 SD40T-2 #4462. Many thanks to Joe H. Enochs for the use of this photo. |
SD40T-2s reached the Union Pacific via merger with the Southern Pacific, which ordered this design on its own and acquired additional units in its merger with the Denver and Rio Grande Western. The SD40T-2 was built only for these two railroads. The design was based on an earlier modification to Southern Pacific's SD45T-2s, which placed the radiator cooling air intakes at the bottom of the long hood end, rather than near the top on conventional SD units. This was to prevent overheating in tunnels, where cooling air would be "short-cycled" and drawn from already hot air that had just been through the radiators if the intakes were placed high on the hood. The intakes at the bottom allowed cooler air to be drawn into the radiators from lower down in the tunnels. SD40T-2s and SD45T-2s received the nickname "tunnel motor" due to this modification. Redesign of the radiators in the EMD 50 series appears to have eliminated the need for the "tunnel motor" configuration.
The SD40T-2s are favorites among modelers due to their unique appearance and their association with the high-water-marks of the Rio Grande and Southern Pacific. The Rio Grande units arrived to handle the sharp growth of the Moffat Road coal business. The SP locos represented the peak of SP's customization of its diesels, with plows, warning lights, radio antenna ground planes, rooftop bells, extended noses, and air conditioners to add interest. The arrival of the last series of SP SD40T-2s also coincided with the start of the early 1980s recession and the protracted collapse of SP. Subsequent SP locomotive orders were much more conservative.
In addition to their unique design, the SD40T-2s are interesting to modelers because, despite the fact that they were built for only two railroads, there are many detail differences among small groups of locomotives.
Southern Pacific SD40T-2s
The Southern Pacific/Cotton Belt received a total of 239 SD40T-2s as follows:
8230-8299 70 units built March through July 1980 8300-8306; 8350-8356 14 units built June and July 1974 (116 inch noses) 8307-8321;8357-8371 30 units built February and March 1978 (116 inch noses) SSW 8322-8326;SSW 8372-8376 10 units built January and February 1978 (116 inch noses) 8327-8341; 8377-8391 30 units built March through June 1979 (116 inch noses) 8489-8498 10 units built January 1978 8499-8533 35 units built November and December 1978 8534-8573 40 units built January and February 1979
Units with 116 inch noses in the 8300-8341 series were Locotrol Master units. Units with 116 inch noses in the 8350-8391 series were Locotrol Receiver units.
Units SP 8260, 8278, 8302, 8317, 8320, 8338, 8502, and 8507 were retired prior to the SP-UP merger.
Phase Differences Among SP SD40T-2s
Changes in nose length and radiator grill, which identify phase changes in ordinary SD40-2s, were concealed on SP's SD40T-2s by the 116 inch noses on early deliveries and by the tunnel motor radiator configuation. However, other details were consistent with production of similar models by EMD.
8300-8306; 8350-8356 were Phase 1a units, with bolted panels around the cab side windows and a ratchet-style handbrake in the nose.
The change to a wheel type handbrake in the nose took place with the start of the 8307 upward and 8357 upward orders. Details on these orders were consistent with Phase IIa. Units 8327-8341 and 8377-8391 were Phase IIb, with welded plates around the cab side windows.
The non-snoot units 8489-8533 were Phase IIa, with bolted plates around the cab side windows and 88 inch noses. 8534-8573 were Phase IIb, with welded plates around the cab side windows and 88 inch noses.
The 8230-8299 series was equipped with exhaust silencers and bulged-out cable ducts beneath the silencers, consistent with Phase 2c.
Other Detail Differences Among SP SD40T-2s
The 1974 order, 8300-8306 and 8350-8356, was delivered with 116 inch noses and plows on the front and rear of the unit. The 1974 locos did not have warning lights on the rear hood. The 1974 locos also had coupler cut lever handles in the original L shape. The levers were V shaped overall to avoid the large pilot plows.
The 1978 order differed from the 1974 order in that the 1978 locos had plows on the front of the unit only, and they had a full set of warning lights along with the headlights on the rear hood. The 1978 and later orders had loop type coupler cut lever handles.
All the remote control equipped locos in the 8300 series had 116 inch noses and additional ground planes on the cab roof for the remote control antennas.
116 inch nose units through SSW 8326 and SSW 8376 had the bell mounted on the cab roof; 88 inch nose units through 8498 also had the bell mounted on the cab roof, similar to SP units from the 1960s onward. Beginning with the 8327 series of 116 inch nose units and the 8499 series of 88 inch nose units, the bell was mounted on the right side of the underframe behind the cab.
All units were delivered with L-shaped engineers' windows in the cab fronts.
Changes in SP SD40T-2 Details
During the early 1980s, units that had been delivered with L-shaped engineers windows in the cab front were modified to receive standard cab windows. During the buildup to the proposed Southern Pacific-Santa Fe merger in 1985-86, the SP trademark warning lights were removed from the front and rear of the units and replaced by Santa Fe style warning beacons on the cab roof. At about the same time, the classification lights were blanked out in the noses and hood rears. The rooftop flashers were removed in the early 1990s. In the mid-1990s, ditch lights were added, in at least two different styles. Also in the mid-1990s, the horns were moved from the cab roof front to various locations on the long hood between the dynamic brake fans and the radiator enclosures. The remote control helper operation using the SD40T-2s was never completely successful and discontinued about 1989, and some units had the supplementary ground planes on the cab roof for this equipment removed. Photos are necessary to identify specific details on units in later years.
