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Here we have a newer Kato "mid production" SD40-2. I found a few pictures on the internet to work from for this loco. They label it a "mid production" as it comes with ditch lights and the "MKM" stencil on the side, meaning it's been maintained by Morrison Knudsen, which started in the mid 90's. Well, my modeling time is spring 1988, so I needed to backdate this loco. First thing to do was "ditch" the ditch lights! I cut them off and filed them down even with the anticlimber. I then added some BLMA brass walkway to cover the holes that were left. There was a small lip left from where the brass met the stock plastic walkway, about as noticeable as the stock split in the walkways. But once painted and weathered, it was hard to see the line between the walkways and the brass add-on's. Next was to erase that little "MKM" on each side under the numbers. Once done, I added some sun shades, rear view mirrors and windshield wippers to the cab. Kato did a pretty good job of including a stock air conditioner, antenna stands and antenna. On down to the pilots, I got rid of the stock all in one snow plow/MU hoses and added a new plow and MU hoses. I also added some cut levers and air hoses. Next was some yellow paint on the step ends, a better matching blue horn, and red on the fuel filler lids. Two Z scale couplers and some weathering with chalks rounded out the shell. MRC makes a DCC sound decoder for this loco, so that was added next. The light in the front was not as bright as I wanted, so I took and swaped it out with the light from the stock light board, as this turned out to be much brighter. Once the sounds were programmed and the loco was speed matched, I added it to the fleet. Needless to say, this loco is always at the front of a consist! =)

 

Stock (5073 is identical)

Detailed

 

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