Introduction

ScaleTrains Rivet 40756 HO Scale EMD SD40-2 Burlington Northern BN 1876 – DC (Bicentennial)

The Rivet Counter series SD40-2 is the definitive HO Scale model of EMDs best-selling diesel locomotive. This model combines smooth operating performance with unparalleled railroad, road number, and era specific details. Even though the first SD40-2s were built 50 years ago, many continue in revenue freight service today.

FEATURES:

• New paint scheme
• Era: 1975 to 1979
• Series 6325 to 6339; former BN 6325, built 2/1972
• Road number 1876
• Unique Bicentennial paint scheme
• Non-standard lifting lugs on long hood radiator section
• BN-style latched battery box doors with narrow louvers and lift-off hinges
• Fully-assembled
• LED-illuminated ground lights on both sides of locomotive*
• LED-Illuminated rectangular walkway lights mounted between front and rear sanding valve doors and round walkway light, aft of raised walkway duct*
• LED-illuminated front tricolor stand-off class lights***
• LED-illuminated Prime PM-8901 Stratolite beacon*
• Printed number boards with separately controlled backlit LED-illumination*
• Front EMD-style high pilot plow without multiple unit (MU) hose doors and grab irons and rear multiple unit (MU) hose catch tray
• 4-hose multiple unit (MU) hose clusters with silver gladhands
• Semi-scale coupler buffer equipped with durable metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
• Front and rear straight uncoupling levers without loop handles
• As-delivered pilot faces without corner notches
• Deck mounted multiple unit (MU) receptacles
• “Tall” stepwells with see-through steps
• Front and rear early small deck extension
• Handrail set with outward facing end rail mounting brackets and chain
• Front and rear standard drop steps
• Scale sectioned treadplate detail on walkways
• 81 low short hood with ratchet handbrake and angled chain guard
• Early cab sub-base doors with early hinges
• Standard EMD headlight in number board housing
• Dash-2 cab with 11-bolt (top and bottom) side window panels
• Detailed cab interior with separate floor, rear wall, seats, and standard AAR control stand
• Sliding cab side windows
• Tall clear wind wings with mirror at bottom mounted fore of cab side window on both sides of cab
• Standard EMD sunshades with long sunshade tracks
• Lost-wax brass cast Leslie RS-3K-R horn mounted on the cab
• Motorola ASP-16 firecracker antenna mounted on the cab
• Accurate hood door and long hood detail
• Early electrical cabinet “zig-zag” seam, further from rear of cab
• Early stand-off ECAFB
• Intermediate inertial air intake grills with top drip rail
• Standard turbo exhaust stack
• Accurately-profiled standard-range dynamic brakes with batten strip
• See-through dynamic brake intakes with resistor grid detail
• Chicken-wire radiator intake grilles
• See-through standard 48 radiator fan housings with fan blades visible inside
• Curved radiator fan grab iron
• Underbody frame rail with separate plumbing and traction motor cables
• Detailed HT-C trucks with Hyatt bearing caps, early center axle snubbers, sanding lines and brackets, and D-77 traction motor and air duct details
• Rust-color painted wheelsets
• Dimensionally accurate truck centers
• Speed recorder mounted to third axle on left front
• Rearward facing handbrake chain mount for HTC trucks
• Tall jacking pads with holes (early)
• Forward engineers side sidesill notch
• Sill-mount EFCO
• Frame-mounted steel bell
• Graham-White (Salem) brand 824-170 and 818-170 primary and secondary centrifugal air filters (accordion-style)
• 4,000-gallon fuel tank with fuel fillers, vertical gauges, round gauge in tank (right side only), and vertical breather pipe 4,000-gallon fuel tank with fuel fillers, dual vertical gauges, and vertical breather pipe
• Factory-applied wire grab irons, wire lift rings, windshield wipers, trainline hoses with silver gladhands, sand hatch covers, and much more
• Motor with 5-pole skew wound armature
• Dual flywheels
• All-wheel drive
• All-wheel electrical pick-up
• Directional LED headlights
• Printing and lettering legible even under magnification
• Operates on Code 70, 83 and 100 rail
• Packaging safely stores model
• Minimum radius: 18
• Recommended radius: 22
• DC/DCC & sound ready locomotives also feature:
  • Operates on DC layouts
  • DCC ready with 21-pin connector

* Lighting features operate when using an ESU decoder with appropriate programming while operating using DCC.
** In DC operation, both front ditch lights illuminate; rear ditch lights (if equipped) do not illuminate.
*** Class lights illuminate in white color only in DC operation. Access and change the colors with an appropriately programmed ESU decoder while operating using DCC.
**** PowerPack feature is only compatible with appropriately programmed ESU decoders operating on a DCC layout.

In January 1972, the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of General Motors would build the first production models of a locomotive design that would prove legendary: the SD40-2. As the flagship of the Dash-2 series, the SD40-2 would build upon the lessons learned from its predecessor, the SD40. While the sixteen-cylinder 645E3 turbocharged prime mover remained the same as its SD40 cousin, the SD40-2 boasted a modular, solid-state electrical system, which featured removable cards in place of troublesome relays in its high-voltage cabinet. These cards greatly simplified troubleshooting electrical problems and streamlined repairs.

Externally, the biggest change was using new HT-C three-axle trucks instead of the Flexi-coil type C of the SD40s. The new truck promised greater adhesion, and was longer than the Flexi-coil C, necessitating an increase of the length of the SD40-2s frame to an overall length of 68, 10 over the couplers. This also had the effect of giving the SD40-2 its characteristic long walkway porches at each end. Other small external improvements, such as longer battery box compartments, rear overhang on the cab roof, and drip rail over the front cab door, added to the list of external differences between it and the SD40.

Domestic production of the SD40-2 continued until July 1984, making it one of EMDs most popular locomotives of all time. Many remain in service today with original owners and secondhand operators like regional railroads and shortlines. Within the past decade, CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific have rebuilt hundreds of SD40-2s to extend their operating lives. This will ensure this venerable locomotives presence on U.S. rails for decades.