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
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…