my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

Southern Pacific SD40R

Rebuilt 1980-81 as SD40R #7300 - 7385

86 units rebuilt

Beginning in mid 1980, SP cycled all their surviving SD40's through a Sacramento rebuild program.

external changes from a standard SD40 included:

• Rear 5-light show cluster fitted
• Contactor access door on the front of the dynamic brake blister
• Electrical cabinet fitted behind left rear of cab
• Equipment box added to the end of the traction blower duct (on the left side)
• Permanent MU cables fitted
• Electrical cab heater replaced 'hot water cab heater'

These were not rebuilt in order, but rather when they became due. So the last 10 units with 'L' shaped engineers windows, ended up being scattered throughout the number series.

The following SD40R's have the 'L' -shaped window:

• 7319,
• 7327,
• 7337,
• 7347,
• 7349,
• 7351,
• 7364,
• 7368,
• 7374.

This info is from Southern Pacific Dieselization by John Bonds Garmany courtesy Joe Fugate.

Although all were delivered with inside low-mount brake cylinders, no effort was made to move these to the outside upper position when rebuilt. Units could still be seen in 1996 with brake cylinders in the as delivered configuration.

References:

• SP 1987/88 Motive Power Pictorial by Joe.W.Shine, Pages 108/109.
• SP.....into the '90's by Joe.W.Shine, Pages 192. Has some good photo's of these units.
• SP 1995 Motive Power Annual by Bill Shippen - Four Ways West Publications.
• SP in Transition by Bill Shippen and Joe Shine - Four Ways West Publications.
• Southern Pacific Rails - a motive power finale by Peter Limas has a number of images and data