Trains Magazine 50 years ago in Trains: A kid wearing gym shoes

50 years ago in Trains: A kid wearing gym shoes

By Carl Swanson | June 17, 2025

The big three-axle trucks of an SD40-2 draw a whimsical comparison

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A magazine spread from June 1975 features a large photograph of an Electro-Motive SD40 diesel speeding down the track
A spread from the June 1975 issue of Trains Magazine features a striking photo and whimsical text by Mike Iczkowski

REMEMBER the ads for Uniroyal’s “Tiger Paw” tires? When I was with the Southern Railway, some of us there referred to SR’s U-boats as “Whisperjets” (for the turbocharger noise) and to its SD40s as “Sport Models” (for the platforms). Now, I suggest tagging the Dash-2 SD40s “Tiger Paws.” Those HT-C trucks look as though they’re eating up the rails, as illustrated by this photo of a Burlington Northern SD40-2 leading an SD45 on an eastbound freight at 55 mph between Sandwich and Piano, Ill., on December 15, 1974. As does the big-footed Alco PA, the SD40-2 looks like a kid wearing gym shoes three sizes too large. — Mike Iczkowski, published in the June 1975 issue of Trains Magazine

A closeup of the nose of an Alco FA, painted in the two-tone red pf the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio railroad graces the June 1975 cover of Trains Magazine
The cover of the June 1975 issue of Trains Magazine

One thought on “50 years ago in Trains: A kid wearing gym shoes

  1. I disagree with Mr. Swanson… I always thought the SD40’s and SD45’s were some of the best looking locomotives that EMD ever built. They looked tough, they worked tough and best of all, they sounded tough. All other locomotives were dull by comparison slthough ALCO’s get credit for sounding tough…and like a steam engine…chug, chug, chug…

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