SP SD45T-2 rebuilds underway

[garyrsatx]

This was something discussed on this forum a while back, but I cannot find the post so I decided to start a new one and document the rebuild.

The SP had already started ordering newer locomotives such as the SD70ACe's and ES44AC's, but they were not arriving quick enough to fill the SP immediate needs. In an effort to start replacing the aging fleet, the SP decided to look at the existing fleet of older units for use as cores in several planned rebuild projects.

With the concern for upcoming emissions regulations, the SP started looking at rebuild programs offered by several groups including the group they had relied on in the past, Morris Knudsen now Boise Locomotive Works. The SP's management finally settled with EMD's newly announced ECO program, taking older units and rebuilding them with 710 prime movers and newer electronics. The SP was already testing the rebuilt GP22ECO to see if it would be a viable solution for their rebuilding needs. The first units considered for the ECO program were the SD45T-2s. These units had served the SP well for many years. Some were already rebuilt once while others were retired and sold off. A unit was selected and sent off to Boise for EMD to rebuild.

In addition to the new 710 prime mover it would receive, it would also get an all new updated electrical system with a computer system compatible with those being received in the new SD70ACe's. One major identifying feature found on this rebuild was the cab replacement. The SP had never had any of their other units rebuilt with wide cabs, but this was the first one to be done that way. The donor cab came from a wrecked BN SD60M and was grafted onto the SD45T-2's frame. A larger anti-climber was also added to the from pilot to accommodate the new wide cab.

Once this unit is completed, it will hit the rails for testing and evaluation. More units are being considered for rebuild if this is a success.

[garyrsatx]

Please note that the pic has the SP Roman style lettering on it. This is only because it is a bear to even attempt to replicate the SP Speed Lettering...... I know...... I tried......

[Deleted]

The idea of putting a widecab on a tunnel motor seems a popular one. I'd be interested to see how this one turns out.

[garyrsatx]

The following are pictures of the SP SD45T-2 rebuild project. The rebuild project is now dubbed the SD40T-3MECO project.

Attachments:

[garyrsatx]

Pic 2 ;D

Attachments:

[Randy Earle]

Feb 27, 2012 0:12:34 GMT -5 garyrsatx said:

Please note that the pic has the SP Roman style lettering on it. This is only because it is a bear to even attempt to replicate the SP Speed Lettering...... I know...... I tried......

Like this?

[garyrsatx]

As you can see in the pics, this is just the beginning on this unit. I still have more parts to add to the model. Frame, truck and fuel tank details are next. Not to mention the etched steps and coupler liftbars. More pics will be added then, but they will be smaller.......

[garyrsatx]

@ Randy: I like! I just had the basic paint program to work with plus I did not feel like messing with it too much. It was the finished carbody that I was working toward and it was something that someone else had already started. I just tweaked it some.

As a side note, the picture depicts the unit with the PTC equipment on the roof. This initial unit will not have the PTC antenna array. The following units will be built with the PTC equipment.

[Randy Earle]

I used the RIO GRANDE font.

[antlorch]

That is looking pretty cool so far. I like the freeflow blower housing on that model. Cab sat on pretty nicely also.. I am going to have to hurry mine along a little more.

[garyrsatx]

I am having to do some additional modifications to the long hood mostly of which entail adding a location for the brakewheel to reside. I liked what Anthony has done on the KP unit he is working on, so I am doing a similar installation, however I am using a recessed brakewheel side for a 88" short hood from Cannon & Co. (LN 1107). I wanted to have the wheel recessed like what you would have on a SD70M. This actually works out very well.


I am still trying how to include the battery boxes. I started to modify a battery box from a Ath Genesis SD70M, but they will not work where I would like to put them. My plan was to add them to the engineers side of the back side of the cab like you would find on a GE unit. It would work just fine with one exception and that is the access to the generator/electrical compartment. So I am at a quandry as to where to put the batteries....

[railroadjeep]

Stack the battery's like they did on a SD70MAC, but locate them between the cab and blower duct on the conductors side.

Or, SD60M's have the batteries located in compartments on the rear of the locomotive. If memory serves me correctly (it's been awhile since we had NREX tunnel motors...), on a T-motor, there is nothing under the radiators, aside from the intake screens. Perhaps the battery's could be located inside here? Comparment access to change batteries might be by removing a screen, maintnence access could be thru a interior door. SD75M/i's for example, they have the TM blowers for the rear truck in a compartment under the radiators. Access to this comparment is by opening the rear carbody doors by the comprssor, then opening a door inside the carbody to get into the blower compartment.

[garyrsatx]

Well I finally settled upon a location for the battery boxes. I had considered just having them sit in the lower half of the radiator area where the grills are, but it just did not seem right. So I went back to the SD70M set up. However I changed sides, putting them behind the engineers door. It required me to removed the electrical room door and access hatch. Now my plan is to add two smaller doors to replace the one tall door. I will be cutting down a couple Cannon doors to create this new access. So far it looks pretty cool. I will post pic later. ;D

[garyrsatx]

Here is a picture of the battery box placement on the SD40T-3MECO. I will be adding two doors in place of the one door used to access the main gen and blower. I was not sure that this would look good, but I believe that it turned out better then I imagined it would.

Note that the KP SD45T-2 rebuild unit is sitting in front of the SP unit. We were compairing notes on our construction efforts. ;D

[garyrsatx]

Here is a full pic of the new brakewheel location on the engineers side of the longhood.

[m a y o r 79]

I thought the doors under the cab windows traditionally were for the batteries. What are those compartments for on the rebuild?

[icghogger]

Mar 18, 2012 15:22:49 GMT -5 m a y o r 79 said:

I thought the doors under the cab windows traditionally were for the batteries. What are those compartments for on the rebuild?

Under the cab is usually the air brake equipment rack.

[garyrsatx]

As icghogger stated the area under the cab is for the air equipment. For instance, the UP SD60M's have LUM air(equipment rack) and can be found under the engineers side of the cab. As for the fireman's side of the cab subbase, this is where you will find the A/C unit. This is why there are no A/C units on the cab roof of the widecabs. Its pretty much the same with GE units.

Now on the SD70M models the battery boxes are found on the fireman's side behind the cab. This is where I got the part for my battery boxes. I modified a Ath Genesis SD70M battery box to fit on the walkway like a GE unit would have. ;D

[m a y o r 79]

Gottcha, learn something new every day.

[simulatortrain]

Great work so far, I really like the concept behind this one and the looks of the unit so far.