Initially I suspected the two shots of the 2714 with the different placement of the "Couple Carefully" slogan was slightly different "eras," however closer examination says the photographer simply walked to the other side of the tracks and took another photo, so caution to the decalers. It isn't symmetrical! Anyone disagree?

Precisely my point in posting - there's a prototype for everything!

What's also odd is that although this is the highest numbered unit, it's got the rounded running board trim. From looking over the photos that have been posted, it seems like the higher numbered units do not have this treatment, though I suppose that could just be random coincidence. We should perhaps compile a list for the entire class...

You are Correct Rob. The slogan placement is different from one side to the other. That's why when doing a build like the 1200m, how important it is to be set on the one prototype your trying to model. There's more to these than just paint to duplicate your efforts. But sometimes it's the paint itself that drives you to model it because it was different. Like I stated in the beginning of this article, do your research, there're differences between the models. If you look, you will find them.

Thanks Tom for posting the interior shot. That pic confirmed that EMD upgraded the control stands, which I really didn't doubt, just needed the proof.

Sorry for the delay here. Work got real busy and so did the maintenance on the house. I will be getting back to this real soon and wrap up the SD45 project at the same time. So hang in there. Glad to see this article is drawing some input.

As I recall, the numbering of the rebuilds had very little to do with age or type of unit being rebuilt. I recommend the Diesel Era article to get the list of units sent to EMD.

The old B&W hardcover Reading Power, by Carleton and Pennypacker has a comprehensive diesel roster good as of 1969, and it has a unit-by-unit breakdown of each of the SW1200m former-latter numbers.

The details that all of you will notice is not only the scrolled walkways but also the Baldwin hood variation with louvers. Among the earliest delivered Baldwin VO's rebuilt was #2702. It has the early version of the cab.



Compared to:



The cab scroll drops down further on 2702. Stewart AS16s have the style cab. Not sure if it will work on the VO. When I started building #2, is when I really discovered the minor variations between some of the models. Battery boxes and access doors under the cab varied a little also, but not that much.