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CPR Magazine Article
Communications and Public Affairs
P.O. Box 6042, Station Centre-ville
Montreal P.Q. H3C 3E4
 

Volume 25   Number 4

May 1995


Morrison-Knudsen SD40M-2s
Jonathan Hanna

CPRS SD40M-2, 5490, ex-Southern Pacific SD45, 9031, outshopped from Morrison-Knudsen in March 1995.
Most of you know about CPR Rail System's purchase of 83 AC-traction AC4400CW, 4,400-h.p. General Electric (GE) locomotives.
 
The appropriation for new AC-traction power for delivery between August and the end of the year had a little-known supplement attached to it. The remainder of the new motive power appropriation not used for new GE locomotives was to go toward a quicker fix of CPRS's motive power crunch.
 
Morrison-Knudsen (MK) of Boise, Idaho, approached CPRS's power acquisition team. The Potato State railway supply company, among other ventures, was acquiring and rebuilding older high-horsepower locomotives for resale.
 
So, for a relatively low cost by today's standards for new locomotives, CPRS could acquire a completely re-manufactured 3,000-h.p. locomotive. And relatively quickly too.
 
For $12 million CPRS acquired 10 SD40-2 locomotives designated SD40M-2 by Morrison-Knudsen - the "M" meaning "modified". Delivery took place during March and April 1995.
 
Old General Motors locomotives rebuilt
 
Morrison-Knudsen's SD40M-2 is actually a rebuilt General Motors (GM) SD40 or SD45. The 10 CPRS purchased originally were built by GM's Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois. Seven of the MK SD40M-2 locomotives were SD45s built between January 1967, and April 1969. Originally, five were purchased by Denver & Rio Grande Western, one by Southern Pacific, and one by St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt). Two of the ex-SD40s originally were purchased by Union Pacific in March 1966, and one by Chesapeake & Ohio in March 1971.
 
But these weren't old klunkers. Morrison-Knudsen bought the locomotives and completely rebuilt them to SD40-2 technology, overhauling the 645E3 engine block and completely replacing the electrical cabinet. The ex-SD45 locomotives, which originally had a 20-cylinder engine block, were re-fitted with a standard 16-cylinder SD40-2 engine block.
 
Jonathan Hanna And the locomotive cab looks new, too. Sporting many of the cab design committee's ergonomic changes, such as a recessed refrigerator and a "cleaned-up" control stand, the SD40M-2 cabs are the first CPRS application of the new Air Chief seats.
 
The 10 SD40M-2 locomotives, international leaders, are used to haul IFS traffic such as containers and trailers, automobiles, and parts, in Canada and the United States.
 
 
  Vital Statistics
Numbers
 5490-5499
Class
 DRF-30
Re-Builder
 Morrison-Knudsen
Outshopped
 March 1995
Builder's Model
 SD40/SD45
Horsepower
 3,000
Cylinders
 16
Axles
 6
Maximum speed
 65 mph  (105 kph)
Length
 68 ft. 10 in. (21 m)
Weight
 393,000 lbs.  (178,265 kg)
Purchase price
 $1,200,000


This CP Rail System News article is copyright 1995 by Canadian Pacific Railway and is reprinted here with their permission. All photographs, logos, and trademarks are the property of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company.