just in case any of y’all need another project to do, i’ll show you how i am building my 4 Southern Pacific SD40T-2’s. i’ll post a parts list at the end but i’ll also tell you what i am using as we go.
well, lets get this thing started! the very first thing you should do is find a picture, or better yet, several pictures of the locomotive you want to model. there are always a few detail differences between locomotives. http://espee.railfan.net is a great place for pictures of SP locomotives. an internet search will usually turn up several pictures of the same locomotive from other sources. Harry Wong put together an excellent detail guide to SP SD40T-2’s. i think it can be found on the espee modelers site, but i dont know the exact web address for it.
first off, you need an undecorated Athearn SD40T-2. i found some painted ones really cheap so i stripped them using Castrol Super Clean. now, this is probibly the hardest part. i plan on using Cannon & CO noses, cabs and cab sub bases, so i had to cut off the entire Athearn nose and sub base. on the first time, i tried cutting it off with an exacto knife. it is very time consuming, but it came out somewhat ok. for the other 3, i used a hacksaw. it works much faster, but you cant control it as well. you have to be careful that you dont cut off too much.
here are a couple of shots of the shell with the nose and sub base cut off:
the Cannon parts i used are SB-1202: EMD cab sub base kit, SB-1203: SP split equipment doors, TC-1501: EMD thinwall dash 2 cab kit, and LN-1106: EMD 123" low short hood kit. i am going to be making one with the 88" nose, 1 with the 116" nose, and 2 with the 123" nose. all sizes are available from Cannon. one thing about Cannon & CO parts, the instructons are not the best in the world. i had to tear apart one sub base because i had
starting on the cab, drill out the holes for the grab irons and add them. dont add the grabs to the nose yet because they will get in the way while decaling. on the roof i added a Details West vapor type air conditioner (AC-158), a DW roof top bell (BE-292), a Precision Scale bracket mount horn (39085), and the DW sinclair radio antennas with stands (RA-214). i bent a piece of wire i had laying around for the air hose going to the bell and i built the beacon stand on the firemans side from a scrap piece of styrene and some wire. remember to check your photos, the roof details vary quite a bit between different SD40T-2’s. the small antenna mounts i decided to use dont exactly match the prototype, but they are good enough for me[:D] i have learned to really dislike the Cannon cabs, so on my other 3 tunnel motors i am going to use the cabs off of the Athearn SD50’s i am gutting for drives. they look really nice and they have those cool sliding windows.[:D]
here are the pics of the cab: they still need some sanding and filinf to get them ready for painting.
on the rear, i added Sunrise enterprises cluster bracket for sp SD40T-2 units (H-133) sunrise doesnt make one with the gyralite removed so i had to cut them off with my xuron and file them down. then i added the grab irons to the rear (17" drop grabs from Detail associates) then i glued in the S&S brass grills.
now for the frame. i took it out to the grinder and ground down the seams on the tank sides. this makes the tank look much better. i also used the hacksaw to cut off the cast on fuel filler details. a dremel would make this a heck of alot easier, but i cant find mine [:D][:O] i also cu
this is just a drop in installment. the only special thing you have to do is add a shorter driveshaft going from the motor to the lead truck. the long driveshaft works fine on the rear, but is too long for the front. i ended up using the shorter driveshafts out of one of the new Athearn SD40-2’s that i scavenged for the long range dynamic brake housing that i am using on another tunnel motor. but i think you can order the driveshafts from Athearn. the power leads to each truck just slide right on so you dont have to do any soldering there.
then, you have to either solder or drill a hole to attach the negative lead from the motor. dont ya love my beautiful soldering job?[:D][:D]
and there ya go, a DCC ready, nice running chassis for your new SD40T-2. and you get to use those excellent looking miccrobulbs that Athearn is using now.
I almost forgot one very importinat detail, the SP 4 hole jacking pads. (note: if you are doing a 116" snoot, they do not have the 4 hole jacking pads) they are Cannon & Co, part number JP-2151. what you do to attach these is first, cut off the T shaped jacking pads from the locomotive shell. then you cut or file a notch into the side sill for the new pad, like this:
Then you just glue in the 4 hole jacking pad even with the top of the walkway like this:
now we move to the front. this Athearn SD40T-2 didnt have an anticlimber, so i had to add one. i used Cannon & Co, part number AC-2103. all you have to do is cut off the small point with the handrail holes from the front of the locomotive, sand the area smooth, then glue on the new anticlimber.
then i added the plow. this one is from Details West, part number PL-206. not much you need to do here. you can drill holes and mount the plow with the mounting pins (for a stronger hold, or do it the easy way like me and cut off the pins and glue the plow right to the pilot.
now to the rear. there is a huge notch in the rear of the Athearn SD40T-2’s and it doesnt look very good. so i cut out a piece of scrap styrene i had laying around and trimmed it till it fit in the notch. then i glued it in. you may have to do some filing later on so that it will clear the coupler.
and now, if i havent forgotten anything else, we are ready for painting! i have left off the details that will get in the way of paint masking and decals. we will add them later
a couple of items i forgot to mention. the antenna plane on the top of the long hood by the exhaust is a details west part. and if you look at the cab window, you’ll see i added a post to the engineers side of the L window. when most of the SP SD40T-2’s got rebuilt, they got this modification. but at least one that i know of lasted into UP ownership still having the L shaped window.
i never really liked the smokey valley handails. i tried them on a SD60M and it’s just too much work for me. i am going to use the stock Athearn handrails. but i think i will remount them on the tops of the front and rear anticlimbers.
well, after further review, i have decided to go all out with the details.[:D]
first off, lets move to the rear. on the actual SD40T-2’s there is a gap between the radiator sections on the roof. the Athearn model doesnt have this, but it is an easy fix. what i did was use my x-acto knife to cut both sides of where the gap shoild be. it is easy to see where it is. then i used the knife and slid it in the gap sideways to remove the plastic fins. they came right out.
then i added the grab bar for the roof. i used some Detail Associated .015" wire ( item 2505) and some DA formed wire eye bolts )item 2206) i drilled holes in the roof, using a prototype picture as my guide. when you look at the side of the model you will see a bolted on hatch just below the roof grills. you drill the holes to the rear of the first bolt, and to the rear of the second bolt (counting from the front) i had to bend the grab myself. i am not sure of the heigth, but it goes 2 feet back and approx 3 feet across. then i added the eye bolts and glued it into the holes.
now to the fun part. i didnt think i had enough junk on the roof yet so i decided to add more.
those small antenna planes i used at first just didnt make me happy, si i decided to make my own to match the prototype better. i used some Evergreen styrene 1/4" square tube (item 254) i cut the tube into 2’ by 1 1/2 foot sections then i cut off the bottoms and trimmed them till they were 1 foot tall. dont glue them on yet! then i looked at some more pictures to find the locations of the conduit that runs along the roof to the different antenna planes. i used the same wire and eye bolts that i used for the roof grab on the rear. i drilled holes in the locations where the conduit goes into the cab roof, and for the
Yes. This is exactly the type of thing I would hope this forum would be used for. Hands on discussion of various model railroad topics. Including How To Projects.
Great Job!!! A very nice series on several different locos, thanks for putting it on here. I can’t wait to see the finished product when you get em painted up and decaled.
I for one don’t like this post as now I’m going to ask the “War Department” for a grant to buy some Tunnel motors to do the same.[:D] Just if I could do such a great job. Very VERY nice work! I can’t wait to see them painted. [bow][bow]
