Does anybody out there know the correct cab used to make the DD40 into a DD40X?

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I am getting ready to turn my Athearn (HO scale) DD40 into a DD40X (since the original cab was cracked in shipment). The cab seems to be the style used on the SD70 MAC and many others, but if anyone out there has the exact type, I would sure appreciate it. Also, if anyone has a lead on where I can get one of these cabs, let me know

2

Cut one off a Athearn F45/FP45 shell (low nose headlight) by the side cab doors. If you tidy it up you should have a reasonable model but you have loads to do as the handrails wont fit and make the sandboxes towards the rear of the loco. You might be better converting into a DD35A or with the cracked shell, getting another body and splicing the two into the B version which both UP and SP had

3

unless i am mistaken the never was a DD40, only the widenosed DDA40X, the one with the narrow nose is actually a DD35A

4

It is actually a DD40, Athearn used the EMD blue prints of the loco but it was never built except for the DDA40X which 47 were built for the UP. You can tell this as the DD35 had 2 large fans with a smaller one in between over each radiator group, giving 4 large and 2 small fans where as the DD40 had 3 large fans over each group, giving 6 in total

5

Thanks very much for the info. I will be able to get started pretty soon. I have a GP50, and 6 SD40-2s ahead of it right now. I am building my MoPac fleet up and wanted to also add some “what if” into the mix.

I am lobbying Model Railroader magazine to add a section devoted to reader entries. It would consist of readers sending in photos of their locomotives and rolling stock, that they have superdetailed themselves. It would be similar to what car magazines do with their articles. If a reader has an entry that is particularly good, then perhaps the magazine could do a feature article on it and the reader. This would also give the rest of us some great ideas to use at home. Tell me what you think of this idea.

6

Thanks to everyone out there who helped out on this. I ended up using a wide body cab set up to convert a GP50. I know it isn’t 100% correct for a centurian, but the fact that I am building it for a what if MoPac fleet, it will fit right in with the way MoPac used whatever they had in many cases to repair damaged locomotives. I have pictures of U-boats with EMD cabs etc.

7

mopacforever wrote:

“I am lobbying Model Railroader magazine to add a section devoted to reader entries. It would consist of readers sending in photos of their locomotives and rolling stock, that they have superdetailed themselves. It would be similar to what car magazines do with their articles. If a reader has an entry that is particularly good, then perhaps the magazine could do a feature article on it and the reader. This would also give the rest of us some great ideas to use at home. Tell me what you think of this idea.”

MR already has this. It’s called trackside photos. You have actually READ Model Railroader, haven’t you?

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