Post by kwrengo on Jun 7, 2009 22:42:51 GMT -5
One of the oddball diesels I want to do and I thought was going to be easy was a model of the original EMD SD40Xs 434A-D built back in 1966 that ended up on the UP. The fact that EMD used the underframe and fuel tank of the SD35 made it appear to me a simple kitbash.
I was lucky enough one day last summer to have the first SD40X prototype IC 6071 (EMD 434, GMO 950) in my locomotive consist on a CN train heading south and took pictures for comparison to the SD35. It was then I realized that modeling the 6071 wouldn't be easy, EMD in a creative way crammed the three 48 inch cooling fans in to an area on the roof just a bit bigger than the SD35 fans (I couldn't easily fit my foot between the fan housings that is how close) Also it required changing the radiator fan openings on the carbody but what I found available was either to small or to big (I wasn't to crazy about trying to piece together detail parts so the grill detail would match) so on the back burner this idea went over the last few months.
This last week I was looking at some photos of the UP SD40X versions that ended up in the PLM lease fleet and discovered the radiator fans and intakes appear to be the same spacing as what is found on a GP40. The only slight thing different is the door arraignment below the intakes but I felt that is a worthy comprise.
So with little effort I was able to set the Atlas GP40 shell (short nose, and cab to) into the walkway frame of the SD35, even the blower hatch housing on the fireman's side lined up with the foot on the SD35 walkway. The only major modification will be to modify and open up the space on the GP40 shell to fit the SD35 dynamic brake hatch. Sounds simple right?
I will post some pictures tomorrow showing the basic idea.
Kent
I was lucky enough one day last summer to have the first SD40X prototype IC 6071 (EMD 434, GMO 950) in my locomotive consist on a CN train heading south and took pictures for comparison to the SD35. It was then I realized that modeling the 6071 wouldn't be easy, EMD in a creative way crammed the three 48 inch cooling fans in to an area on the roof just a bit bigger than the SD35 fans (I couldn't easily fit my foot between the fan housings that is how close) Also it required changing the radiator fan openings on the carbody but what I found available was either to small or to big (I wasn't to crazy about trying to piece together detail parts so the grill detail would match) so on the back burner this idea went over the last few months.
This last week I was looking at some photos of the UP SD40X versions that ended up in the PLM lease fleet and discovered the radiator fans and intakes appear to be the same spacing as what is found on a GP40. The only slight thing different is the door arraignment below the intakes but I felt that is a worthy comprise.
So with little effort I was able to set the Atlas GP40 shell (short nose, and cab to) into the walkway frame of the SD35, even the blower hatch housing on the fireman's side lined up with the foot on the SD35 walkway. The only major modification will be to modify and open up the space on the GP40 shell to fit the SD35 dynamic brake hatch. Sounds simple right?
I will post some pictures tomorrow showing the basic idea.
Kent
