Product Review HO ScaleTrains SD40T-2 Tunnel Motor DRGW

[@pgsahlman]

Excellent review Dan - as usual. Your input is exceptionally valuable since clearly you are one of the high level experts in the field.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for the kind words and for watching!

[@skylershummingbird1667]

It's interesting that you pointed out the different shades of yellow. As years went on, D&RGW yellow changed from an appen gold to an almost safety orange and as units were touched up at different times, it was minorly noticable. Kudos to ST for modelling this.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm not completely convinced that ScaleTrains did it intentionally, but if it looks correct, then great. Thanks for watching!

[@dave3156]

I really like this one--neat paint job and extra details. Waiting to see how the train room is coming!!! Thx Dan!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Still dealing with the wall issue, but I have a solution. I just need to work on it now. Thanks for watching!

[@trainmaster1548]

You Have a really good way of reviewing trains by comparing them to the real ones.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I try to do my homework and relate whatever information about the prototype I can find, at least as far as the appearance of the model is concerned. That gives me a basis for evaluating whether or not something is correct. I'm glad you like what I'm doing. Thanks for watching!

[@AlikStansberry]

Nice review Dan! This model was practically almost perfect in its state. The truck design and back stripes were great. I just really like front and back painted stripes especially on EMD Geeps and SD’s. Just visually appealing to look at. I would personally have an issue with pieces missing or broken like with 5390’s handle. Models, especially the higher priced, higher quality ones should never be delivered with any amount of damage and or missing parts. I do also kind of nitpick the orange coloring not alining with the proper shading, but like you said this can be fixed through weathering. I’m also not sure why it’s so difficult for these models to be built with the right coupler height, but I can only guess it’s not easy to do. Overall, very good model representation of D&RGW 5390! I am a big fan of tunnel motors in general and would be very delighted if I owned one. I would likely get D&RGW 5371(if it’s in stock)mainly because of it being in preservation. It’s true SP and Rio Grande never had any conventional SD40-2s, but they both did run regular SD45s.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I have a lot of ScaleTrains and Athearn tunnel motors at this point, so it's probably a good thing I chose Donner as my layout theme. I have an Athearn model of 5371 that I detailed and weathered a few years ago, so it'll be a good companion to 5390. I agree that expensive models shouldn't have broken parts out of the box. And I would love it if all the couplers were always at the right height. One of the reasons I like the 1990s as a modeling era is that I can run a lot of Rio Grande power mixed in with my SP stuff. Thanks for watching!

[@503railfan]

for anybody wanting a more detailed explanation for the purpose of the tunnel motor locomotive: The SD40s and 45s, when in the long donner pass tunnels, would suck the exhaust back into the air intake, causing it to overheat and die. EMD moves the air intake to lower on the body to suck in clean air from the lower part of the tunnel, fixing the problem. Looks like a great model, nice review!

[@DanielCortopassi]

There's an interesting discussion of the development of tunnel motors in Joe Strapac's SP Historic Diesels No. 14 on the SD45T-2 (hint to ScaleTrains - please make these, too). The engineering requirements led to an interesting locomotive type for sure. Thanks for watching!

[@rynetreatch9558]

They also benefited D&RGW with the Moffat and Tennessee Pass tunnels. They didn’t start having to deal with Donner Pass until after they took over SP.

[@spacetruckerrob]

The only units to really have problems in tunnels where the SD 45’s! Therefore the tunnel motors wee developed ! The later order for the 40T-2 by the SP was really because the SP was trying out the Locotrol remote system on the SD 40 and therefore just added the tunnel motor option to the 40-2! Río Grande tried them out and liked them!

[@bradleyogden5688]

I'll chime in too. But this is about the oscillating light in this Rio Grande's order. When they where built, EMD placed the sand box too close to the front of the nose. Once they left LaGrange they where sent to an outside contractor to add them on to the group of locomotives. The SD50s also left LaGrange without noselights also, because the order was built to Seaboard System specifications and they were added at Mid America then sent to Burnham.

[@jamesburton7298]

Hi Dan, another good review. I primarily model Soo and DT&I , but you are tempting me with this model. I sometimes stray to other liveries when they have nice lighting. I love the Gyro light and class lights on this Rio Grand loco. Have a blessed day.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Well, one of the cool things about modeling the diesel era is that locomotives can stray from their home rails. I always think it's cool to see a unit from somewhere else in a train, so it's totally plausible. Thanks for watching!

[@irf1630trains]

Looks good Dan, Happy Easter!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Happy Easter and thanks for watching!

