Amtrak SDP40F Add-On Pack
(Requested by Leziaeevra).
(Requires Space’s original SDP40F model).
(This is another retextured SDP40F, complete with four number variants that haven’t been made yet, as far as I’m aware).
The SDP40F was a diesel locomotive that EMD built specifically for Amtrak, and 150 of these engines were built in 1973 and 1974. They were intended to replace the aging F7A and E8A locomotives (amongst other types) that Amtrak inherited from previous railroads when it launched in May 1971.
Unfortunately these locomotives were plagued with various issues throughout their service lives; one of them being the numerous derailments, which were caused either by harmonic vibrations between the locomotive and coaches or water for the steam-heat generators sloshing about, which made the locomotives top-heavy.
Amtrak eventually got rid of their SDP40Fs, and they were either traded in to EMD (and some parts used in the construction of F40PHRs) or sold to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1984. By 1987, the fleet had been completely removed from Amtrak’s roster.
The engines that went to the Santa Fe were rebuilt for freight service, and re-designated as SDF40-2. These had all been retired by 2002, but one of them – BNSF 5976, formerly Amtrak 644 – was saved for preservation.
For more information on the SDP40Fs, I recommend watching this video by AmtrakGuy365:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K75TM2JKxdc
(His ‘Engines of Amtrak’ series is very good, I might add).
Image Sources:
AMTK 503 –
https://www.flickr.com/photos/25005098@N03/5576039952/in/album-72157626396377318/
AMTK 522 –
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=145004
AMTK 529 –
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4607566
AMTK 555 –
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2665794
