Looking at this old shot of mine of an EMD Model 40, I have begun to wonder, is that cab essentially the same cab as an SW1 or NW2 of the same time frame?
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=235632&nseq=0
I wonder what it would take to scratch build one of these?
Yes. Model Railroader Cyclopedia, Volume 2: Diesel Locomotives has pictures and an HO scale drawing.
Cannon & Co has the thin wall cab kits. You’d need 2 of then as the critter is a center cab and the SW’s are end cabs. You should be able to bash the rest of the body together from some old shells. An Athearn Husler drive with the Earnst gearing upgrade should work or one of the truck drives from NWSL or Tenshodo. I think I might try this one myself.
Round House makes a RTR EMD model 40 so you don’t have to scratch build one here is the link to there site but they are discontuned and are easy to find at train stores or ebay. hope this helps Mike T
http://www.roundhousetrains.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=Model+40&CatID=THLD
You could, if you were building one in HO, make the cab from two Cannon & Co. early SW cab kits and power it using a NWSL repower assembly for an Ahearn Hustler, because their wheel bases are real close (I was thinking of building one in the mid 1990’s). Or you could check this out (I heard about it in 2003) http://www.roundhousetrains.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=Model+40&CatID=THLD