Locomotive ID?

[Kevin B.]

Can anyone clue me in as to the identity of this loco. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=81510 It is listed as a SD40-2, but the "porch" on the back end looks MUCH larger than that of a Dash 2. If I'm right, I believe SD40-2s were built on the SD45 frame, thus the fact that is has the "porch" on the back. So is this a SD50 that was rebuilt to SD40-2 specs. maybe? Thanks for the help.

[Joe]

It's just a rebuilt SD40-2 with the body moved up to the front. They even squared off the back of the deck to make the rear porch bigger! I don't get it but it makes a cool loco!

[D.Carleton]

Judging from the lack of rear stairs and guessing length by counting handrails, this would appear to be a former SD45T-2 rebuilt with an SD40-2 hood. Just think, some people grew up doing kit-bashing for fun.

[Bryanjones]

Its not an SD40-2 with the body moved forward. It is formerly an SD45T-2 that has been rebuilt to SD40-2 specs, but has also had the original tunnel cooling system replaced with a standard cooling system. This locomotive most likely had some sort of wreck damage or had already been partially stripped of the body which would be the reason for the replacement radiator section. The SD40T-2 and SD45T-2's rode on a frame that was longer (70'8" I think) than that of standard 6 axle DASH 2's. The longer frame coupled with the fact that the shorter 16 cyliiner prime mover and radiator section produce this unusually large rear porch on this locomotive.

Bryan Jones

[Allen Hazen]

Another spotting featur to confirm the origins of this unit: note the ladder-style steps at the rear end. Standard SD40/SD40-2/SD45/SD45-2 and E-L SDP45 have stairway-style steps at the rear, similar to those at the front of the unit. SDP45 with steam genertors, the SD45X, and the SD45T2 and SD40T2 have ladders at the rear, evidently because their very long hoods don't leave room for conventional steps, even with their 70'8" length. (FWIW, "The Contemporary Diesel Spotter's Guide" by Marre & Pinkepank-- the 1995 incarnation of kalmbach's guide-- gives 68'10" as the length of the two T2 models, but I think this is an error. "Railroad Model Craftsman" published drawings of the SD45T2 (July 1973, in an article also covering the SD45-2 and the SD45X) and the SD40T2 (May 1975) showing the T2 models as having the longer SDP45 frame.)