UPDATE ... March 2024: 3rd Rail SD40-2's

The second order of Conrail units 6441-6524 had no plows.  Since you have decided to do Conrail Quality, you have to be careful picking the correct road numbers as these had many slight variations.  3 different size Conrail Quality logos were used.  Some got the Conrail Quality on the front nose but not the rear.   Some got it on the rear and not on the nose.  Early units and the Q towards the front.  Since these will be later Conrail Quality Units can ERR enable working ditch lights?   If you are not doing ditch lights then I suggest doing regular Conrail Paint. 

The most attractive units were the ones with Conrail Quality on the nose, no rear painted Quality, Side panel Q towards the rear under the back fans rails going forward, white number boards, white front rear and side sills, top of the nose painted black (this was a mix of black and anti-skid sand but black will do).

- Crank

I was curious what road numbers from the range provided might be prototypical for the Conrail Quality SD40-2 engines. A little research located these pictures of potential numbers on the Conrail Photo Archive.

Conrail 6442 10/15/98 Hagerstown, MD

Conrail 6449 02/18/96 Altoona, PA  (On flatcar after wreck)

Conrail 6451 4-21-94 Altoona, PA  (Nose only)

Conrail 6451 02/14/98 Bear, DE

Conrail 6457 06/15/96 Gallitzin, PA  (Rear "Conrail Quality")

Conrail 6457 02/14/98 Wilmington DE  (Nose "Conrail Quality")

Conrail 6476 12/31/95 Edgemoor, DE  (Only CONRAIL on nose)

There are probably other numbers that can be used, only included two even and three odd numbered engines.

If you want to know where the cutoff line between go and no go that I had to reserve for Ferromex is it is Conrail.  So there is a REAL good chance,especially with the addition of the flexicoil trucks, that here will be only one physical version. Now Jonathan has to find 4 numbers where they all matched.  If you want more detail differences there needs to be more reservations for Conrail, like double digit more.

Doing only one version (Quality or regular) is fine, as long as either is done correctly, which I am sure it will be.  It will be great to have Conrail SD40-2s.  Both paint schemes a pure bonus.  I only made some points as it appears as if 3rd Rail is/was going to do two different Conrail paint schemes.

- Crank

Even though the second order of Conrail SD40-2s were not delivered with plows, almost all of them received plows.  Add in the fact that the Q in quality is on different sides of "CONRAIL" on the right side of the locomotive depending on road number and the three different sizes of graphics, it is quite a challenge.  Makes it very interesting to track down.

@falconservice posted:

The photo shown for the past 6 months of the CN SD40-2 was pf a standard cab model built for the CN then sold to the KCS then sold to the GTW and repainted in the 1990's CN scheme.

What road numbers and schemes will be on the CN SD40-2W?

Andrew

Haven't completely gotten to CN yet, but right now playing around with the units in the 5241-5363 series and the as delivered paint scheme.  Scott has committed to do the wide cab so the web site will be updated accordingly.

@GregM posted:

I was curious what road numbers from the range provided might be prototypical for the Conrail Quality SD40-2 engines. A little research located these pictures of potential numbers on the Conrail Photo Archive.

Conrail 6442 10/15/98 Hagerstown, MD

Conrail 6449 02/18/96 Altoona, PA  (On flatcar after wreck)

Conrail 6451 4-21-94 Altoona, PA  (Nose only)

Conrail 6451 02/14/98 Bear, DE

Conrail 6457 06/15/96 Gallitzin, PA  (Rear "Conrail Quality")

Conrail 6457 02/14/98 Wilmington DE  (Nose "Conrail Quality")

Conrail 6476 12/31/95 Edgemoor, DE  (Only CONRAIL on nose)

There are probably other numbers that can be used, only included two even and three odd numbered engines.

Man I miss hearing those 645s coming up Cresson mountain through the Jewel of the Mainline at my grandmother’s house.  

The fun starts around the 1:54 mark…

Next teaser and kudos to anyone that can unravel this one.  Not hard with a web search honestly.

CSX:  8836, 8838, 8839, 8842

Without looking I'm going to say they were ex-B&O (Chessie) units.

@rplst8 posted:

Man I miss hearing those 645s coming up Cresson mountain through the Jewel of the Mainline at my grandmother’s house.  

The fun starts around the 1:54 mark…

I've watched this video no less than a dozen times with the speakers at full volume. The Dash 8's sound pretty good, too, but nothing like the pushers.

@GG1 4877 posted:

Next teaser and kudos to anyone that can unravel this one.  Not hard with a web search honestly.

CSX:  8836, 8838, 8839, 8842

8836 is ex-Conrail.

Edit: actually, they all are.

@rplst8 posted:

8836 is ex-Conrail.

Edit: actually, they all are.

All of the ex Conrail units either went to CSX or NS and were painted appropriately by their new owners.  Not a single person has asked about getting them in their new owners livery.

If you want to see the difference between the HTC and Flexicoil trucks in action there is a video on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07vc1q73i-c] showing the differences in slippage.  Both are SD40-2s and one is an ex Conrail unit.  Wow!

@rdunniii posted:

All of the ex Conrail units either went to CSX or NS and were painted appropriately by their new owners.  Not a single person has asked about getting them in their new owners livery.

I don’t understand.  I wasn’t suggesting they be delivered in their new owners livery.  Johnathan asked if anyone could unravel that teaser he gave.

rdunniii, I guess nobody wants ex-Cons

That wheel slippage video has been posted on here before

I believe it was a malfunctioning traction motor?

@EMD posted:

rdunniii, I guess nobody wants ex-Cons

That wheel slippage video has been posted on here before

I believe it was a malfunctioning traction motor?

That is the question.  Do people want ex-cons or ex-chessies?

@rdunniii posted:

All of the ex Conrail units either went to CSX or NS and were painted appropriately by their new owners.  Not a single person has asked about getting them in their new owners livery.

If you want to see the difference between the HTC and Flexicoil trucks in action there is a video on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07vc1q73i-c] showing the differences in slippage.  Both are SD40-2s and one is an ex Conrail unit.  Wow!

Wow, that was quite a show! Thanks for posting.

6422, 6463, 6465 .... NEXT!

@EMD posted:

rdunniii, I guess nobody wants ex-Cons

That wheel slippage video has been posted on here before

I believe it was a malfunctioning traction motor?

Maybe, but...all 6 motors are slipping.  It is the difference between no traction control on the flexicoils and tractions control in the High Traction trucks.  Everything else on the two units is the same.

@rdunniii posted:

All of the ex Conrail units either went to CSX or NS and were painted appropriately by their new owners.  Not a single person has asked about getting them in their new owners livery.

If you want to see the difference between the HTC and Flexicoil trucks in action there is a video on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07vc1q73i-c] showing the differences in slippage.  Both are SD40-2s and one is an ex Conrail unit.  Wow!

Sometimes a little independent helps with the wheelslip.

@GG1 4877 posted:

That is the question.  Do people want ex-cons or ex-chessies?

I would prefer ex-L&N with the nose headlight... 80XX-81XX's