditchlights in this SD40-2 CN/GTW by attaching Sunrise castings to the stanchions with SM LEDs in the castings. The engine was done some years ago and was one of my first detailing attempts so it's not my best work, but the ditchlights work very well nonetheless. One could round off the corners of the casting, add a thin brass post to hide the wires and get a better look. Still, this is not something for mass-production. Is the window "glass" clear and see-through, or does it have the "Coke bottle" look of Athearn SD70-75 series engines? A cab interior would also improve the front end. As I said in an earlier post, this is possibly a good start for an off the shelf loco, for those of us who crave detail and prototypical fidelity, which I believe is possible in N scale. A lot will hinge on how much disassembly can be done. I once tried to disassemble the shell of a Bachmann C40-8W wide cab (the new one) which I got on eBay for less than $25. It was festooned with added on details like grab irons and cut levers,etc, all in plastic and not looking right at all. They were all glued in, and most would not come out without breaking and leaving bits stuck in the shell. For the money it was worth it as a learning experience. Well, I do look forward to getting my pair and getting them in the shop right off.
cool I like what i see there is a lot of possibilities with this unit maybe i should get my emd plans yes the real blueprints and talk to intermountain about doing the SD38-2 now that they have the chassis what do ya'll think would there be a market for an SD38-2:tb-biggrin::tb-biggrin::tb-biggrin::tb-biggrin:
IM also used the same incorrect DB hatch on this model as on their prior SDs... and if it has ditch lights, then the vented door on the rear of the model is incorrect... should be two sets of vents, not one. The lack of any low-profile roof components is also distracting... while many have gotten changed out over the years... I've yet to see a SD40-2W with all standard height fans, dustbin hatch, exhaust hatch and engineroom vent.
Thanks all for the pictures , RAM53 , you did a real nice job with the ditchlights ! How does it run , is it comparable to an Atlas 6 axles or Kato 6 axles as far as pulling ? The motor connection to the board looks similar to Atlas way of doing it . It looks like it will be a new board completely from Digitrax and others , or we will have to carve the frame and install a DZ125 or similar .
After a break-in period, mine run as well as any recent Atlas 6-axle loco - great pickup, smooth response, good low-end creep. No surprise there; last I heard, IM uses Atlas drivetrain components. They're not as quiet as Katos, but the noise might reduce over time with break-in and proper lube. I purchased three, and one requires a slightly higher starting voltage - I've yet to tinker with it to see if I can get it to match the other two. The stock PC board is the same shape as the TCS AMD4 board (or Digitrax, Lenz equivalent), but because of the location of the frame screws clearance with the frame is very tight. Some judicious taping and/or filing may be necessary to prevent fried decoders. The lack of headlight pipes means the DCC board LED will illuminate the cab, not the nose-mount headlight. I'm assuming that one could re-use the stock headlight board by soldering the wires to the DCC board, but someone with more electronic expertise will have to answer that for sure.
This could scare off a lot of potential DCC buyers who are not comfortable with this sort of work. All the U.S. manufacturers could learn a lot from FVM's true 'plug n play' approach.
This is IM's first hood unit with the ever-pesky nose headlight, I think. For their F units, they put wires between the LED and light board, and suggest desoldering these and attaching them to the DCC board. Now that I think of it, has Atlas ever done a low-nose hood unit with nose headlights? I can't think of one. How about Kato before the mid-production SD40-2? I think not. It seems to be a major design and production problem that few manuf. have successfully overcome. IM should have offered engines with preinstalled high-quality decoders with all the necessary electrical work done to have working nose headlights. How will they address this problem when the realization sinks in that if you use DCC, you won't have headlights? Of course, we Canadian modellers have had to put up with grossly inaccurate models up until the SD90/43MAC, the AC4400CW and the GEVO; so I had to learn to cut, drill, strip, paint, detail, learn about resistors, LEDs, soldering and desoldering out of simple necessity. Well, it appears from some of the other current threads (like the "new" Kato SD45) that US prototype modellers have major issues of their own too.
I have Kato, Atlas and FVM 'wide cab' units with headlights and ditch lights in the same position as the SD40-2W without resorting to using separate hard wired boards for the lights, the Atlas 8-40CW even has flashing ditch lights.
I got mine yesterday, in the N.A. map scheme, and I have to say that I was far more impressed than I thought I'd be from previous pictures and video. The ride height is not as bad as I thought it'd be- no worse than an Atlas SD60- and that is correctable rather easily as noted in the prior SD60 threads on TB. Details look very good- especially from the front and the side window took some getting used to but looks fine. I put it next to an old production Kato Sd40-2 and the IM looks very good. I know these are taking a real beathing elsewhere on the web and have some prototypical detail issues, but I am really pleased with the look and hope this means that we are going to be getting regular cab SD40-2's with railroad specific details in the future, it would seem all they need to do is pop the widecab and add the old tunnel motor regular cabs and they'd have a huge head start. I will try to get some pictures on the snow modules thursday (and dullcote it real quick as well!!) Now- as for the DCC issue, well, thats an issue.... my best, Jan
Couldn't you remove the 3mm LED found on the DCC decoder and solder the SMT wires to the leads that the old LED was soldered too? Seems simple enough to me.
RAM go back and look at the original Atlas GP30's that Kato made for them, they have nose or low headlights and Atlas has them on the SD60m's. Sorry but Intermountain is not stepping up like you would think with all the hype they put behind their products.
Soldering a couple of wires would indeed be an easy job but there are lot of modelers out there in today's plug n play world without the skills who would be intimidated enough to pass on it. These days DCC installation in newly tooled engines should be getting easier like FVM's example but we still have new engines where you have to partly disassemble mechanisms and solder wires.
When you install DCC to IM F units you have to solder the stock LED to the new board . It's not a big thing for some modelers but it is to others , the way FVM went is the best in my book . You can go more complex if you want or just plug a simple decoder .
looks like the nose does not extend from the cab at a right angle but drops down slightly, looking at that side profile pic.
The Atlas 8-40C's most definitely have a seprate LED board for the ditchlights. It is mounted flat against the nose of the loco and transmits through light pipes down to the ditch lights. I am in the process of wrestling with one to install an MRC sound decoder and a seprate function decoder to allow the ditchlights to work. Right now the MRC decoders do not offer additional function outputs for ditchlights.
