The MBTA's EMD F40PH-2Cs are quite similar to the F40PH, but there is one important difference that sets them aside. They have a second diesel engine, made by Cummins, that powers the head-end power (HEP) generator to provide electricity to the cars. This allows the full 3000 horsepower of the main engine to be used for tractive effort - on a regular F40, the generator can use as much as 710 HP. The addition of the second engine adds about 8 feet to the length of the locomotive, and the radiator section is split with two fans for the main engine and one at the rear for the Cummins. The underbody is somewhat like that of a Phase 1 Amtrak F40, with the fuel tank at the rear, but there are three air tanks on the right side and the battery boxes on the left. It is actually more like a Phase 2 or 3 underbody with the fuel tank and air tanks/battery boxes switched. The trucks are EMD Blomberg M Phase 2, with the leaf springs and roller bearings. Unlike the MBTA's F40PHs, both the F40PH-2C and M-2C have dynamic brakes, which puzzles me since there's nowhere to use dynamic brakes on the MBTA's lines, and in pretty much all of New England! One spotting feature to distinguish this engine from the nearly-identical F40PHM-2C is the cab numberboards: on the 2C, they are larger black rectangles with larger numerals, whereas on the M-2C they are smaller, rounded rectangles in a silver frame with smaller numerals.
Modeling the F40PH-2C does not look like a very difficult project. At one time I was planning a kitbash using two Walthers F40PH shells and a stretched Athearn GP38-2 mechanism. All that is really done is cutting off the rear end, adding/rearranging side panels to add 8' 1", rearranging the radiator section of the roof and adding a filler piece, then reattaching the end. The distinctive numberboards can be made by filling the recess in the Walthers numberboards with putty. The GP38-2 fuel tank is closer to the correct size than a full-length tank like the GP40-2's, so there is less work involved to make it the correct size. The frame would be cut forward of the tank and spliced back together for the correct length. Adding Detail Associates' Blomberg M Phase 2 truck sideframes is optional. I hope to compile the notes and sketches I made while planning for this project and post them here.
Photos
| Click on picture to enlarge | Engine # | Location | Date |
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1059 | Boston, MA | July 28, 2000 |
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1064 | Boston, MA | July 28, 2000 |
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1064 | Boston, MA | July 28, 2000 |