[@bryiansones150]

I ordered Rio Grande #5387 along with two other S.P. sd40t-2 units and they all arrived flawlessly. I was extremely surprised. They are absolutely fantastic models. I hope scaletrains continues to produce more in other roads and paint schemes. It would also be cool if they offered their chassis design separately like athearn has done. .

[@DanielCortopassi]

ScaleTrains is making some nice stuff for sure. A chassis could be retrofitted to make the Athearn RTR models not have the gear tower in back. It would be a lot of work but might be worth it for some modelers. Thanks for watching!

[@theavreefguy3777]

You know, when I first watched I was a little off put by the seemingly over analysis when it came to detail. It I’ve decided that if anything it’s probably very appreciated by the manufacturer. There work when done well is very appreciated

[@DanielCortopassi]

I try to be as thorough as possible, partly because I do the same thing when I'm kitbashing a diesel myself, and partly because I want the review to be as informative as possible. I know not everyone is as concerned about every little thing, but people can draw their own conclusions. Thanks for watching!

[@400exNick]

I was thinking epic status till the coupler part😕. What a beautiful engine I have two scale trains sd40-2’s CSX and NS and they are great pullers for sure and look great. Great review!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Coupler height is a common downfall. It's still a really nice model. Thanks for watching!

[@tp6212]

I don't have a good idea for how I'd go about correcting low couplers.. aside filing the mounting pads and pilot opening.. What strategy do you think you'll need to use to fix that problem? (might make a good How To vid..)

[@DanielCortopassi]

I am planning a how-to video on coupler height. You're right that with locomotives sometimes filing down the coupler mounting pad is the only way to raise a low coupler. Kind of a pain. I haven't tried fixing these particular ScaleTrains models yet. Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!

[@SGTGhost]

Great Review Dan, i do like the Sd40t-2 and everything stands out to me

[@DanielCortopassi]

These are neat locomotives. Thanks for watching!

[@sterlingmyers560]

I Love those tunnel motors, I just received My Athearn - SD601 CSX #8774,, I am a proud Papa DCC w/ Tsunami 2 sound

[@DanielCortopassi]

Tunnel motors are cool. Thanks for watching!

[@riogrande5761]

I agree, coupler height is important. If the car coupled to it is mismatched the other way it could result in the train coming apart, especially if track is uneven. So correct height is important. I got the as delivered DRGW ScaleTrain tunnel motors as I model the late 70s and early 80s. Interestingly, the class light housings were silver as-delivered but most were painted black soon after, and a few were painted to match the stripes, yet the 1986+ PTC version still has silver housings. -5 points? This is the best HO SD40T-2 ever made. Kudos ScaleTrains.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I think I talked about finding photos of the engine from various years in the review. I try to give models the benefit of the doubt when possible, unless I can prove for certain that something is wrong. Thanks for watching!

[@riogrande5761]

@@DanielCortopassi The D&RGW SD40T-2 is technically correct because it was delivered with the class light housings in silver.

[@jimaz6532]

Nice. A great review for a truly great model. Thanks for sharing. 🚂

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for watching!

[@dingo5827]

Great review Daniel 👍

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for watching!

[@mgr_video_productions]

Great review Dan!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for watching!

[@charlesdempsey176]

Dan, how easy is to adjust the coupler height on these models?

[@DanielCortopassi]

I haven't worked on these yet to try to fix the coupler height issue. Often with diesels low couplers require filing the coupler mounting pad. Thanks for watching!

[@needs2quit1atgmail87]

Very nice!! yes, I ordered one of these with my SP pair grabs are loose but sometimes there in the Box

[@DanielCortopassi]

I guess with so many details it increases the likelihood that something will fall off somewhere. One grab is not a big deal, though I'd still like to see these expensive models ship with just a tad more attention to quality control. Thanks for watching!

[@needs2quit1atgmail87]

@@DanielCortopassi the shipping has been getting better slowly

[@keatonsparksvideoproductions]

Emd units especially the sd40s with lok sound v5 tend to be as ear bleeding as the real units I'd lower the volume of the prime mover and raise the volume of the horn up as you said, otherwise they are disruptively loud. Hobby isn't fun when it's bothering other people next to you if your in an apartment or a hedroom is next to the train room

[@DanielCortopassi]

I am thinking that when I get the HO layout going I might need to lower the prime mover noises even more, because I have a lot of engines and collectively they might get pretty loud if they're all on at once. For me the horn and bell are the most important anyway, since those things can be used to make operating the trains more interesting. Thanks for watching!

