PAR SD40-2s (MEC 600 series and 3400 series)

[MEC407]

Are all 10 of the Helm SD40-2s on the property now?

[MEC407]

As an aside, has anyone else ever daydreamed about how cool a tunnel motor would look in Pan Am paint? They're getting harder to find, but there are still a few available for sale, in good shape too.

[gokeefe]

What's a tunnel motor?

Is that a ref. to some kind of electric traction?

[KSmitty]

SD40T-2. They have a different radiator/air intake setup. Sold to SP and DRGW for use in the mountains where normal EMD's choked for air because of higher level air intakes. SD45T-2's and SD40T-2's were the only models offered. SP bought both Rio Grande only the SD40T-2.

example - http://trainweb.org/arkansastrains/rail ... J08000.jpg

UP wound up with the whole fleet of T-2's but sold them or scrapped them off the roster in large blocks. A few remain in small clumps here and there. I think KCS has 10 or so SD40T-3's (remotored 40T-2's) and as R.T. said there are still some on the used market, but the large blocks of units are gone.

[MEC407]

Or, in layman's terms, it's an SD40-2 that has a slightly more bad@$$ appearance. Internally they're basically the same, aside from the improved radiator arrangement.

[KSmitty]

Or, in layman's terms, it's an SD40-2 that has a slightly more bad@$$ appearance. Internally they're basically the same, aside from the improved radiator arrangement.

Railfans might like their looks but they disappeared rather quickly. I talked with someone on NS, they implied that the rear step arrangement (more ladder than steps) caused some sort of issue somewhere. There must be something about them, because considering they are essentially SD40-2's they've gone by the wayside much more quickly than others in their class.

[Backshophoss]

The SD-40-T2 and the SD-45-T2 were at first SP power for running in the snow sheds and tunnels on the Donner Pass route in Ca.
The intakes for rads are at walkway level to use the cooler air in the snow sheds and tunnels to cool the engine coolant down.
the standard intakes for SD-40/45 are at roof level and the air was warmed up by the engine exhaust and the Prime movers
overheated in the snow sheds and tunnels.

[CN9634]

Or ex-NS SD60s and ex-BNSF SD60Ms.

[CN9634]

No bites huh?

[MEC407]

I'd love to see some of those on PAR but there are hardly any SD60s available right now that aren't already spoken for, and the various railroads that own SD60Ms seem to be hanging onto them.

Oddly enough, CSX is getting rid of a bunch of their first-generation SD70MACs. I believe a few have already been sold to a shortline/regional whose name escapes me at the moment.

[necr3849]

Can PAR just stop painting the trucks blue?! That really looks terrible, especially when they start getting dirty. Just do them black like the Fs or GP9s.

[KSmitty]

The CSX MAC's went to 4 River Transportation, of which CSX owns a minority share. They own Pauducah and Louisville, Appalachia and Ohio and another in the lousiville area.

[pnolette]

Or ex-NS SD60s and ex-BNSF SD60Ms.

Trying to say something CN?

[Backshophoss]

Most of the SD-60's are fodder for ECO repowers nowadays.

[MEC407]

Asking again, since we kinda got off-track...

Are all 10 of the Helm SD40-2s on the property now?