I guess as a group the preservationist community tends to be past oriented but watching a CP train with 3 SD-40-2's and a later SD tonight, I couldn't help but think that just 4-5 years ago, CP ran sd-40-2's almost exclusively where I watch them, now a lot of newer power is running.

I think the SD-40-2 has to be the most significant 2nd generation model. Are there any significant plans to acquire and preserve any or do they still have enough life in them so that are too expensive not to be producing revenue-miles?

I'm not sure if any SD40s have been preserved but a number of SD45s have been preserved,

The Union Pacific has given two museums EMD SD45s. These went to the Utah State Railroad Museum at Odgen Union Station and the California State Railraod Museum.

The Great Northern Historical Society has the GN "Hustle Muscle" SD45 #400.

Several museums have been been given Santa Fe F45s by the BNSF. Orange Empire's is operable.

Brian Norden

ATSF #98 at Orange Empire
bnorden49@earthlink.net

I think that you've hit the nail on the head, Mike. Sadly, I suspect few SD 40's or dash-2's
will be preserved. They work too well, and are too easily rebuilt. And, don't think that shortlines wouldn't want a few, when they may get cheaper. The only redemption is US EPA emission standards that may make them too expensive to rebuild, but I even doubt that.

> I guess as a group the preservationist
> community tends to be past oriented but
> watching a CP train with 3 SD-40-2's and a
> later SD tonight, I couldn't help but think
> that just 4-5 years ago, CP ran sd-40-2's
> almost exclusively where I watch them, now a
> lot of newer power is running.

> I think the SD-40-2 has to be the most
> significant 2nd generation model. Are there
> any significant plans to acquire and
> preserve any or do they still have enough
> life in them so that are too expensive not
> to be producing revenue-miles?


schwartzsj@juno.com

As noted, the rail preservation community somtimes tends to wait until the last minute (and sometimes until far too late) to grasp that an example of something needs to be saved.

Straight, unrebuilt SD40's are very hard to find in any condition, simply because most have been converted to Dash-2 electronics and have had other modifications. A few years back, BNSF still had a few of the ex-SLSF SD40P's that were pretty much as-built, except for the paint and the removal of the boilers; I wonder what ever happened to them?

The SD45 and it's variations are well preserved, with something like 9 or 10 in various museums around the country. High-nose versions and a tunnel motor version are among those saved. But the plain-jane SD40, TMK, hasn't received much attention from museums, and time is running out. Those that haven't already been rebuilt into something else will end up being scrapped as the bottom has fallen completely out of the secondhand locomotive market.

The SD40-2 is another animal entirely. For one thing, there are still thousands of them in service, and will be for years. But SD40-2's are starting to show up in disposal auctions by the big railroads and in scrap yards, as, again, the rebuild and lease market has evaporated. The selling prices of these things at auction are a fraction of what they were 2 years ago.

This might be a good time for a museum to scrape up some money and attend a few auctions, rather than wait 10 or 12 years, when it might be too late.

I understand the Revelstoke Railway Museum in Revelstoke, British Columbia, will receive Canadian PacificÂ’s first SD-40, No. 5500. The last I saw of her was in a deadline at CalgaryÂ’s Ogden shops.

> As noted, the rail preservation community
> somtimes tends to wait until the last minute
> (and sometimes until far too late) to grasp
> that an example of something needs to be
> saved.

> Straight, unrebuilt SD40's are very hard to
> find in any condition, simply because most
> have been converted to Dash-2 electronics
> and have had other modifications. A few
> years back, BNSF still had a few of the
> ex-SLSF SD40P's that were pretty much
> as-built, except for the paint and the
> removal of the boilers; I wonder what ever
> happened to them?

> The SD45 and it's variations are well
> preserved, with something like 9 or 10 in
> various museums around the country.
> High-nose versions and a tunnel motor
> version are among those saved. But the
> plain-jane SD40, TMK, hasn't received much
> attention from museums, and time is running
> out. Those that haven't already been rebuilt
> into something else will end up being
> scrapped as the bottom has fallen completely
> out of the secondhand locomotive market.

> The SD40-2 is another animal entirely. For
> one thing, there are still thousands of them
> in service, and will be for years. But
> SD40-2's are starting to show up in disposal
> auctions by the big railroads and in scrap
> yards, as, again, the rebuild and lease
> market has evaporated. The selling prices of
> these things at auction are a fraction of
> what they were 2 years ago.

