Best diesel

Well I guess I will jump in I have said before that the SD40-2, whatever variation were probably the best over all, locomotives ever made. They would give you everything that had every time, easy to run, relatively simple to maintain and repair. Now I will also say that if you had enough GP40-2's to pull a train they would do just as good, easy to keep on speed, loaded up quickly (which only means much to those of us that work over very undulating territory). Those SD40-2's were exactly what the carriers needed at that time, they fit right into the plan. And just last for ever, not uncommon to still see them all over the country moving tonnage. Their only issue really is the pollution performance standards, electronic fuel injection, auto-start stuff and all that goes with the advances in PC technology since their mfg. Their HP to weight and adhesion was good (for the time). Its just unfortunate for us SLSF modelers that Frisco's SD40-2's were so few, and were so late in delivery, that it would be hard to get a good view of their performance for our Frisco, but I can guarantee you they would lean into the tonnage and would glady wrinkle the rails under themselves to move it.
The SD40T-2 which was the ones I cut my teeth on were just outstanding locomotives, especially the D&RGW ones. With the wheel-slip control modifications they actually had the same tonnage rating of the newer SD50's. not much to say about the EMD 50 series, but the 60 series were outstanding locos in their day too, just not nearly as many built as the SD40-2's, I would like to think that the last GE will be pushed towards the torch holders by a SD40-2.
That is just my opinion.

 

I'll chime in with a few thoughts. The SD40-2, and to a lessor extent its predecessor SD40, were great locomotives for their time - the shear volume of them ordered by almost everybody would confirm this, and certainly it should be on the list of "best ever", even though the big behemoths of today's era far out perform the beloved "toosh-da". The Frisco SD40-2's were late in the game, and small in number, eight units, because our road early on bought into the SD45, of which SLSF rostered 49 units. The SD45 also performed well, at least well enough, met expectations, but suffered from the sheer might of the unit - reliability was just OK, as the V-20 645 was a bit stressed, fuel economy was sub-par even for the day, and maintenance costs were higher than expected because of the need to service a big engine with 20 cylinders. But, all was forgiven, as all of us loved the big SD45! As the SD40-2's arrived, the calmer, more efficient version, with its V-16 645, came to the surface as a better locomotive on all points (except being hugely impressive!) Hey - it even had a dance floor!
Just my thoughts.
K

 

They were good engines for their time, the thing I liked was the ride, big difference between a 4-axle & 6-axle at 60mph. They had their quirks too, the radiators sat too high so they would overheat & shutdown in a tunnel. They and every other EMD model would go into transition about 22mph so you really had to watch them or you would rip the train in half. Otherwise they were just like an old Chevy, easy to work on, easy to maintain. Also back around where the little round oval was when you opened the door there was a slant where you could warm up food, I could cook a 4-course meal on an SD40. But that was back when we actually ran the train, we don't do that anymore, the computer runs the train today, we just blow the whistle at crossings. My 2 cents...Roger

 

To me the best diesel is the one that was just scrapped. Hate diesels.

 

I can't help it. My first 12 years I was exposed to working steam on Frisco/MP and then it was brutally ripped from me by those stinking painted boxes.

 

Speaking as an early era modeler (1915-1925) I also have a pure love for steam but danged if I don't like the looks of the SD40-2. I wish there was an N scale Frisco version. I would buy it right now.

 

And, alas, by the laws of thermodynamics.