HO SD40T-2 Southern Pacific/ Speed Letter #8256

The SD40T-2 is a 6-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division having a 16-cylinder EMD 645E3 diesel engine producing 3,000 horsepower (2,240 kW). 312 SD40T-2s were built for North American railroads between April 1974 and July 1980. This locomotive and the SD45T-2 are popularly called tunnel motors, but EMD’s term is SD40-2s with “cooling system modifications” because they were designed for better engine cooling in tunnels. The difference between this locomotive and its non-tunnel motor cousin, the SD40-2, are the radiator intakes and radiator fan grills located at the rear of the locomotive. The radiator air intakes in this model were along the deck to allow more fresh, cooler air to enter and less hot exhaust fumes lingering around the tunnel’s ceiling.

SP "SPEED LETTERING" FEATURES:

• 88” nose with brake wheel
• Cab mounted A/C
• Relocated P3 horn
• Front ditch lights
• Removed front and rear SP light package
• Modified front L window
• Extended range dynamic brakes

In an attempt to revise their image, SP began to use a new “Speed Lettering” scheme adapted in 1991. Also, during this time, they started to remove parts of their well-known light packages. If a light component failed, it would have to be fixed, thus taking the locomotive out of service. To reduce maintenance costs, SP started to actively remove these extra lights leaving empty brackets and plates where they were once installed. Other changes included the addition of front ditch lights and the horn being relocated to the rear hood.

SD40T-2 SERIES LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

• Fine scale handrails
• Photo-etched windshield wipers
• Separately applied air tanks
• LED Lighting
• HTC truck sideframes
• Welded ECAFB
• All-wheel electrical pickup
• See-through dynamic brake fans
• Separately applied wire grab irons
• Rubber trainline and MU hoses with silver ends
• Standard Dash-2 cab, windows correct per prototype
• See-through radiator grilles with new rear truck gearbox specific for the tunnel motor
• Speed recorder attached to appropriate axle per prototype
• McHenry® operating scale knuckle couplers
• All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth and quiet operation
• 5-pole motor with flywheels and multi-link drivetrain for trouble-free operation
• DCC Ready 21-pin NEM Quick Plug™ technology
• Nickel plated, blackened machined wheels
• Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
• Fully assembled and ready-to-run
• Highly-detailed, injection molded body
• Painted and printed for realistic decoration
• Recommended radius: 22”

SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE

• Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound
• Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
• Full DCC functions available when operated in DCC mode
• Engine, horn, and bell sounds work in DC
• All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
• Excellent Slow speed control
• Effect lighting (if applicable) using F5 and/or F6
• Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
• Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes