? on bachmann & athearn DD40's

[stang_crazy]

Just wondering about the differences in both companys dd40's

the bachmann unit is obviously longer and just seems bigger then the athearn unit and also there are other obvious differances.

so which is more correct to the prototype??

 

[dave1905]

The Athearn engine is actually a DD35.

 

[stang_crazy]

ahhh ok that explains some things then.

So why is it sold or labled as a dd40?

 

[kenw]

ahhh ok that explains some things then.

So why is it sold or labled as a dd40?

because that's what the DD40 was planned to look like when Athearn designed the model's molds based on EMD's preliminary plans. The real engine was subsequently cancelled by EMD, but the model lived on. Years later, EMD revised the design; it (the real one) was actually built and the UP Centennial 6935 is represented by the Bachmann model.

 

[UP2CSX]

Also for the same reason that Athearn sold an obvious SW-7 as an SW-1500 for years before they admitted they got it wrong and produced a real SW-1500. Irv just hated to be wrong. He had "inside" information that both the UP and SP, already users of DD35's, were going to order a DD40 model that would have 6,000 horsepower compared to the 5,000 horsepower of the DD35. The initial drawings showed them to be similar to the DD35 with some changes to the radiators and fans. Irv went ahead and produced them and the UP later canceled the order. With no prototype and not wanting to retool to match the real DD35, he just introduced it as the DD40. It wasn't until the UP ordered the DD40 (technically the DDA40X in EMD designation) in 1969 that the real confusion arose. Athearn kept selling them as DD40's, even including the words "Scaled from official blue prints" on the instructions up until sometime in the mid-90's. They finally discontinued to when it became apparent that model railroaders weren't buying fantasy engines like they used to be.