Athearn - HO Scale - EMD SD-40R Diesel Locomotive - with DCC & Econami Sound - Illinois Central (IC) #6003 - ‘OLS’ (Operation Lifesaver) - Black/White/Red with White Lettering & Big 'little i' Logo (Era: 2007+) (SKU 140-2864)
Available On: December 1, 2026


PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION
In 1966, EMD updated its locomotive catalog with entirely new models, all powered by the new 645 diesel engine. The SD40 had 3,000 hp from a turbocharged V16. 856 examples of this locomotive model were built for American railroads, 330 were built for Canadian railroads, and 72 were built for Mexican railroads.
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SD40 LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:
- LED lighting
- Photo-etched stainless steel windshield wipers
- Separately applied wire grab irons and air tanks
- Curved radiator fan grab iron
- Coupler cut levers
- Rubber MU hoses
- See through cab windows, dynamic brake and radiator fans
- Fine scale handrails molded in engineering plastic
- Exhaust stack
- Frame mounted bell (unless noted)
- Detailed 4000 gallon fuel tank (unless different capacity is noted)
- Flexicoil-C trucks with high or low brake cylinders (per prototype)
- McHenry scale knuckle couplers – Kadee compatible
- All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth & quiet operation
- All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
- DCC-ready features Quick Plug plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
- Improved 5-pole skew wound can motor with flywheels and multi-link drivetrain
- Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
- Highly-detailed, injection molded body
- Interior plastic blister safely holds the model for convenient storage
- Minimum radius: 18” — Recommended radius: 22”
SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE
- Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Econami sound
- Single cube speaker for optimal sound quality
- Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
- Engine, horn, and bell sounds work in DC
- Some functions are limited in DC
- All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
- Operating lighting functions with F5 and/or F6
- Excellent low-speed operation
- Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
- Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes
- CV chart included in the box
PRIMED FOR GRIME MODELS FEATURE
- Duplicated look and feel of “In Service” equipment
- Faded base colors matched to the prototype
- Perfect starting point for adding grime and rust
Illinois Central
IC #6000 - 6005 were originally built for the Illinois Central in late 1967. Later orders boosted the total IC SD40 count to 24 units. After the IC merged with the GM&O in 1972, the IC units teamed up with 21 units from the GM&O to form a sizable SD40 fleet for the newly created Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). During 1988, ICG dropped the “Gulf” from its name and again became the Illinois Central Railroad. As the SD40 fleet aged, many of them were rebuilt.
IC FEATURES:
- 4,000-gallon fuel tank
- Nathan 5-Chime horn
- Standard battery box doors
- Spare knuckles on rear pilot
- Standard EMD plow
- Non-dynamic brakes
- Rear mounted brakewheel
ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:
- #6001 Sinclair antenna, without cab air conditioner
- #6003 Firecracker antenna, cab air conditioner
- #6005 Firecracker antenna, cab air conditioner
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$264.99 US
Country of Origin: China
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