Western Railroad Discussion > An EMD We All Loved

Taken back in 07 unit retired 4/12/10



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/10/12 16:22 by rich6000.

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VERY nice shot!....it also brings up a question Ive been curious about regarding tunnel motors. With UPs SD40N rebuild program going full speed, Im wondering WHY couldnt they have rebuilt a few tunnel motor varients of the SD40-2 model? While Im sure most of the SP versions were pretty ragged out,I would think some could have been rebuilt.

Just don't look right painted yellow n gray.

I agree--I wish they had kept some. The fact that they did heavy work on a bunch of them after the merger (even to the point of giving some new noses) gave me hope that some would be on UP for a long time. It's likely that the rear step arrangement is what doomed them, as it's not ideally suited for switching. UP had plenty of "regular" SD40-2's and wanted to standardize. It's the same reason CSX won't rebuild any Flexicoil truck SD40-2's in their "SD40-3" program.

On the bright side, UP is keeping real bells AND the original cab design on the "SD40N" units. AND they aren't getting flags--thank goodness!

Excellent shot Rich and thanks for the remembrance of those units. Those really looked good when they were on the Hays local out of Salina.
Brian Stevens

Posted from iPhone

tx_trainman43 Wrote:
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> With UP's SD40N rebuild program going full speed,
> I'm wondering WHY couldn't they have rebuilt a few
> tunnel motor varients of the SD40-2 model?

You answered your own question....Because it IS a variant of the SD40-2.

Guys, they didn't even keep any of the Rio Grande SD40T-2's either.
And they were maintained much better then the SP units were.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that only UP SD40-2's are being rebuilt.
SP, DRGW, MP and CNW units need not apply.

PHall Wrote:
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> Guys, they didn't even keep any of the Rio Grande
> SD40T-2's either.
> And they were maintained much better then the SP
> units were.
> Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that
> only UP SD40-2's are being rebuilt.
> SP, DRGW, MP and CNW units need not apply.


There are a handful of Ex-CNWs included in the overhaul program, and maybe even a couple Ex-Mo-Pacs.

Pump

Nice shot. Not too many ex-SP tunnel motors got full UP paint in the 8000-series, let alone one with a yellow frame stripe and an original SP plow. So this unit is a rarity.

As far as these not making it to the "N" program. I'll throw in the non-standard body was probably a negative in the efficiency and streamlining of the project (grilles, fans, doors, internal cooling, piping, etc). Then other rumors I heard had to do with taxes on original UP units vs. non-original UP units. Plus we all know they were not taken care of like other (UP) units. Three negatives right there.

IIRC the T-2's were not kept or excluded for rebuilding on account of their unique tunnel motor radiator systems. Something to do with being more expensive to maintain and not being standardized parts wise with a straight sd40-2's cooling system.

We got a T-2 up here. Ex-UP 2921, exx-UP 4476, nee-SP 8385. It is currently owned by the Boone & Scenic Valley RR. It is still in UP paint, there is talks or plans of painting back to the previous Southern Pacific scheme with a complete SP lighting package.

300 units is still a sizeable fleet, you'd think there'd be enough tunnel-specific parts to go around.