Model Railroading > CN SD40-2W Roster

With the upcoming release of Bowser SD40-2W, is there a good source for CN roster of these units, including year built and which numbers did/did not have dynamic brakes? Thx!

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/24 12:58 by csxt4447.

Maybe the CNR Rail Canada Book published back in the 80s?

Build dates would be found in the Canadian Trackside Guide. As for dynamics and paint, I've tracked that over the years as I've seen them, but I don't have it compiled properly at this time.

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Darren Boes
Lethbridge, AB
Southern Alberta Railfan

rrpicturearchive

The best source of a roster of CN's SD40-2W is a copy of the yearly published Candadian Trackside Guide from 1988 to the most current issue 2023.  The all editions of the Canadian Trackside Guide list all the SD40-2Ws by engine number.  The later editions will have gaps in the numbers for units no longer on the CN roster but each edition will list the retired units and what happened to each unit.  For example the 2022 edition of the Canadian Trackside Guide list all the CN orders of SD40-2Ws with the number of units in each order and how many of each order are still left on the roster from each order.  Also listed is the total number of SD40-2Ws still on the roster in 2022 this 74 units out of a total number of units purchased of 123.  The Guide also list which units have dynamic brakes.  The publisher of the Canadian Trackside Guide is the Bytown Railway Society and their website has a list on the yearly guides that you can still purchase.  

The Canadian Trackside Guides contain much more than just roster information for all the Canadian railroads.  Also included is information on paasenger cars, time table information, train numbers, and lots of other information about the only information missing from these guides is the information found in the offical railway equipment registers.

another source to try   www.cnrphotos.com
The website is currently down, working to restore it online.
Doug

Agree with cnr photos. Was trying to look at it before posting but the server wasn't finding it, that explains what's up with that.

The CN SD40-2W prototype is interesting as there are so many variations. There's a story that the dynamic brakes would be removed at one rebuild project and then replaced a few years later at another rebuild. Suggest having a good idea as to what year that is of interest to filter out the unwanted examples.

There's also all sorts of variations with air intake / snow shields and various markings beyond the paint scheme.

fwiw the Bowser C630 / M630 models that I have are great runners, the details are a bit heavy in dimensions but they look great, run great. Looking forward to another round of Bowser locomotives.

I do believe that the story that the CN removed the DBs from SD40-2Ws and then added added them back at a latter date is just a story.  The first two CN C630Ms add DB's they were never removed the crews just did not use the dynamic brakes.  It should be note that every engine CN purchased beginning with the SD50Fs came with dynamic brakes.  

Way back on September 2, 1994 during my annual railfan trip to Western Canada with a fellow railfan we were photographing and chasing CN trains north of Kamploops, CA in the afternoon.  One of the trains we were chasing and photographing was CN X2446W #771, a loaded coal train of about 15,200 tons going from Leyland, AB to Roberts Bank BC.  The power on the train was two Dash 8-40CMs 2446 and 2438 and we had photographed this train at a number locations when the train stopped at Vinsulla, BC.  At Vinsulla the CN engineer invited us for a cab visit which of course we did.  After talking with us for a while the engineer ask us if we would like a cab ride into town.  Of course we could not turn him down but one us meaning me would have to drive the car back to Kamloops.  So my friend rode the train back to Kamloops.  During the cab my friend asked the engineer how did he like how the dynamic brakes worked on these new powerful GEs.  The engineer answered him saying that he had never used dynamic brakes before since the CN is a railroad without any real grades on the mainlines trains were slowed and stopped with train brakes.  The engineer said to my friend let me give these dynamic brakes a try to slow the train down, remember it was a 15,200 ton train with only two units. When the dynamic brakes took hold the engineer say wow these dynamic brakes really work great in slowing a train down.  As the train got close to Kamloops the engineer used the dynamic brakes to slow the train down until it was almost stopped and then he brought the train to a final stop using the track brakes.  The engineer told my friend that he like the way the dynamic brakes worked and will be using them in the future.  My friend thanked the engineer for the cab ride.

Once the train stopped in Kamloops for a crew change and the train was check out we took lots of photos of the train and the power in perfect afternoon sun light.

I like to think of this true story is how one CN engineer learn to like dynamic brakes.  Lastly from 1987 and to 1999 the both CN and BCR gave us written permission to be on CN and BCR property.  Both railroads allowed us to go anywhere even to areas that we did not think that we would be allowed.  When you have permission to be on railroad property you make sure to remember that safety comes first above all.