# SD40T-2's... on parade



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*T-dash-2's*
#8277, #8307, #8546, #8553, #8558.
Mostly in consist.

Short sections of finished scenery around Worlee and El Barranca.
Unfinished scenery and raw plaster are cropped out of some photos._

T-dash-2's... I like 'em a lot. I have more of them than any other locomotive, which is weird because they're way out of my era.
I sometimes run them in consist for long drags at club sessions. The SP hauled lots of coal with these diesels.
These are a mix of RivetCounters and Athearn RTR. Both are supremely detailed.
The Athearns are always reasonably priced, but I've found RivetCounters at very near the same cost, both online and on LHS shelves... particularly where the SP isn't all that popular.

Anyway, with nothing better to do, I railed 'em up for a lengthy photo session (17 photos occupy two posts).
_The distracting wide vertical lines in the background sky are tape-seams on a temporary backdrop._

You'll likely notice that Athearn #8307 is a _"Snoot-Nose"_... a longer prototype (116") nose, to house additional radio & electronics gear (Locotrol).
The entire 8300 series were Snoot-Noses. They resulted in shorter front & rear porches, and they slightly resembled the RSD15 _"Gators"._
I also have Athearn #8301 & 8351, but they're not weathered yet.

Sorry for the absence of utility pole _'wires'._.. not a fan. I've snagged enough poles without them, with just a hanging unbuttoned sleeve.
No need to exacerbate things into a calamity.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)




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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Man, that long snout on the 8307 makes it look twice as long as it is!


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## BigGRacing (Sep 25, 2020)

You can’t even tell if they are real or incredible modelling!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

These Athearn T-dash-2's are the nicest Athearn RTR's I've ever run across...
Everything's there -- including separate wire grabs, speed recorder cables, and photoetched windshield wipers.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

I used to watch SP tunnel motors crossing the causeway between Davis and Sacramento CA in my teens. Always favorites.

The Athearn RTR tunnel motors are nice and the ScaleTrains tunnel motors are even nicer.


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## CambriaArea51 (Sep 2, 2019)

Very nice weathering job.


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## Chops124 (Dec 23, 2015)

Any more real and you’ll need a permit.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Very realistic looking. You have to look twice to make certain they aren't the actual locomotives sitting there.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

BTW, _"Snoot Noses" _were also owned by the UP, ATSF, and KCS.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*#8277*_
Approaching _Gayle's Crossing_ at 20mph.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Two more, including a Snoot Nose Cotton Belt.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

40T-2 INLAWS

_*Athearn SD39's*_
From what I've seen, SD39's aren't a popular HO item, which is odd since they're really nice looking locomotives.
At club sessions I consist them, or sometimes slip them into mid-train service, head-ended by T-dash-2's.

SD39's broke into service as the main hauler on the Tehechapi Loop.
In the mid/late '70's they were relegated mostly to coastal runs and mid-train helper service.
The SP had only 26 of them, compared to 230 40T-2's.
In the '80's they were pressed into L.A. shuttle duty.
A few did service at the Eugene hump yard.

I don't like having consecutive locomotive cab numbers, but that's model Marketing for you.
_"Come On, Man!"_


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## ravex1049 (Dec 19, 2011)

LateStarter - you do great work. I always enjoy your posts with great pictures of your work. Keep it up!
Question though..... what was up with SP's obsession with headlights? 5 on the front and rear?


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I think Deutsche Bahn is going to have to import one of those for dìesel trials.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

ravex1049 said:


> Question though..... what was up with SP's obsession with headlights? 5 on the front and rear?


Earlier SP diesels generally had a headlight, (or two) plus an oscillating GyraLight or Mars light.
Most of the two verticals (between the number boards) are GyraLights, and are switched on at grade crossings.
Later units were equipped with ditch lights, plus a red emergency light that was connected to the emergency airbrake actuator, and would switch the light on to alert oncoming trains to stop.
It was, to a point, a 'complete' light package.

In addition, some units had 'class' lights (upper nose corners) that were rarely used, or later blanked out (as in the photo below).

Note that the SP SD39's didn't have ditch lights.

After the Santa Fe merger fiasco, (and the Rio Grande takeover) the SP no longer had any say in the matter, and much of the lighting package was removed.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Athearn RTR Snoot Nose*...
Another 'Snoot Nose' 40T-2, upstaged by a GP35._


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Two more Snoot Noses*_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Athearn RTR T-dash-2 grillework*
See thru'n'thru.
Likewise roof fan shrouds._


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Nice! 👍


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

LateStarter said:


> These Athearn T-dash-2's are the nicest Athearn RTR's I've ever run across...
> Everything's there -- including separate wire grabs, speed recorder cables, and photoetched windshield wipers.


Then you haven't gotten a ScaleTrains tunnel motor! 

That said, Athearn has done a very nice job on their tunnel motors, especially considering they are part of the RTR line.

I grew up watching the SP in the 70's and early 80's during the hay day of the SP in the Davis/Sacramento area of California. About all I saw running were tunnel motors and SD45's, and maybe a few SD40's. They've always been favorites of mine. I've got a bunch, although a couple of my Athearn SD45T-2's don't run so great. I'm mainly modeling D&RGW these days and have picked up 6 of the ScaleTrains tunnel motors so far. SD9's could be seen running through as well - I picked up a couple of the recent Walthers SD9's with the light packages.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

riogrande said:


> Then you haven't gotten a ScaleTrains tunnel motor!


