Mystery SD40T-2 Shell

[railfansd40t2]

Hey guys,
I need a little help identifying the manufacture of this shell.
I got this one in a parts lot and really like the shorter hood because it is different and the way the radiator grills are separated but I also noticed that it doesn't have the sections molded in between the dynamic bake hatch and the radiators like the Atharn ones do. Should I attampt to scribe those lines in using the Atharn shell as a template for placement?
Is this an old school Proto Power West shell?







Another question I have is what roads used tunnel motors with this shorter hood and does anyone know what the length of that hood would be?

Paulie

[iomalley]

This is an old North American Models shell, circa 1982(?) before the narrow body athearn SD40-2s came out.

I would keep it for nostalgia-sake but it isn't good for anything due to the wide width. I think its made to fit the old Athearn FP45 chassis.

[railfansd40t2]

Hmmm,
I will have to see if it fits on an FP45 frame to test your theory.

Paulie

[sgoti]

Knew what it this be as soon as I saw the title...

Actually, the shell was produced by T&D Models. It required the buyer to provide a cab roof and battery box door (both from the Athearn SD45/SDP40/GP35, or available from Athearn as spare parts). Suffered from the same "wide body" as the (then) current Athearn locos.

The SD40T-2 fit the FP45 frame, while the SD40-2 was designed to fit the F45 frame. Both required the "backwards" mounting of the front truck to allow for fit issues.

North American Diesel marketed these shells (along with an Athearn drive) under their name. IIRC, you could buy different "levels" of kits, which included more and more DA and DW parts as the price went up.

Fortunately, we only had to wait a few years until Athearn did their first (and scale-width) SD40T-2.

[railfansd40t2]

Well that would explain when I first put one of my FP45 frames under it, it did not fit. I did not investigate it too much but figured either it was hanging up on the front truck tower or something of that nature. The frame I was trying to use for this test has a home so I will wait for my other FP45 parts to arrive in the mail and really look into this to see if  I can get it all to fit properly.  I like the shorter hood being different from my snoot and standard hood Atharn T-2's and having something  a bit out of the ordinary in the fleet

Thanks guys for the info on this shell because I had no clue other than my guess of it being a Proto Pwer West kit. Looks like this one will get added to the build list.

Paulie

[iomalley]

Well if you're going to tackle that POS, better use Kiro's thread for inspiration!

dieseldetailer.proboards.com/thread/14581/fast

[Kiro]

Hi,

Will try to post some pics of a project I did long time ago using this exactly shell. For today standards might look like a POS but back then not so.

Cheers

[railfansd40t2]

I would very much like to see those pictures because I am not seeing were this unit would be considered a POS but then again you guys have pointed other things out to me that I either didn't know or wasn't aware of so again please post those pictures if you can put your hands on them.

Thanks

Paulie

[Kiro]

Paulie,

Here is the model,  was my second project although I don´t recall exactly what year I built it.


The underframe came from an Athearn FP45 with a Sagami motor inside and also I extended the short hood, lots of details and kitbashed parts.    Today has a NCE decoder.


Cheers

[railfansd40t2]

Kiro,
Man that locomotive looks fantastic. I will be adding the one I have to the Tunnel Motor fleet, it wont look nearly as good as yours I know but I can see what it can look like.
I will put some work into mine so it will look respectable like the rest of my builds. this one has officially been added to the Ta Do List.
Thank you for sharing the photos I really appreciate it.

Paulie

[iomalley]

Kiro is full of surprises!!!

[railfansd40t2]

That is for sure !

Paulie