EMD SD40-3

EMD SD40-3
Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad EMD SD40-3 #6088 at Bellevue, Iowa, United States on June 13, 2009
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel–electric
BuilderGM Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
General Motors Diesel (GMD)
ModelSD40-3
RebuilderMultiple
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARC-C
 • UICCo′Co′
 • CommonwealthCo-Co
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
TrucksHTC 6-Wheel
Wheel diameter40 in (1,000 mm)
Wheelbase13 ft 7 in (4.14 m) between axles in each truck
Fuel typeDiesel
Prime moverEMD 16-645E3
Engine typeV16 diesel engine
Aspirationturbocharged
Traction motors6
Cylinders16
Cylinder size9.02 in (229 mm) x 10 in (250 mm)
Gear ratio62:15
MU workingYes
Train brakesWestinghouse 26L (Air Brake)
Performance figures
Maximum speed65 mph (105 km/h)
Power output3,000 hp (2,200 kW)
Tractive effort:
​
 • Starting115,000 lbf (52,000 kgf) @ 31.5%
 • Continuous82,100 lbf (37,200 kgf) @ 11 mph (18 km/h)
Career
OperatorsVarious
LocaleNorth America
DispositionMost still in service

The EMD SD40-3 is a rebuild from several locomotive models from General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD)'s second generation of diesel locomotives. The models involved in the rebuild were the SD40,[1] SD40-2,[2] SD45, SD45-2 and SD45T-2.[3][4]

History

Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad (B&LE)

The Boise Locomotive Company (BLC), a subsidiary of MotivePower, would rebuild seven former Southern Pacific (SP) SD45T-2s into SD40-3s on September 30, 1999. The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR) would rebuild an additional four former SP SD45T-2s into SD40-3s at their own Proctor, Minnesota shops in 2000, making a total of eleven SD40-3s. All eleven locomotives of which would be delivered to the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad (B&LE).[5][6][7]

CSX Transportation (CSXT)

CSX conducted their rebuilding of SD40-2s into SD40-3s at their own Huntington, West Virginia shops. Rebuilding began in 2010 with 10 units upgraded and numbered 4000-4009; in 2011, 20 units went through the program and were numbered 4010-4029 and in 2012 another 20 units followed and were numbered 4030-4049. One of the most notable rebuilds was SD40-2 no. 8888, (now rebuilt to no. 4389), which in 2001 was involved in a runaway incident caused by the failure of the engineer to notice the train gradually accelerating during yard switching, but this locomotive was rebuilt in 2015.[8] These locomotives featured new cabs, air conditioning systems, and other new technologies.

Norfolk Southern (NS)

The Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) had started their SD40-3 rebuild program in October 2021, and as of 2026, is ongoing.[9]

Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (W&LE)

The Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (W&LE) had one SD40, no. 3048, rebuilt into dash 3 specifications in December 1998 at their own Brewster, Ohio shops.[10] It is currently still in service as of 2026.

Accidents and incidents

  • On September 30, 2010, DM&IR SD40-3 no. 401 was involved in a collision at Highland, Minnesota, it was scrapped on site.[4]

Rebuilders

Company Quantity Date Former model(s) Location Number Notes Refs.
CSX Transportation (CSXT) 51 2010 - 2015 SD40-2 Huntington, West Virginia shops 4000-4049, 4387, 4389 4389 was formerly CSX 8888.[11]
National Railway Equipment Company (NREX) 8 1995 Silvis, Illinois shops 600-607 Sold and numbered for Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS) [12][13]
VMV Enterprises (VMVX) 28 1995 - 1996 SD40-2, SD45, SD40 Paducah, Kentucky 608-634, 672 [12]
16 1996-1997 SD45T-2 400-415 Sold to Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR) [3][4][14]
1 SD45-2 416
1 SD45T-2 417
1 SD45-2 418
1 SD45T-2 419
Ateliers de Montréal Facilities (AMF) 1 1996 SD40 - 697 Sold and numbered for Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS) [12]
12 1997 6047-6048, 6050-6052, 6055-6056, 6061-6062, 6076-6078 Rebuilt for Connell Leasing [15]
Alstom Canada Transportation (GCFX) 4 1998 6617-6618, 6629, 6632 Rebuilt and repainted for KCS, leased to CN [15][16]
Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (W&LE) 1 December 1998 Brewster, Ohio shops 3048 [10]
Boise Locomotive Company (BLC) 7 September 30, 1999 SD45T-2 Boise, Idaho 900-906 Sold to the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad (B&LE) [5][6][7]
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR) 4 2000 Proctor, Minnesota 907-910
Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) 55 October 2021 - present SD40-2 Juniata Shops 6400-6454 [9][17]
Metro East Industries (MEI) 2 April 2026 SD40-2 - 4091 and 4092 Rebuilt with new cabs

References

  1. ↑ "Kansas City Southern Trims Roster in Diesel Auction". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. 2019-06-04. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  2. ↑ Gunnoe, Chase (2017-08-24). "Older locomotives, small fleets end up in storage at CSX". Trains Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  3. 1 2 Guss, Chris (2022-12-01). "Electro-Motive Division tunnel motor diesels". Trains Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  4. 1 2 3 "Diesels". Missabe Railroad Historical Society. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  5. 1 2 Springirth, Kenneth C. (2009-02-09). Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4396-2155-4.
  6. 1 2 Solomon (2012), p. 35
  7. 1 2 Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 23. Carstens Publications. 2004. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-59073-005-8.
  8. ↑ Ross, Jim (2015-09-26). "New power from old: CSX locomotive rebuild program preserves jobs in Huntington, WV". The State Journal. Archived from the original on 2015-08-30. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
  9. 1 2 "The last grimy few: Norfolk Southern high hoods". 18 July 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  10. 1 2 Zadeh, Joseph (2024-09-10). "The future of the locomotive". Trains. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  11. ↑ Ross, Jim (2015-09-26). "New power from old: CSX locomotive rebuild program preserves jobs in Huntington, WV". The State Journal. Archived from the original on 2015-08-30. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
  12. 1 2 3 "Kansas City Southern Historical Society - KCS Locomotives - SD40-3's". kcshs.org. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  13. ↑ Extra Twenty-two Hundred South. Issue 105. 1994. Dover Printing. p. 14
  14. ↑ Extra Twenty-two Hundred South. Issue 111. 1994. Dover Printing. p. 31
  15. 1 2 "5215-5240 – CNRHA". Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  16. ↑ "5930-5956 – CNRHA". cnrha.ca. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  17. ↑ "NS SD40-3 Admiral Cab Rebuilds". AltoonaWorks.info. Retrieved 2026-04-03.

Bibliography

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