Can anyone please tell me why the SD40-2 has such extended rear decks &/or extended front noses(snoots)/decks(I think of them as porches because there seems to be plenty of room for a couple of lawn chairs & a grill)?
Is the SD40 like this also, or is that the dash-2 modification? If so, the question is still - why?
Longer trucks maybe? Please help, thanks.
Matt
Matt,
The SD40-2 is built on the same length frame as the SD45-2. However, the 40’s diesel has 16 cylinders vs. the 45’s 20. With the shorter engine block, the 40 ends up with the long “porches” on both the front and the rear of the locomotive. The original SD40 also has the “porches”, but the rear “porch” is shorter than that found on the Dash 2. The reason is that the Dash 2 series underframe is longer than the original SD40/45 underframe. SD38s & 38-2s also have the extended “porch” as they too have a 16 cylinder diesel in them.
Don
BAR NONE,THE BEST RIDING LOCOMOTIVE EVER MADE!
Well that helps ALOT!! Thanks!!
That just leaves the mystery of the “snoot”.
Is there a hot tub or something down there with the toilet?
Thanks again,
Matt
Matt: Granted the new “wide body” locomotives ride like a dream they are awkward to operate, as opposed to the convential diesels. In the snoot are your supplies. Fusees and torpedos, wrentch and hammer and crew supplies.
The “Snoots”
They were originally purchased to be remote master and slave locomotives. The radio gear was installed in the extended nose. I am not certain, but I believe BN might have been the only western railroad to not use the “snoot” feature on their remote master and slave SD40-2s. The original “snoots” went to the UP and SP. Later on ATSF, KCS and CP would opt for this feature. I am not certain if any eastern roads ordered “snoots”. Hope this helps.
Don
Many thanks to Don, Ernest, & Tom!!
The SD40-2 has long been my favorite loco but it’s only been recently that I’ve wondered why it looks the way it does & NOW I KNOW!!!
The UP here at the Salina Yard mainly uses GP38-2’s to shuffle cars around but on a few occasions I’ve seen them use SD40-2’s (usually from a work train)& to hear & feel those bad boys wind up is something close to nirvana for me!
Anyways, thanks again guys & hope to talk with you again soon.
Matt
Santa Fe put the RCE Locotrol gear in the snoots. When they showed-up, the RCE “B” units (F3B and F7B with prime movers removed and ballasted with massive concrete blocks) went away. The SD-26’s (SD24U) went away shortly afterward and the SD39’s eventually went off to be slug mothers. For a brief while, sending and receiving units were segregated. Odd #'s were trailing locotrol units and Even numbers were the lead units…
a number of SD40-2s built with the “snoot” noses have been purchased by other operators. I know Florida East Coast rosters some…
Norfolk southern also has purchased snoot units from leasers.