What SD45s Need to be Made?

Perfectly sensible Rick.  For me, those omissions are really not what I consider, for lack of a better word, excusable, in light of today's common use of "modular" tooling and the abundance of prototype info and pics nowadays.  The wheel brake and brake-lever configurations were both common on SD45s so it would tend to make sense to offer the models either way.

Having said that, SP did have brake wheel-equipped SD45s on their roster, so if MTH offers scarlet/grey versions, then it's a matter of matching cab # to the correct brake system (not hard to do since there's a decent number of prototype pictures that's just a mouse-click away), and I would be in the market for one, provided that they also make sure to do both pre-and post- speed lettering with the same period-specific variances in lighting packages and engineer's windshield configurations as they did with the SD45T-2.

I would like to see Lionel make them especially with legacy. That would put them over the top if they did them correctly with road name specific details. I just don't think MTH wants to do that anymore. 

If MTH still wants to cater to the 2-rail O scale crowd by releasing their scale-wheels versions, it would behoove them to continue to push the detail and prototype-specific envelopes, the 2-rail crowd tends to be even more persnickety than the average hi railer; which is another reason why I'm puzzled that MTH didn't factor in the aforementioned details on their model of SP #7399.

John, agree.  I would be content with a painted, but unnumbered SD45.  Let me number it the way I want, to match a particular engine I saw at Donner, San Timeteo Canyon, etc., in the 70s.  But then, it is becoming increasingly hard to find O Scale decals anymore.  I have a fairly robust supply of Champs and MicroScale, but I can't replace my inventory when I use them.  So I'll have to accept what the manufacturers provide me. I just don't know how expensive it would have been to make #7399 as you suggest, and I constantly remind myself that all our manufacturers have to pay their employees...keep the lights on...and hopefully make a profit.  For the same reason I patronize my LHS as much as possible, especially for the big ticket items.

And then I'm not getting any younger.  So when I run #7399 it will bring back pleasant memories of Joy, Kansas, and the Cotton Rock.

And I certainly agree that MTH did a top notch job on those Tunnel Motors.  I have all the variants, powered and non-powered, and even swallowed my fondness for SP and got one of the UP painted variants.  Fortunately I lensed one at Norden in August '98 in helper service.

I see that you're a member of the San Diego group.  I was stationed out there '73-83, and have fond memories of the original HO club in the House of Charm.  I use to proudly run my custom-painted 11-car HO Northern Pacific "North Coast Limited" (AHM cars with a ConCor Slumbercoach, powered by a A-B-A set of Atheran F7s re-powered with can motors) with with a gentlemen that was running Z-6 Challengers, etc.  When I got back from a nine month deployment in '76-77 it was gone due to the fire, but my family and I made the Electric Building a "must see at least once a month" occurrence when I returned one final time to San Diego '87-89.

You guys are doing great work for the hobby, and I'd be a member if I had retired out there.  You have the Fleet and a great climate.  I have the Pentagon...and lots of heat and humidity...but I also have a basement!

Sail safe!

Rick,

Thanks for your insights, in addition to our club.

While a nice thought which I would definitely wouldn't mind, I don't think it's necessary for models to be released with "blank" road numbers.  As long as MTH or whomever does a bit of homework then they can get the numbering right based on the configuration.

One question regarding the red gyralite on your SD45:  Does it "strobe" (simulated oscillating) or is it just a steady light?

Reason I asked is that on the prototype it used to oscillate when it was activated.  When the PS2 Premier SD45T-2s were originally released as you probably already know, they didn't "strobe" like the MARS lights do.  I talked to one of the MTH technical reps (don't remember who it was; might have been Matthew?) at one of the prior WGH shows down here at the Del Mar Fairgrounds a few years ago and was asking about why it didn't have the simulated oscillation, and his reply was that there was a limitation on the PS2 boards where it could only support one set of flashing lights and could be addressed on future hardware revisions of the board.  Assuming with the release of PS3 (as your SD45 is so equipped) that would have resolved that limitation one would be inclined to think.

John, the red gyralite is fixed.

I am all-in for an NP SD-45 IF it has the correct side windows and nose gyra-light. (It will not sell well if they don't do that.)

GN Man

The nose light they can do.  I would love the extra cab windows but I'm in for three of them either way.

Big Sky Blue would be good too.

MTH builds their HO diesels modular so they can do specific details for each railroad. MTH has decided so far that O gauge will not follow suit. Case in point the new heritage schemes are wrong for the prototypes. They are using an earlier phase then the heritage units that they are supposed to be doing. They would be correct if they built them just like the HO versions. 

MTH does use modular tooling on their Premier line (and to a much lesser extent, their RailKing Scale line).  They just seem to not fully utilize it fully across the full spectrum of the Premier line. 

It must be emphasized that there were more Great Northern SD45s painted in Big Sky Blue than the Orange & Dark Green.

GN 400-407 Built in 1966 delivered in Orange & Dark Green

GN 408-417 built in 1967 delivered in Big Sky Blue, Gray & White

GN 418-426 built in 1968 delivered in Big Sky Blue, Gray & White

MTH has not yet offered the Big Sky Blue SD45.

Andrew

The original, compressed RailKing SD45 diesel was the only one to get the EMD demonstrator Blue & White color scheme.

The scale sized RailKing or scale Premier SD45 can still be offered in the EMD demonstrator scheme, to operate with scale diesels from any railroad.

Andrew

I'd like to see the Frisco SD45 in the Premier line-up!

Regards,

Swafford