Model Railroading > How to Remove the R from SD40R?

I have an Athearn SD40R (the nicer one- not the Blue Box). I’d like to backdate it to a pre-rebuilt SD40. What-all is needed to accomplish this?
(or at least get reasonably close)
Thanks
SR

Re number it back to an SD40 and if needed re install full Espee light package front and rear.    To my memory there are no other major detail differences.   Perhaps the style of radio antenna and make sure you have a P3 air horn and in the right place.   the SD40's did not have the latter on style L shaped windshield so you are safe there.

Richard.

The access doors on the cab subbase are different on the SD40R's compared to as built. The rebuilds have two small doors under the cab while as built there was one long one. I think the doors next to the short hood are different, too. Bigger louvers?

I wish Athearn would do a run of stock SP SD40's with the upgraded shell.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/24 18:02 by CPR_4000.

Thiere is a list of differences at http://espee.railfan.net/spsd40r.html.

Athearn did offer an RTR SP s delivered SD40 a few years ago.

Posted from Android

All good info, thank you folks!
SR

(Except maybe the Betsy stuff- I mean Elizabeth? Really? I was thinking realistically, not supernaturally!!)

Depends on how far you want to go SR!  External changes when the SD40s went through the GRIP program include:

- GRIP style battery box doors, which had a noticeable hinge at the bottom, and split equipment doors under the cab. These are a separate part on the Athearn model and can be replaced with Cannon parts
- Addition of the Gyralite and Pyle emergency light on the rear hood
- additional dynamic brake vent in front of the dynamic brake fans
- moved the bell from the cab roof to under the walkway in from the the fuel tank in the fireman's side
- The access doors on the dynamic brakes were changed to the larger Dash-2 style
- The more difficult fix if you want to go that far, is the rebuilt electrical cabinet. The original versions had a vertical seam behind the cab. The GRIP rebuilds used a Dash-2 electrical cabinet, which is noticeably larger and has a diagonal section.  Athearn made two SD40 shells, one with the original electrical cabinet and another with the GRIP version for the SP SD40Rs
The last 10 SD40s (8479-8488) were delivered with L-windshields and rear snowplows, but both those features were removed when rebuilt.  They also came with trucks with the high brake cylinders, but those tended to get switched around.

Have fun!

Elizabeth

Should add that some of the Athearn SD40R shells had a nasty bend, the fix was to crank down on the coupler screws until it leveled out.

Looking back those just happen to be the last two Athearn locomotives I purchased.

+ there is a way to put an Athearn SD40 / SD45 shell on a Kato frame



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/24 22:59 by TCnR.

Ha! I wondered if you’d see this..

Thanks, Elizabeth- you make it sound so manageable!
My model already has the bell on the frame and it doesn’t have the L window, so I’m ahead of the curve on that.
It has the full light package on the rear, but I’ll have to compare it to pre-GRIP photos- a fairly easy fix if it’s wrong.
I’ll track down the Cannon battery door(s).
The trucks on mine have no brake cylinders showing. I know early 8800 SD45’s had these trucks. Are they good on the early SD40’s too?
I think I’ll leave the electrical cabinet as is.
SR

Betsy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Depends on how far you want to go SR!  External
> changes when the SD40s went through the GRIP
> program include:

Add:
-Addition of tool box at the end of the walkway traction motor blower duct.
-Deletion of classification lights per prototype and date.

BoilingMan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ha! I wondered if you’d see this..
>
> Thanks, Elizabeth- you make it sound so
> manageable!
> My model already has the bell on the frame and it
> doesn’t have the L window, so I’m ahead of the
> curve on that.
> It has the full light package on the rear, but
> I’ll have to compare it to pre-GRIP photos- a
> fairly easy fix if it’s wrong.
> I’ll track down the Cannon battery door(s).
> The trucks on mine have no brake cylinders
> showing. I know early 8800 SD45’s had these
> trucks. Are they good on the early SD40’s too?
> I think I’ll leave the electrical cabinet as is.
>
> SR

Trucks were swapped around a lot during maintenance and repairs. 

BoilingMan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My model already has the bell on the frame and it
> doesn’t have the L window, so I’m ahead of the
> curve on that.

The other way around. Undoing the changes that took place during the rebuild would mean the bell should be moved back to the cab roof.  Details West makes a nice part.

> It has the full light package on the rear, but
> I’ll have to compare it to pre-GRIP photos- a
> fairly easy fix if it’s wrong.

As built, all SP SD40s had only the twin sealed beam headlight on the rear hood. The Athean part may be fairly easy to remove, but it would leave a blank end with no headlight housing.  A spare housing from a Cannon hood end sprue would be the easist fix.

> The trucks on mine have no brake cylinders
> showing. I know early 8800 SD45’s had these
> trucks. Are they good on the early SD40’s too?

Yes.  The original order was 1966, the high brake cylinders didn't show up on the SD45s until 1968, though there was a "transition" style that appeared in 1967.

> I think I’ll leave the electrical cabinet as is.

That's a more difficult fix, so unless it bugs you! I forgot about the tool box on the walkway behind the traction motor blower duct.  It's a separate etched part on the Athearn model. The problem is that SP replaced the short handrail stanchion at that location with a long one. SD40s as built had 4 short stanchions at the rear on the fireman's side, the SD40R, and the model, only has 3.  That's not an easy fix with the crappy plastic handrails...

Elizabeth
 

Betsy Wrote:
> The last 10 SD40s (8479-8488) were delivered with
> L-windshields and rear snowplows, but both those
> features were removed when rebuilt.  They also
> came with trucks with the high brake cylinders,
> but those tended to get switched around.
>
> Have fun!
>
> Elizabeth

didn't those last 10 units have the brake wheel on a stand on the rear porch? why?

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Athearn did offer an RTR SP s delivered SD40 a few years ago.

The few I've seen had the earlier RPP-ish shell with the funky battery box / access doors under the cab and the funky RPP radius at the top of the short hood, and the RPP dynamic brake blisters. 89000, 93000 part numbers? The 98000 series models have the vastly improved shell.

dragoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Betsy Wrote:
> > The last 10 SD40s (8479-8488) were delivered
> with
> > L-windshields and rear snowplows, but both
> those
> > features were removed when rebuilt.  They also
> > came with trucks with the high brake cylinders,
> > but those tended to get switched around.
> >
> > Have fun!
> >
> > Elizabeth
>
> didn't those last 10 units have the brake wheel on
> a stand on the rear porch? why?

That was the standard location on a stock SD40. Maybe SP decided to save a buck or two.