Joe's SD 40-2's.

Joe's SD40-2's
It was another dead end Sunday.
The rails in all directions were empty.
I've been ill. I've cared for a recovering wife.
I wanted 4 hours to chase a train by myself.
I could find no relief.
I was prepared to go to Iowa Junction, Kinder or Opelousas to find anything rolling..
Heading west I heard the concerned female dispatcher tell an approaching train that 
it would have to cool it because the Lafayette yard could not handle it "right now"
and for it to stop west of Crowley. I was west of Crowley.
I decided to rush to my perch  by the irrigation canal near  Midland,
 take a shot and then move on.

Remember this place?


Here he came.

I put away the small camera.  It was Joe. The number struck a cord.
Look at that son of a gun. He owes me 10 bucks from our "Tossing Pennies" game.
He really wasn't slowing.
Seeing me, he sped up. What a   perplexed (wtf) expression!! Didn't expect me here did  you Bubba!!!

After having to wait to get on US 90, I caught him approaching  Crowley.
I missed my shot there which would have put him in front of the old depot.
You can just see a teeny bit of it on the front deck of the lead engine.
He beat me to the crossing east of town. He was gaining speed. Hey man, it's just 10 bucks!!!!
Leanor Rd. Crossing
East of Rayne a car ruined my perfect shot.
It was that "other" train chaser, Wrong Way William.
No cigar here.
He had stopped for further orders west of Duson, or to devise an escape plan.
Aren't they cute little engines. They go at 3000 horsepower apiece.
So, there they were, bookends, 1970 and 1950. 
"Their extended trucks created a wide gap between the engines". I read that.
"Trucks" are the wheel assemblies. I'll include the Wiki write on this engine down the page.
Caution: There is some very raw mind numbing info on motor installation which might interrupt future sleep.
That's the "detector".  If there is a problem the crew and the dispatcher will know about it.
It also gives present weather conditions and winning lottery numbers.
Well, that's the way it is suppose to work.
The dispatchers seem to be more on the ball.
I waited in Duson.
If trying to look harmless by the roadside, eat something like a candy bar.
"Terrorist don't eat candy bars".
That's on page 2 of the 10 page 
"Homeland Security Guidebook for New Emplyees".
Yes, that's a direct copy from their brochure. "Emply-ees"?
Ever been frisked by an Emply-ee with an attitude?
Better bite on a bullet. (oops) Or something, a candy bar maybe.
Fire one.
Fire two.
This one's taken at the old Scott Depot parking area.
Somehow "timing" had intervened into one of my shots. 
I was trying to get that telephone pole between the engines .....
Scott was having its Mardi Gras Parade.
There were 10,000 people there, no kidding.
I never felt safer having a gazillion ton train run interference for me, 
not to mention the Scott Police Dept.

What happened to the "Ride Your  Bike to Mardi Gras"  promotion?
5 bikes?



Not a Sunday walk in the park. Mardi Gras is serious.



Those folks didn't know what they were missing not chasing this train.
We were almost at the Lafayette Yard. Excitement was at a pitched roar.
One of the crewmen got down and did the switches entering the Lafayette Yard.
You'd have to have been there~~~!!!!!
That's when I saw the model number. Heavenly bugles trumpeted.
Hum, I guess bugles can trumpet?
I thought it might be pulling up near the BNSF offices. (the coffee machine is on the porch)
No.
I saw it at the "Scrap Yard" so they call it.
The crew were getting orders to cut the train lose.
Was Joe making a run for it going "light" with his 6000 hp?
It moved east to the 101 Switch.
Notice the crewman on the front deck.
No, that's Joe.
He's probably looking for me so he can settle up.
Right?

It reversed course and came back west.
That fella  is now on the "back" going forward.
I know the feeling.
No, that isn't Joe.
Was it tying down or picking up a new load or hiding?
The moral of this story is (trumpeting bugles): 
Never toss pennies with railroaders. You can't win.

