My New BlueLine SD40-2

[WGL]

 Four months after I pre-ordered it, my BlueLine DC with sound SD40-2 UP arrived.  Monday, Tony's Train Exchange called to say that they were ready to ship, but my credit card had expired.  I was told that some BLI preorders take 3 years.  I suppose some of the customers expire during that time!

After running it in DC, I installed a Digtrax DN143IP DCC decoder.  Since I'd left my BlueLine DC with sound Heavy Mikado on address 3 after I'd installed a DCC decoder, I wondered whether the separate sound & DCC decoders would work at a different address.  I had no problem changing the SD40-2's address from default 3 to 4 with EZ Command.  I also changed the 4-wire plug from J1 to J7, because I wanted to be able to turn the lights on & off from my EZ Command.

I like its horn!  It sounds like what I hear, clearly, from the railroad a mile away from inside our house with the windows closed.

One of the oscillating ditch lights does not come on.  I think both worked in DC.  I'll wait a day before removing the couplers & shell & putting all that back together again.

[jettrainfan]

Sounds like a nice diesel! I went to look some up and found they got N.S. for it too Along with Santa Fe(i mainly railroad those.). They were both sold out on the first site . The 2nd only had N.S. but it had pictures. Nice units! I will have to get 2 for N.S. soon!!!

[WGL]

 I solved the problem with the ditch lights by moving the 4-wire plug back from J7 to J1.  I can still turn the headlights on & off, but the ditch lights remain on. 

While it creeps smoothly, its Digitrax DN143IP, like the one in my BlueLine Heavy Mikado, needs to have momentum programmed into it.  I gave it the same address as my Spectrum SD45 for possibly running them in consist occasionally.  However, the Spectrum pulls my 14-car UP train at a top speed of 80 HO mph, but the BlueLine SD40-2 pulls it at a top speed of 100!  I wish I'd known what Jim Banner just posted at the thread DC to DCC Conversion, that some Digitrax decoders come with BEMF, which "stands for Back ElectroMotive Force."

[WGL]

 The front & back platforms on the SD40-2 are much bigger than on my SD45s.  Does anyone know why they were built with more space?

[Tylerf]

I'm not sure exactly why sd40-2 end walkways are extended and I'm also curious to find out but I do know the sd40-2 is the only locomotive with that extension.

[pdlethbridge]

wikipedia gave the answer.
"Just as the SD38, SD39, SD40, and SD45 shared a common frame, so too did the SD38-2, SD40-2, and SD45-2. It was 3 ft (0.91 m) longer than the previous models, giving an overall locomotive length of 68 ft 10 in (21.0 m) over the coupler pulling faces. The SD38-2 and SD40-2 shared the same basic superstructure, since they both used the same 16-645E3 engine (in naturally aspirated and turbocharged form respectively); the long hood was 18 inches (46 cm) longer than the SD38 and SD40, but since the increase in frame length was even greater, the SD38-2 and SD40-2 were left with even larger front and rear "porches" than the earlier models. These empty areas at front and rear are distinctive spotting features to identify the Dash 2 models of both units. The SD40-2 can be distinguished from the SD38-2 by having three roof-mounted radiator fans instead of two. Another distinguishing feature of the SD40-2 as compared to the SD40 is the SD40-2's trucks (HT-C truck), which have shock absorbers on the outside of middle axle. However, this is not true of the former Conrail SD40-2s. After a rash of derailments involving Amtrak SDP40F units that were equipped with HT-C trucks, Conrail ordered the SD40-2 units and several orders of SD50s with the older flexicoil trucks.

[WGL]

Thanks for the explanation, pdlethbridge!  There seems to be space for the engineer & fireman to set a table & chairs to eat their lunches.