These new engines have brushed aside diesels that, not that many years ago, would have been on the lead of a railroad’s hottest freights. Modern locomotives such as the EMD’s SD90MAC dwarf even the kings of the steam era for power and reliability.
They are mucho grande motive power, and once again MTH has captured the spirit and power of the real thing for its Premier line of diesel locomotives.
The SD90MAC is at the pinnacle of General Motors’ locomotive development. As is common with modern technology, the “next big thing” often threatens the established order. In the case of the SD90MAC this means longer periods between scheduled maintenance, greater fuel efficiency, greater rail adhesion, and more horsepower. If this engine is ultimately a success, we may see the end of long freights with, say six 2,000-hp locomotives in the lead, replaced with just two of these 6,000-hp monsters!
The next engine relegated to your local hump yard might be an SD40-2!
I’ve been eagerly awaiting the Premier line SD90MAC. First off, the prototype seems almost larger than life. Heck, an SD90MAC is just 18 feet shorter than that titan of the rails, the DDA40X (and rates only 600-hp less than that groundbreaking monster!). The coupler-to-coupler length of the MTH model is 82 scale feet, subtract the length of the oversized couplers and it is right on target with the prototype’s 80-foot length. The size of this unit even challenges O-72 curves.
Although I like running multiple-unit lashups (mixes of four or five cab units are common on my railroad) running this single unit on the point of a fast freight looked like enough power. Coupling this with an old Geep, or GP38-2, or even an F-unit seems excessive. This bad boy can do the job all by itself!
The shell looks terrific. Who says diesels lack the same opportunities for detailing that steamers do? This model captures just about all the detail you can see with your eyes.
The engine has illuminated number boards, ditch lights (prototypical or not for this version, a roof-top strobe would have been a killer!), headlights, and six – count’em – six windshield wiper arms.
The sides duplicate the wonderful array of doors, hatches, and access ways of the prototype. The top of the unit is smooth, and the little drop at mid-frame has an accurate rendition of the downward slope of the prototype (Collectors don’t read this: this slope is oddly ergonomic and is a comfortable place to grab the engine).
Simulated screens and radiator fans all look sharp. The handrails are scale-like and the fore and aft platforms are crowned by safety chains.
Decoration of the SD90MAC is great. Our sample (no. 20-2184-1) re-creates an EMD paint scheme adopted to commemorate the firm’s 75th anniversary. Paint application is flawless and the EMD emblem on the nose looks terrific, though it appears to differ in color from the prototype’s silver or gray tint along the border of the EMD shield.
MTH also offers the SD90MAC in Conrail and Union Pacific paint schemes.
We tested the SD90MAC and it delivered absolutely superb performance. The two can motors are quiet, and speed was both smooth and even in all ranges. There was no hesitation in moving out, whether it was pulling 20 or 40 cars, and the engine can nicely glide to a halt.
The ProtoSound system offers some excellent sound effects, especially when sitting in neutral. I will say, though, that it would have been nice if “Jerry” would reply when the engineer calls him! He must be taking a nap in the caboose. When under way, the engine roar was top notch and the squealing brakes were a very nice sound effect as well.
The smoke unit? The SD90’s smoker will chase you out of your basement in no time flat! If MTH made a cedar-scented ProtoSmoke, however, it would be easier to live with. There is a handy on/off switch for the smoke unit located on the frame.
Our low speed test average for the SD90MAC was 16.7 scale mph at 8 volts. Our high speed average was slow by toy train standards, 95.7 scale mph, but this is probably high for prototype performance! Still, it can really move that freight! The 6-pound, 13-ounce engine offers up 3 pounds, 4 ounces of drawbar pull, which we estimate to be more than 200 modern, free-rolling pieces of rolling stock on straight and level track.
Now that is performance!
All things about this engine considered, the SD90MAC offers industrial strength O gauge railroading! If your railroad only serves a log loader and dairy, don’t bother with the SD90MAC. But if you want to strap this baby on the front of a 40-car freight and set your throttle wide open, well, this may be the engine you need!
