Intermountain SD40-2 delays

[cjm413]

This is the only thing about this whole thing that actually makes me mad.

I had thought there was someone else who was going to be doing them, who I was REALLY excited to see take them on. But then this happened.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far larger...

...a company called GSB announced a SD40-2.

Irv Athearn didn't care and announced his own (later phase) SD40-2.

The rest of the story speaks for itself.

[davefoxx]

Heh, I bought one of those HO scale GSB SD40-2s painted for the B&O (Chessie System) back in the mid-1980s.  I was so psyched to have what I thought was a high-quality HO scale model.  I got home and put it on the rails, but it wouldn't run.  A close examination discovered that the plastic frame was broken, rendering the locomotive unusable.  Back to the store it went.  I've always wanted a high-quality SD40-2, but I never got one . . . in HO or N scale.  I look forward to this IM release.

DFF

[Missaberoad]

The does bring up a question.... Was there any truth behind the "Dash 2 Project"? Or was it all just an inside troll??

Inquiring minds want to know... 

[cjm413]

Heh, I bought one of those HO scale GSB SD40-2s painted for the B&O (Chessie System) back in the mid-1980s.  I was so psyched to have what I thought was a high-quality HO scale model.  I got home and put it on the rails, but it wouldn't run.  A close examination discovered that the plastic frame was broken, rendering the locomotive unusable.  Back to the store it went.  I've always wanted a high-quality SD40-2, but I never got one . . . in HO or N scale.  I look forward to this IM release.

DFF

If the price was right, the GSB SD40-2 was somewhat useful for repowering an Athearn SD40-2 with the Mashima motor and backdating it to an earlier phase with the GSB shell.

The GSB frames and trucks were only useful for landfill, target practice, etc.

[mu26aeh]

Heh, I bought one of those HO scale GSB SD40-2s painted for the B&O (Chessie System) back in the mid-1980s.  I was so psyched to have what I thought was a high-quality HO scale model.  I got home and put it on the rails, but it wouldn't run.  A close examination discovered that the plastic frame was broken, rendering the locomotive unusable.  Back to the store it went.  I've always wanted a high-quality SD40-2, but I never got one . . . in HO or N scale.  I look forward to this IM release.

DFF

I bought an Intermountain SD40-2 in HO scale.  If the N scale version can be like that one, I will be happy.

[ljudice]

[learmoia]

Is it me or do the fuel tanks on these pre-production models look too short (length)?

http://www.intermountain-railway.com/n/html/SD40-2-Samples.htm

Well, at least it looks like IM got the number boards right (one of the glaring errors on the Kato units).

I still think there is room for another player in terms of SD40-2s.

Mark

Not if you model Milwaukee...

[James Costello]

The does bring up a question.... Was there any truth behind the "Dash 2 Project"? Or was it all just an inside troll??

Inquiring minds want to know... 

It was a real project. Last I heard it was on the back-burner until the verdict on the IMRC model was in.

So in that regard, the comment on announcing early to secure the market has worked.....

[wcfn100]

It was a real project. Last I heard it was on the back-burner until the verdict on the IMRC model was in.

So in that regard, the comment on announcing early to secure the market has worked.....

The "-2 project" stuff started 4 years before IM announced these.  That seems like enough time to say something if you're actually going to do it.


Jason

[James Costello]

The "-2 project" stuff started 4 years before IM announced these.  That seems like enough time to say something if you're actually going to do it.

Apparently it wasn't.

[Dave V]

The "-2 project" stuff started 4 years before IM announced these.  That seems like enough time to say something if you're actually going to do it.


Jason

QFT.  That whole thing started making me mad.  It was like some inside secret thing and I still don't know that I know for sure who was working it.  But we talked about the fact that if no one went on the record as actually working it, IM was likely to plant a flag and that's exactly what happened.  Now, it's not that I assumed IM would flub it (I've been on-record as very happy with my IM F7s) but the aura of secrecy and the lack of any timetable on the other "-2 project" kept me from moving out on bashing my own CR units from Kato SD40-2s.

I'd probably still be upset about it but as I mentioned, I'm moving away from my 1980 roster.  Expect to see some Conrail stuff in the Trading Post in the coming months.

I could pull an @eric220 and do up a pair of IM SD40-2s in a Colorado Midland "what if" scheme...   Although there's no way 6-axle diesels would have stayed on Midland rails if the curvature and grades hadn't been smoothed out.

[eric220]

I could pull an @eric220 and do up a pair of IM SD40-2s in a Colorado Midland "what if" scheme...

What?

::drops mic::

[nkalanaga]

Grades wouldn't have bothered the 6-axle diesels at all, and you might be surprised what curves they could take.  Minimum curvature is more a function of the rigid wheelbase than the overall length, and a diesel truck is shorter than many steam loco driving wheelbases.

[wazzou]

Grades wouldn't have bothered the 6-axle diesels at all, and you might be surprised what curves they could take.  Minimum curvature is more a function of the rigid wheelbase than the overall length, and a diesel truck is shorter than many steam loco driving wheelbases.

True, and the weight of the rail being the other largest limiting factor.  SD40-2's are pretty heavy beasts.

[Rossford Yard]

Seen a lot of SD40-2 in yard switching duty lately.....given how well the Kato's run, I may model 2016 just to use them in switch duty.  I have even seen a few SD70MAC (also Kato) in switch duty on branch lines.  As hard as it is to believe  the SD40-2 is what, 35 years old? and relegated to lesser duty, maybe even harder to believe that the MAC's started running over 20 years ago and are just starting to be relegated.

I guess I am old, but I still haven't gotten used to GP38-2 being switchers.  All of the above are first rate road power, and GP-9 are supposed to do switching, no?