Re: SD40-2 conversion to narrow gauge

Sorry, apperenty EMD has never made a 36" gauge traction motor. I doubt CATS intends to let gauge go 3-3/8" wide, bad things tend to happen.

The tunnel motor arrangement is not new to the export market. The US military bought 13 EMD MRS-1 units during the Korean War. These appear to have been EMD's first use of the "tunnel" arrangement. THese units were also multi-gauge (std, 60, 63, 66), several still exist (PSRMA has 2, Heber has 1). This was the basis for the G16 export model.

THe export equivelent to a ng SD40T-2 is a G26CU, and I did find several rostered in Brazil as meter gauge. I doubt they converted these to 8 motors for axle loading, probably to increase the electrical capacity and minimum speed. They also changed the gear ratio to a lower gearing from the US common standard of 62:15. The goofy extended couplers are necessary due to the interference between the trucks and draft gear.