HO RTR SD40 (SD40-2) with DCC & Sound, CSX #8373

CSX FEATURES:

• Large fuel tank
• Newly tooled plow and horn
• Updated approved colors
• Whip style antennas
• Chessie style “Mail Slot” battery box doors
• Rebuilt and classified as SD40-2
• Art provided and approved by Nick O’Dell

When the CSX Transportation merger was completed in 1987, CSX inherited 138 SD40 locomotives. With plans to retire their aging fleets, CSX decided to upgrade 125 SD40s to EMD’s Dash-2 standards. The rebuild program would make structural and corrosion repairs, and perform general overhaul work to the SD40 locomotives. After 25 units were first rebuilt in the “Stealth” scheme, CSXT #8410 was the first unit to be rebuilt and painted in the updated “YN1” paint scheme, outshopped on Nov. 10th, 1989. This paint scheme introduced yellow hues to both the front and rear of the locomotive, along with adding a yellow trim to the side sill, aiding in visibility. 47 more rebuilds were completed in the YN1 scheme up until March 23, 1990. At the end of March, two final rebuilds were released from the Huntington shops in the brand new YN2 scheme, completing the program. Many of these SD40-2 rebuilds retained their “YN1” paint scheme well into the late 2000’s.

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• Timken Bearing trucks
• CSX style horn and plow
• high mounted truck brake cylinders
• Dynamic brake T-vent

• Timken Bearing trucks
• CSX style horn and plow
• high mounted truck brake cylinders
• Dynamic brake T-vent

• Mixed Hyatt and Timken bearing trucks
• CSX style horn and plow
• low mounted truck brake cylinders

• Mixed Hyatt and Timken bearing trucks
• CSX style horn and plow
• low mounted truck brake cylinders

LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

• LED lighting
• Photo-etched stainless steel windshield wipers
• Fully assembled and ready-to-run
• Separately applied wire grab irons
• Separately applied air tanks
• Coupler cut levers
• Rubber MU hoses
• Fine scale handrails molded in engineering plastic
• Non-sound version features 21-pin NEM DCC plug
• See-through dynamic brake and radiator fans
• Curved radiator fan grab iron
• Exhaust stack
• Frame mounted bell (unless noted)
• Detailed 4000 gallon fuel tank (unless different capacity is noted)
• Flexicoil-C trucks with high or low brake cylinders (per prototype)
• McHenry scale knuckle spring couplers
• Highly-detailed, injection molded body featuring new tooling
• Painted and printed for realistic decoration
• See through cab windows
• Bi-directional LED lighting
• All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth and quiet operation
• All-wheel electrical pickup
• 5-pole motor with flywheels and multi-link drivetrain for trouble-free operation
• Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
• Window packaging for easy viewing
• Interior plastic blister safely holds the model for convenient storage
• Minimum radius: 18”
• Recommended radius: 22”

SOUND EQUPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE

• Onnboard Econami sound decoder by Soundtraxx
• Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
• Engine startup sound sequence
• All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
• Dynamic brake sound or Non-Dynamic Straight to idle on F4
• Some functions are limited in DC
• Extra prime mover and horn sounds exclusive to Athearn version
• Slow speed control
• Multiple bell sound files user configurable via Configuration Value (CV)
• CV chart included in the box
• Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
• Full DCC functions available when operated in DCC mode
• Engine, horn, and bell sounds work in DC
• All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
• Excellent Slow speed control
• CV chart included in the box
• Current Keeper ready with on board expansion plug
• Operating lighting functions with F5 and/or F6
• Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
• Many functions can be altered via CV changes

PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION

In 1966, EMD updated its locomotive catalog with entirely new models, all powered by the new 645 diesel engine. The SD40 had 3,000 hp from a turbocharged V16. 856 examples of this locomotive model were built for American railroads, 330 were built for Canadian railroads, and 72 were built for Mexican railroads.

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article “EMD SD40”; it is used under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (CC-BY-SA). You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the CC-BY-SA.