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, SD40-2, SD45, SD45-2 and SD45T-2.
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).
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. 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.
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. 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.
Rebuilders CompanyQuantityDateFormer model(s)LocationNumberNotesRefs.CSX Transportation (CSXT)512010 - 2015SD40-2Huntington, West Virginia shops4000-4049, 4387, 43894389 was formerly CSX 8888.National Railway Equipment Company (NREX)81995Silvis, Illinois shops600-607Sold and numbered for Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS)Extra Twenty-two Hundred South. Issue 105. 1994. Dover Printing. p. 14VMV Enterprises (VMVX)281995 - 1996SD40-2, SD45, SD40Paducah, Kentucky608-634, 672161996-1997SD45T-2400-415Sold to Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR)Extra Twenty-two Hundred South. Issue 111. 1994. Dover Printing. p. 311SD45-24161SD45T-24171SD45-24181SD45T-2419Ateliers de Montréal Facilities (AMF)11996SD40 -697Sold and numbered for Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS)1219976047-6048, 6050-6052, 6055-6056, 6061-6062, 6076-6078Rebuilt for Connell LeasingAlstom Canada Transportation (GCFX)419986617-6618, 6629, 6632Rebuilt and repainted for KCS, leased to CNWheeling and Lake Erie Railway (W&LE)1December 1998Brewster, Ohio shops3048Boise Locomotive Company (BLC)7September 30, 1999SD45T-2Boise, Idaho900-906Sold to the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad (B&LE)Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR)42000Proctor, Minnesota907-910Norfolk Southern Railway (NS)55October 2021 - presentSD40-2Juniata Shops6400-6454Metro East Industries (MEI)2April 2026SD40-2 -4091 and 4092Rebuilt with new cabs
References
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