> This might be a good time for a museum to
> scrape up some money and attend a few
> auctions, rather than wait 10 or 12 years,
> when it might be too late.


Revelstoke Railway Museum

> I understand the Revelstoke Railway Museum
> in Revelstoke, British Columbia, will
> receive Canadian PacificÂ’s first SD-40, No.
> 5500. The last I saw of her was in a
> deadline at CalgaryÂ’s Ogden shops.
I know at the UP auctions about 2 months ago running SD-40-2's were going for 20,000 to 25,000 dollars. F.O.B. on UP.You could by 2 parts out one and have a shell and a runner for about 10,000 dollars. tuff to beat a deal like that.

irss@eriecoast.com

Hmmm... I thought that this was slated to come to the museum in Ottawa. Unfortunately, the currator of Land Transportation has just left for greener pastures, so verification either way will not happen from this end.

John Stewart
Ottawa.

> I understand the Revelstoke Railway Museum
> in Revelstoke, British Columbia, will
> receive Canadian Pacific?s first SD-40, No.
> 5500. The last I saw of her was in a
> deadline at Calgary?s Ogden shops.


luigi@mainframe.dgrc.crc.ca

Unfortunately, ONE version of SD-45's has not been
preserved, and that's the Reading's with the built-out windshield for the oddball walk-around
control stand. Just too expensive, and CNW was too tight-wadded at the time.

> As noted, the rail preservation community
> somtimes tends to wait until the last minute
> (and sometimes until far too late) to grasp
> that an example of something needs to be
> saved.

> Straight, unrebuilt SD40's are very hard to
> find in any condition, simply because most
> have been converted to Dash-2 electronics
> and have had other modifications. A few
> years back, BNSF still had a few of the
> ex-SLSF SD40P's that were pretty much
> as-built, except for the paint and the
> removal of the boilers; I wonder what ever
> happened to them?

> The SD45 and it's variations are well
> preserved, with something like 9 or 10 in
> various museums around the country.
> High-nose versions and a tunnel motor
> version are among those saved. But the
> plain-jane SD40, TMK, hasn't received much
> attention from museums, and time is running
> out. Those that haven't already been rebuilt
> into something else will end up being
> scrapped as the bottom has fallen completely
> out of the secondhand locomotive market.

> The SD40-2 is another animal entirely. For
> one thing, there are still thousands of them
> in service, and will be for years. But
> SD40-2's are starting to show up in disposal
> auctions by the big railroads and in scrap
> yards, as, again, the rebuild and lease
> market has evaporated. The selling prices of
> these things at auction are a fraction of
> what they were 2 years ago.

> This might be a good time for a museum to
> scrape up some money and attend a few
> auctions, rather than wait 10 or 12 years,
> when it might be too late.


schwartzsj@juno.com

>

> Straight, unrebuilt SD40's are very hard to
> find in any condition, simply because most
> have been converted to Dash-2 electronics
> and have had other modifications.

A good source for "straight" SD40s might be CP, in the last two years they've purging the Soo SD40 fleet, I think there might be still some left in storage, but I can't find any for sale on the depisition page on CPRs website. Usually one stored in Calgery or Thief River Falls will pop up for sale once it's been drained.

Didn't the UP put some SD-40's away a few years ago? If I remember correctly, they were some of the first ones that were built on SD-35 frames. Speaking of 35's, there are even fewer of those left.> As noted, the rail preservation community
> somtimes tends to wait until the last minute
> (and sometimes until far too late) to grasp
> that an example of something needs to be
> saved.

> Straight, unrebuilt SD40's are very hard to
> find in any condition, simply because most
> have been converted to Dash-2 electronics
> and have had other modifications. A few
> years back, BNSF still had a few of the
> ex-SLSF SD40P's that were pretty much
> as-built, except for the paint and the
> removal of the boilers; I wonder what ever
> happened to them?

> The SD45 and it's variations are well
> preserved, with something like 9 or 10 in
> various museums around the country.
> High-nose versions and a tunnel motor
> version are among those saved. But the
> plain-jane SD40, TMK, hasn't received much
> attention from museums, and time is running
> out. Those that haven't already been rebuilt
> into something else will end up being
> scrapped as the bottom has fallen completely
> out of the secondhand locomotive market.