Denver and Rio Grande Western SD40T-2s
The Denver and Rio Grande Western received a total of 73 SD40T-2s as follows:
5341-5355 15 units built October 1974 5356-5373 18 units built July and August 1975 5374-5385 12 units built January 1977 5386-5397 12 units built August 1978 5398-5413 16 units built March 1980
Units D&RGW 5348, 5370, 5402, and 5408 were retired prior to the SP-UP merger. All the D&RGW units had a shorter fuel tank than SP units, with a visible gap between the front truck and the front of the fuel tank. This is an easy spotting feature for recognizing former D&RGW units in UP paint.
Phase Differences Among D&RGW SD40T-2s
5341-5355 were Phase Ia units, with an 81 inch nose, bolted panels around the cab side windows and a ratchet-style handbrake in the nose. This group had coupler cut lever handles in the original L shape.
5356-5373 were Phase Ib units, with an 81 inch nose, bolted panels around the cab side windows and a ratchet-style handbrake in the nose. This and subsequent orders had loop style handles in the coupler cut levers.
5374-5385 and 5386-5397 were Phase IIa units, with an 88 inch nose. The hand brake was a wheel type on D&RGW units with the 88 inch nose.
5398-5413 were Phase IIc units, with an 88 inch nose and silencers over the exhausts and cable ducts that bulged outward under the silencers.
Other Detail Differences Among D&RGW SD40T-2s
The 5386-5397 series had the oscillating warning light in the nose mounted in a box, rather than in the usual recessed mounting.
After delivery, the D&RGW SD40T-2s were fitted with Positive Traction Control (PTC), equipment designed to minimize wheel slip and maximize traction. Locomotives equipped with PTC had a box on the left side walkway behind the cab and additional wheel recorder cables leading to the trucks.
Following the SP merger, the D&RGW units had their classification lights blanked out, the oscillating warning lights in the nose removed, and ditch lights added. However, most retained their Rio Grande paint.
Service History
The SP SD40T-2s were origianlly used south of Bakersfield and on the Sunset Route, as well as on the former Rock Island Tucumcari, NM to Kansas City line. The Locotrol-equipped units were meant to be used over Tehachapi, as well as east of Los Angeles. However, use of the remote helpers was never fully successful, although efforts to employ the remote control system were made as late as 1989. Eventually the SP SD40T-2s were seen on all SP main lines, as well as in run-through service on other railroads. The 8230-8299 group arrived at the start of the 1980 recession and stayed in storage for a considerable period.
The Rio Grande initially used its SD40T-2s in coal service on unit trains coming off the Moffat Road. With the UP-MP-WP merger in 1982, the D&RGW obtained additional trackage rights, and the SD40T-2s were more widely used. After 1982, they could also be commonly seen in run-through service on the SP's Overland Route over Donner Pass prior to the SP-D&RGW merger. After the SP-D&RGW merger, some D&RGW SD40T-2s were painted in the SP speed lettering scheme with D&RGW sublettering. The D&RGW units then tended to wander farther over the merged system. With delivery of the SP AC4400CW units for coal service, the D&RGW SD40T-2s left the Moffat Road and were commonly seen in California.
A modeling detail that is seldom added to D&RGW or SP units is areas around the dynamic brake blister where paint has been burned off by heat, with primer or bare metal showing through. This is an indication of the rugged service conditions under which these locomotives have always operated.
When the Union Pacific merged with the SP in 1995, it discovered that the SP units were in worse shape than the UP had anticipated, due to the deferred maintenance that had resulted from the SP's deteriorating situation. The remaining 69 D&RGW units are in the process of being renumbered UP 4000-4068, not in consecutive order. The remaining SP units are in the process of being renumbered UP 4369-4599, not in consecutive order. However, in late 1999, UP announced the acquisition of new SD70Is to be numbered in the 4000 series, so that the odd groups of SD40-2s, SD40T-2s, and SD40M-2s in the 4000 series are likely to be renumbered. In addition, the poor condition of the ex-SP SD40T-2s makes them likely candidates for early retirement. In the meantime, SD40T-2s can be commonly seen on the UP, running interchangeably with SD40-2s.
Athearn
Athearn produces an SD40T-2 in versions with 116 inch nose and 88 inch nose. The overall details on the model are consistent with Phase IIb, which means that it is not fully correct for any D&RGW unit, but it is correct for 8327-8341 and 8377-8391 of the SP 116 inch nose units and 8534-8573 of the SP 88 inch nose units. D&RGW 5374-5397 were Phase IIa units and would be closest to the Athearn model. A fully correct D&RGW unit must also have its fuel tank shortened to 19 feet 6 inches in length, by removing material from the front of the fuel tank.
While Athearn offers the units painted for D&RGW, SP, and UP, they need to be extensively modified from the box if they are meant to be close representations of SP or ex-SP units, since the prominent SP add-on features are not included. However, the Zenk reference below shows an approach to preserving the factory paint job on a detailed model. The Athearn units are inexpensive models by current standards. They are somewhat noisy and fast in operation. The die work is beginning to show its age in comparison to more recently released models. Even so, the Athearn model is still a good starting point for a detailing and repowering project.
Front Range
Before the Athearn SD40-2 and SD40T-2 became available, Front Range briefly produced an SD40T-2 body, designed for use with their SD40-2 frame kit. The kit was intended for use with old Athearn components, and the hoods on the body matched the old Athearn too-wide hood width. In addition, the body was too short overall, being meant for use with an SD40-2 frame. This may be found at swap meets, but it is of little or no value for model work.
Other
Collector-quality brass SD40T-2s have been available from Precision Scale and Overland.
Acknowledgements
The GIFs used in the heading of this page were obtained from The Train GIFs Station and are used under that site's terms and conditions.
References:
Go back to Union Pacific locomotive details
Updated: 10th November 1999
to Donald Kinney (EMail: kinney@ndak.net)