Ten SD40-2s headed way south

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

On their way to Brazil I believe.

Couldn’t find the out bound invoice.

10 SD40-2s…note the 4th unit, 8000 and I think the 8th was 8004, both in BN Cascade green.

Odd to see a unit with the first number in a set.

Had a few with the white face also.

Beats being scrapped.

Note the second unit has a light tower “growing” out of its hood, no way to shoot from the other side as that track was full.

All were still in use until recently I think, the latest date on the inspection card was dated 11/16/10 on the second unit.

Shipped from Louisiana here to take down to the docks tomorrow for loading by Progressive Rail Service.

2

Nice shoot. [swg]

I would not concern yourself too much with the tower. I think it fills in the photo and adds more to the story.

Although, it does not seem to hard to photoshop that out, especially since the sky is crisp blue. [swg]

3

“…Shipped from Louisiana here to take down to the docks tomorrow for loading by Progressive Rail Service…”

Ed:

You recon they are on their way to be made into C-C+C-C’s(or maybe B-B+B-B’s) Units in Brazil?

Give Pedro some more stuff to shoot and post![:-,]

4

Thats my guess…they love the BB+BB set up down there, Pedro should have a blast.

I emailed him about them but have not got a reply…

5

A lot depends on who gets them. MRS is a broad-gauge operation and ALL has both broad-gauge and meter-gauge trackage. Also, ALL has some C30-7’s on the meter gauge that are still C-C.

6

Thanks for sharing, Ed. I was recently thumbing through the slides I shot circa 10 years ago when I lived near a BNSF terminal, and SD40-2s were everywhere pulling everything: junk freights, grain trains, coal trains, intermodal, you name it. Seems like they’ve fallen off the face of the earth since the recession started, and when you do see them, it’s only on local/yard/transfer runs.

Don’t think I’ll ever reach the point of weeping over BN SD40-2s, but it is a little sad to see them go.

7

It’s kinda like finding your old baseball glove, brings back memories of a lot of good plays you made with it.

They went down to Texas Terminals Monday night.

If they are headed to Brazil, they will probably work long past the life time of some of today’s new motors.

8

Brazil seems to have established itself as the happy hunting ground of old GE’s and various permutations of SD40’s, where they will probably last almost forever. After all, EFVM is still running DDM45’s.