Friday, March 18, 2011

NS SD40-2's

On a recent visit to the NS' Montview yard...

NS SD40-2 6133 is a former Norfolk & Western locomotive. While the first order of N&W 40-2's had the normal high short-hoods, the rest fleet came with the standard short-hood seen here.

In addition to the rusted battery box (a common trait of the SD40-2 over time), notice that this unit has also had its snowplow removed! Meanwhile, the ex-Southern unit in front still has its front snowplow ( on ex-Southern units, the long hood is the front).

The ex-Southern unit also still has its distinctive high hood, with a second set of air horns on top, another Southern trait. Notice also that both railroads placed the bell on the top end of the long hood to prevent it from clogging up with snow -even though most Southern engines rarely encountered it in the Deep South!

Who says you can't run double-stacks in a general freight train? Actually, these stack cars were part of a bad-order set-out, and the string of tank cars is being used as a 'handle' to spot them on the repair track.

This was one of the two engines working Montview Yard -an ex-Burlington Northern/BNSF SD40-2 now working in lease service with CEFX reporting marks. While similar to recent Kato offerings, be aware that this engine has had its headlight relocated to the nose, a modification BNSF has been making on many of its engines.

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