[@d-rail7271]

Love your videos, but I have to disagree with a fractionally low coupler being worth taking points for yet a completely missing detail part isn't

[@DanielCortopassi]

It's because I have a zero tolerance policy for coupler height with my equipment. I fix any coupler that's not spot on, so whether it's a little bit off or a lot off doesn't really matter. It's still off. One missing grab iron can be easily fixed in just a few minutes, and I didn't think that alone was a big enough deal to merit a deduction. Thanks for watching!

[@tp6212]

that reply makes perfect sense to me...

[@iLoVeSD70Ace35]

Personally, I’d give this model 92%. 5 points off for the missing grab iron and 3 points for the coupler height. One was barely off also.

[@mrsurfliner149]

I would give it a 95, couplers are very easy to fix

[@dmandc]

Great review, will you be doing a review of the scale trains SD40-3?

[@DanielCortopassi]

Those are outside my usual era of interest but I do have some more modern stuff, so I'll consider it. Maybe when/if they do another run of them. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@dmandc]

The new run they are making of CSX YN3B comes out early to mid May this year.

[@JoeG-firehousewhiskey]

very nice engine, and the couplers are easily fixed!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Coupler height isn't usually that big a job. I'll probably replace mine with Kadees anyway on this unit. Thanks for watching!

[@daniellucas6573]

Damn! I was hoping this unit would get an Epic status!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Well "epic" was on that other channel but I do have a perfect score star that I've given out once so far, on an N scale ScaleTrains locomotive. This one would have probably gotten it if not for the couplers. Thanks for watching!

[@brantleyhester6641]

I have an Athern blue box, undecorated DC, one of these. Only been opened and looked at by myself and then put back in the box. Never been used

[@DanielCortopassi]

I had an Athearn blue box tunnel motor a few years back. It was a good model for its time. Thanks for watching!

[@brantleyhester6641]

Daniel Cortopassi Thank you for replying. I'm running DC right now. Still in the dark ages, don't have the funds for DCC yet, raising four kids. But yeah it's a good model just don't have a use for on my layout

[@ZachPumphery]

I did a snoot nose UP repaint version from a blue box close to 20 years ago with photo etched radiator intakes I believe from Plano or somebody. I cut the rear gear tower off to give it the open appearance. It didn't pull nearly as well, but it looked pretty good for its time...but the ScaleTrains version is just...light years ahead of those. It's amazing how far this hobby has come since I was a kid.

[@croasdail]

Love the video too...... but a missing part doesn't get points off... but a loose shade does? Makes no sense. But those are nits... thanks for the review

[@DanielCortopassi]

My logic is based on my ability to fix it. I can replace a single grab iron in maybe five minutes. It's small enough to paint with a brush and it just needs to be stuck into the pre-existing holes in the model. I won't mess around with glued on sunshades, because they always fall off again eventually. That means they need to be replaced with aftermarket parts. I have to prime them, then airbrush them SP gray, drill mounting holes in the model, and then stick them on. That's a lot more work. Thanks for watching!

[@jaredwayman985]

Do another athearn blue box again?

[@DanielCortopassi]

My very first tunnel motor was an Athearn blue box Cotton Belt unit. I don't have it anymore. I recently did a review of one of the newer Athearn RTR tunnel motors, which you can find on this channel. Thanks for watching!

[@hohobbyist1098]

Everyone seems to be ticked off about the couplers. And while I kind of agree with them, I understand everyone has a policy with their models. I personally think if a coupler's difference from the NMRA standard is less than can be fixed by buying a non-center shank coupler, it's negligible. I'm curious whether a model will ever score a 100 on a review of yours. So far, none have.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Actually, I've had one 100 point review so far. It was the N scale ScaleTrains C39-8. Thanks for watching!

[@JuniorCesar-nf8bg]

Muito bacana

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for watching!

[@cheistopherback5002]

These units are so close to brass that I can't see why get a brass engine anymore

[@DanielCortopassi]

The detail is really outstanding. Ready to run plastic models have certainly come a long way. Thanks for watching!

[@boomer8393]

Couplers low!!? The rear is 'barely noticeable.' Good review, but taking points away for couplers that 90% of modelers wouldn't fault seems ridiculous.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I am a stickler for having couplers at the correct height, because I've had issues in the past with unwanted uncoupling. Off by a little or off by a lot, if I have to fix it, then it gets a deduction. Thanks for watching!

[@Jabond07]

🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🫶🍻

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for watching!