EMD SD40-2

The EMD SD40-2 is a 3,000-horsepower (2,200 kW) C-C diesel-electric locomotive built by EMD from 1972 to 1989.
The SD40-2 was introduced in January 1972 as part of EMD's Dash 2 series, competing against the GE U30C and the MLW M630. Although higher-horsepower locomotives were available, including EMD's own SD45-2, the reliability and versatility of the 3,000-horsepower SD40-2 made it the best-selling model in EMD's history and the standard of the industry for several decades after its introduction. The SD40-2 was an improvement over the SD40, with modular electronic control systems similar to those of the experimental DDA40X.
Peak production of the SD40-2 was in the mid-1970s. Sales of the SD40-2 began to diminish after 1981 due to the oil crisis, increased competition from GE's Dash-7 series and the introduction of the EMD SD50, which was available concurrently to late SD40-2 production. The last SD40-2 delivered to a United States railroad was built in July 1984, with production continuing for railroads in Canada until July 1985, Mexico until February 1986, and Brazil until October 1989.
The SD40-2 has seen service in Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Guinea. To suit export country specifications, General Motors designed the JT26CW-SS (British Rail Class 59) for Great Britain, the GT26CW-2 for Yugoslavia, Korea, Iran, Morocco, Peru and Pakistan, while the GT26CU-2 went to Zimbabwe and Brazil. Various customizations led Algeria to receive their version of a SD40-2, known as GT26HCW-2.

Appearance and spotting features


A CSXT SD40-2 waiting in Tunnel Hill, Georgia.

A NS SD40-2 waiting at NS Elkhart Yard for its next job.
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 a length of 68 ft 10 in (20.98 m) over the coupler pulling faces. The SD38-2 and SD40-2 shared the same basic superstructure, since they used the same 16-645 engine (in Roots-blown 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 had even larger front and rear "porches" than the earlier models. These empty areas at front and rear are spotting features to identify the Dash 2 models of both units. The SD40-2 can be distinguished from the SD38-2 by its three roof-mounted radiator fans instead of two, and a single large exhaust stack instead of two smaller stacks.
The increase in the frame length between the preceding 40 Series and the 40-2 Series six-axle locomotives was made to accommodate the new HT-C truck design, in which the traction motors all face the same direction, making the trucks longer. After a series of derailments involving Amtrak SDP40F units that were equipped with "hollow bolster" HT-C trucks, applied only to the SDP40F, Conrail ordered the SD40-2 units and several orders of SD50s with the older Flexicoil trucks, but the HT-C truck was vindicated and it ultimately went under most 40 Series, 50 Series and 60 Series six-axle locomotives, and this truck is still found under many remanufactured locomotives.
As of 2008 some SD45 units have been modified by replacing their 20 cylinder engine with the 16 cylinder removed from scrapped SD40-2 units; this was common on Union Pacific and possibly other railroads. In many cases these are identified by the owner as SD40-3, SD40M-2 or some such. Confusingly, what appears to be an SD45 is labeled as an SD40-2. Older SD40-2 units used in low-power modes such as yard switching or hump service have been de-turbocharged, resulting in the mechanical equivalent of a SD38-2. Units so modified may or may not be re-labeled.
There are several variations of the SD40-2. Such as the SD40T-2s (T for tunnel motor) bought by fallen flags: Southern Pacific, and Denver and Rio Grande Western; now operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. There is the SD40-2W (W for the 4-Window Safety Cab) bought and operated by the Canadian National railway. There were high-nosed versions of the SD40-2 bought by fallen flags: Norfolk & Western, & Southern Railway. These units are now operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway (Resulting merger of N&W and The Southern Railway). There are even some narrow gauge versions around the world called BB40-2s.
Three cabless SD40-2Bs were also rebuilt from standard SD40-2s by the Burlington Northern Railroad in the early 1980s. The units had been in collisions and it was decided that it was more economical to rebuild them without cabs. Canadian Pacific also owns a few SD40-2Bs. These were created by welding metal plates over the cab windows of many of its ex-Norfolk Southern and some of its original SD40-2's.

That's about it.