Does anyone have any info regarding the chassis,shell etc. one would use to model an EL SDP45?I have seen an article on converting the old Athearn SD45 but prefer a scale width hood.I was thinking more on the lines of a P2K kitbash or Kato.Dan
Dancarm,
The SDP45, just like the SD45T-2 uses the same chassis as the FP45. All three of these locomotives are 70 feet, 8 inches long.
For a chassis you could use the Athearn FP45’s or wait for the new SD45T-2 to hit the market which will have a much better drive system. You would have to get an SD45 shell from an Atlas unit and lengthen it behind the radiator. I would not recommend the Athearn shell as its not the correct scale width.
Go to www.railpictures.net
On the blank Keyword box type in SDP45 and click “Find the Photo”. When the page opens up, click to go to the 2nd page. There are two decent side shots of SDP45s. One is Erie Lackawanna and the other Burlington Northern. If you have windows XP or have a picture viewer, you should be able to save the pictures and then be able to magnify them when viewing.
According to my info, EL SDP45s didn’t have boilers for passenger operation, the railroad purchased them due to the extended range fuel tank.
Hope this helps!
Thanks all for the replys.
Use the magazine index feature of this site and type in SDP45 as the keyword search. Plans and a kitbash have been published before. The new Athearn SD45T-2 frame will not likely have the correct mount for the SD45 trucks you will need to build the model. If you use the P2K or Kato SD45s you will want to stretch the frame and I believe that is covered in the article. Atlas does not make an SD45 model.
Six of those EL SDP45 bodies are still running on the UP today. They came to UP from SP merger and were among 130 plus units rebuilt for SP by MK in 1994-95 that called for Dash-2 components and a 3,000 HP 16 cylinder prime mover. MK called them SD40M-2. UP calls them SD40-2. Nearly half of the conversion were straight 45s, one of my favorites. Looking for photos, use UP2767-2772, formerly UP4717-4722, SP8691-8696.
David Harrison
Nice to know that these tough old giants have survived!
I’ve heard Helm Leasing also has one (rebuilt to SD40M-2).
Actually, this is incorrect. According to the two-part series about the “45 line” by Preston Cook in Railfan and Railroad, the lengths are as follows:
SD45: 65ft, 9.5in
F45: 67ft, 5.5in
SD45-2: 68ft, 10in
SD45T-2, SDP45, SD45M: 70ft, 8in
FP45, SDP40F: 72ft, 4in
(SD45M was the official designation of the EL SDP’s by EMD because they didn’t have generators)
I had to splice a pair of SD45 chassis for my SDP45. I used a pair of screws lengthwise through the fueltank to maintain electrical conductivity and structural strength.
Thanks Mike,
The measurments I posted come from THE AMERICAN DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE book published in 1977. Many black & white photos supplemented with illustrative diagrams of EMD, GE, Baldwin, Fairbanks Morse, and Alco units used up to the mid 1970s with blue printed measurements that include: fuel capacity, horsepower, truck center lengths, total length over couplers, generator/alternator type, traction motor type, etc.
So one of our books is not correct. Thanks for bringing this up as I definetly want the correct info. I will research this.
Cheers and thanks again! [;)]
The December 1998 and Januarry 1999 issiues of Railroad Model Craftsman, ran a two part article on how to make one of thse locos using a highly modified Kato Unit.
It would be a place to start to get an Idea on how to proceed.
James
Dan Carm There is an article in RMC Dec. 1981 on a kitbash for a SDP45 in EL. It does use Athearn wide body shells. Also check out website http://crcyc.railfan.net/model/steele/pileoparts.html
the website is not a very good article but you can look at it
Mike Dickinson