Second paragraph in the O.P...
_"These are a mix of RivetCounters and Athearn RTR. Both are supremely detailed."_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*A Snoot Nose at Redemption Gate





















*_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Athearn*_
This one doesn't have sound... (yet).
It's the most severely I've weathered a Bloody Nose Tunnel Motor.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Well done!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*SD45T-2*
DCC w/o sound.
Not yet weathered.
Cheap, from the "bargain bin".

Circa early 1970's._
Speed lettering... I'm definitely not a fan.
Never liked the Gothic much either.
I grew up with _'SP Roman'_, and that's what I like.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Pre-owned Athearn*
LHS-priced cheap.
DCC, w/o sound.

Bernie is currently adding LokSound._
Runs great, but out-of-the-box with a drooping McHenry coupler (not a surprise).
Sitting on a 28" stretch of UniTrack for the photo.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Athearn Kodachrome*_
The only 40T-2 that I own in this paint scheme... not a fan, and never have been.
IMO, this scheme only looks good when it's filthy.
The worse the better.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

LateStarter said:


> _*Athearn*_
> This one doesn't have sound... (yet).
> It's the most severely I've weathered a Bloody Nose Tunnel Motor.
> View attachment 559693
> View attachment 559694


This one doesn't look like a Tunnel Motor - rather an SD40 before rebuild. Athearn offered some as-built SD40's but reportedly got some details wrong on them so I decided to pass for now. I'm mainly doing D&RGW but having grown up in the Sacramento area in the 70's and early 80's I have a soft spot for SP six axle EMD units, which seemed to be the norm in that area. I did get an SD40R however to mix with my Tunnel motors. I'm looking forward to ScaleTrains getting around to the standard SD45 (L-windshield) and SD45T-2's.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Glad you liked it.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Crawling toward El Barranca*
A RivetCounter and an Athearn Cotton Belt._


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

tunnel motors have always been a favorite of mine since I first saw them crossing the Yolo Causeway between Davis and Sacramento as a teen in the 70's. Them along with the classic SP SD45.

So far I've picked up all of ScaleTrains available D&RGW as-delivered SD40T-2's and finally picked up an SP as well (it was on sale). I'm wondering when ScaleTrains is going to get around to doing the shorter nose SP tunnel motors. I am also waiting for ScaleTrains to offer the more common SP SD45 in the 89xx and 9xxx series with the L windshield and high mount brake cylinders.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

riogrande said:


> I'm wondering when ScaleTrains is going to get around to doing the shorter nose SP tunnel motors...


*???*


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

LateStarter said:


> *???*
> View attachment 560662
> View attachment 560663


The lobotomized tunnel motors are too late for me. I'm looking for as delivered good for the 77-83 period - basically late in the caboose era.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Snoot Noses rule!*_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)




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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*RivetCounter delivered yesterday*
Just tested, programmed, and certified excellent.
Snoot-nose._


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Another Snoot Nose*
Extremely cheap._

Duplicate number though. I'll have to renumber it.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Early Blue Box 'Snoot Nose'*
Detailed & modified w/ESU LokSound.
(it's been "Bernie-fied").

$45 LHS purchase. Test-run smoothly. Excellent puller.

This was a lengthy project that began in January._
Repainted & lettered... LED's... cab awnings... ground plane... PTC array... three-chime horn... whip antennas... wire grabs.
It still needs a few more details, e.g., hoses, wipers, and a 'snoot-top' grab.
It's only been lightly bottom-weathered with 'road dust'.






















Not too sure how far back this version goes, or what the original selling price was.
Cab roof detail was cast-on and poorly rendered, so a lot of material was removed and replaced with Cannon and BLMA detail parts. Removal of cast-on material left holes that needed putty-fill and sanding.
The previous owner took great care of it.
It was clean as a whistle under the shell. The only thing wrong with it was a burned out incandescent headlight bulb (c.m.i.i.w., but I think Athearn was the last arrival to the LED party).


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Snoot Nose in 4x consist near El Barranca*_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*First D&RGW diesel purchases*_
A RivetCounter SD40T-2, and a Walthers Mainline F7.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Correction*:_
The F7 (behind the 40T-2) was bought _used_ at the LHS for what I considered a good price. It was in a Mainline box.
Turns out, after closer examination, it's really a _Proto_ (it wasn't offered in Mainline).
_The price got even better._


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Athearn Blue Box SD40T-2*
With mods._

Purchased used, extremely cheap... not running.
Bernie added a new motor and ESU LokSound.
I added Kadees, some wire grabs, and MU hoses. I've yet to paint-out the numberboard frames, and add wipers. It probably won't get weathered.
It gets blown away by the RivetCounter #5359, but it blends okay with it. Inexplicably, we had a heck of a time addressing and speed-matching it, but it's fine now.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

UPDATE
The D&RG BB above developed a horrible shell buzz, that took us a full week to find.
Never had one suddenly arise like that.
Very weird... and very annoying.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

what was the fix?


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Lemonhawk said:


> what was the fix?


Once the area was identified, I applied a few thin dabs of FlexSeal... let cure, then reassembly.
Jeez, there's that dang FlexSeal again!


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Just don't tell them, or we will never hear the end of it!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Welcome to the fold*
A late addition... #8320._


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