> The SD40-2 is another animal entirely. For
> one thing, there are still thousands of them
> in service, and will be for years. But
> SD40-2's are starting to show up in disposal
> auctions by the big railroads and in scrap
> yards, as, again, the rebuild and lease
> market has evaporated. The selling prices of
> these things at auction are a fraction of
> what they were 2 years ago.

> This might be a good time for a museum to
> scrape up some money and attend a few
> auctions, rather than wait 10 or 12 years,
> when it might be too late.


sacarlso@scj.com

Speaking of 35's, there are
> even fewer of those left.

But one is safe, sound and repainted to its as-delivered livery at the B&O Museum.

eledbetter@rypn.org

> Speaking of 35's, there are

> But one is safe, sound and repainted to its
> as-delivered livery at the B&O Museum.

One former SAL SDP35 was preserved as well.

Equally as rare in preservation is the SDP45 (and SDP40). The only one preserved that comes to mind is the Erie Lackawanna SDP45 at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke. I think that all the SP SDP45's were scrapped. BNSF might still have a few former GN SDP45 and SDP40's on their roster. Anyone have any info on these units?

Rob Piecuch

http://www.chemungvalleyrhs.com/
chemungvalleyrhs@aol.com

Ya gotta hand it to 'em at the Virginia Transportation Museum at Roanoke, they get stuff others can only DREAM of! Apparently there are good, solid connections at NS

> One former SAL SDP35 was preserved as well.
> Equally as rare in preservation is the SDP45
> (and SDP40). The only one preserved that
> comes to mind is the Erie Lackawanna SDP45
> at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in
> Roanoke. I think that all the SP SDP45's
> were scrapped. BNSF might still have a few
> former GN SDP45 and SDP40's on their roster.
> Anyone have any info on these units?

> Rob Piecuch


schwartzsj@juno.com

> Didn't the UP put some SD-40's away a few
> years ago? If I remember correctly, they
> were some of the first ones that were built
> on SD-35 frames. Speaking of 35's, there are
> even fewer of those left.> As noted, the
> rail preservation community

UP had and kept one of the SD40X prototype/demonstrator units; IIRC it had been EMD 434-D or something like that. Anyway, they
kept it for a while to see if any museums were interested. After several years with no interest at all expressed by any museums, they sold it to National Railway Equipment. I think it's still sitting in the dead line at their Mt. Vernon, IL shop. Another one, rebuilt to dash-2 standards, is in the Helm/MPI lease fleet.

Another issue expressed somewhere above brings up the question of how many different versions and variations of a particular locomotive can be justifiably saved? If an ex-Reading SD45 with the built-out center windshield is worthy of saving, how about an exSP or exD&H with the L-shaped front window? Or an exCNW without dynamic brakes? Or an exUP with the horns mounted over the cooling fans? IOW, where do you draw the line on variations, many of which are just costmetic, before you end up with too many saved for things that are relatively insignificant, as opposed to saving a few of the most noteworthy and dvoting the remaining time, energy and money to saving something else?

>You draw the line where your collection is concentrated! D&H W/"L" windshield? Yep, since it was a demonstrator, SP? nah! Too many. Take a look
all preserved are for western roads. NW or SOU high hood for Roanoke? Sure. CNW non-dynamic? If someone is preserving CNW. The RDG choice was between a C-630 and an SD-45. Sure woulda been nice to get the RDG unit, though. UP With amidships horn? Getting a little silly, there, aren't we?

UP had and kept one of the SD40X
> prototype/demonstrator units; IIRC it had
> been EMD 434-D or something like that.
> Anyway, they
> kept it for a while to see if any museums
> were interested. After several years with no
> interest at all expressed by any museums,
> they sold it to National Railway Equipment.
> I think it's still sitting in the dead line
> at their Mt. Vernon, IL shop. Another one,
> rebuilt to dash-2 standards, is in the
> Helm/MPI lease fleet.

> Another issue expressed somewhere above
> brings up the question of how many different
> versions and variations of a particular
> locomotive can be justifiably saved? If an
> ex-Reading SD45 with the built-out center
> windshield is worthy of saving, how about an
> exSP or exD&H with the L-shaped front
> window? Or an exCNW without dynamic brakes?
> Or an exUP with the horns mounted over the
> cooling fans? IOW, where do you draw the
> line on variations, many of which are just
> costmetic, before you end up with too many
> saved for things that are relatively
> insignificant, as opposed to saving a few of
> the most noteworthy and dvoting the
> remaining time, energy and money to saving
> something else?


schwartzsj@juno.com